The Subway shop on U.S. Highway 160 in west Durango has closed permanently after financial struggles brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, co-owner Steve Redding said Monday.

Redding, who has co-owned the location inside the Exxon convenience store for 13 years, said business was down about 40% to 50% during the shutdown earlier this year.

Redding hoped business would pick up as regulations were relaxed and tourists started to visit the region. But sales didn’t recover as expected in June, and Redding said he had decided to close the business if July sales didn’t pick up.

“With fewer people flying and more people driving, we thought there’d be a nice rebound,” he said. “But there was not enough for us to keep our doors open.”

The Subway closed Friday, Redding said.

Redding said he transfered some of his staff to the Papa Murphy’s Pizza location in Town Plaza, which he also co-owns.

There are still three other Subway locations in Durango: on north Main Avenue, on Florida Road near Bread and in the Walmart shopping center.

Redding formerly owned the Subway near Walmart but sold it three years ago. He does not own any of the other Subways.

“Durango’s oversaturated with Subways anyway, so that didn’t help,” he said. “But it’s been a good run.”

Subway is the latest in a string of eateries around La Plata County to close in part because of economic struggles associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last week, the Palace Restaurant, a 23-year-old mainstay in downtown Durango, announced it would close this month.

In May, The Red Snapper announced it would close. The seafood-centric restaurant at 114 E. Ninth St. had been in business for 35 years.

Also in May, the Vallecito eatery Pura Vida Café, about 25 miles northeast of Durango, said the economic hardships of the COVID-19 outbreak and subsequent shutdown were too much to overcome.

And in April, Eno Cocktail Lounge and Wine Bar closed and filed for bankruptcy, in part because of the coronavirus restrictions, which at the time, had caused restaurants to either temporarily shut down or offer only takeout and delivery service.

jromeo@durangoherald.com