Old Colorado City retail store/gallery ends 32-year run
Donna and Jim Heikes stand behind the counter
of their long-time Thunder Mountain store.
Westside Pioneer photo
|
Thunder Mountain Trading Company, a 32-year business selling various types of art, jewelry, chandeliers, lamps and other creations, which has been in Old Colorado City since 1990, is shutting down at the end of December - at least in this area.
Jim Heikes, who was born in Texas, and his wife Donna will only be selling their wares at a popular first-Monday flea market in the eastern part of that state.
The market, in the town of Canton, “is open only four days a month,” Jim said, adding with a grin, “I think I can handle that for semi-retirement.”
The couple won't be complete strangers to this area. Jim pointed out that they are keeping their home in the Springs, and they also own rental properties.
Thunder Mountain was born 32 years ago when Jim, working in a garage in Divide, created his own style of antler chandeliers. The first retail-store location was Woodland Park.
The move to the 2508 W. Colorado Ave. address happened five years later, after Jim decided that OCC was “more of a destination” than Woodland, where a lot of the traffic is on its way to other places.
For about 10 years while the store was here, Jim served as either chair of the Old Colorado City Associates (OCCA) business group or the Old Colorado City Special Improvement Maintenance District (SIMD).
“I tried to bring the store owners together,” he said, pointing out that instead of looking for disagreements - as sometimes happens - the owners should keep in mind that “we're all down here for the same thing - to make a living.”
But nowadays, the Heikes are looking to the future. They have put out signs letting people know they're retiring Thunder Mountain and “everything must go.”
Westside Pioneer article
(Business:
Changes)
Would you like to respond to this article? The Westside Pioneer welcomes letters at editor@westsidepioneer.com. (Click here for letter-writing criteria.)