By Kelly Sommariva
ksommariva@klkntv.com
A local grocery store is looking for a new place to call home. In a few months, a leasing disagreement will force out the largest tenant at the Indian Village Shopping Center.
The Shur Fine Village Market has been near 13th and Arapahoe for more than a decade. They found out at the end of January their landlord was not going to renew their lease. They put a copy of that letter on their doors and it has sparked outcry from customers.
Martha Crane, an employee, said, "Shock. I was just very shocked when he told me."
Crane has worked at the Village Market for more than four years. She can't believe their landlord will be terminating their lease.
Larry Baus, the store owner, said, "It's a business decision by our landlord. I understand that. Unfortunately what I think sometimes isn't thought about is the impact on the people in the neighborhood."
Baus is now looking for a new place; he has been in the shopping center for more than a decade.
One shopper said, "A friendly neighborhood store like it used to be when I was growing up."
But come April, they won't be there anymore.
The Village Market received a letter from their landlord January 31 saying their lease would be terminated at the end of April. They were told Family Dollar agreed to move in and pay 2.5 times the rent.
The landlord said for business stability, the plaza needed a tenant who would sign a long term lease which the Village Market would not do. They were currently on a one-year lease.
Most of their business is people who stop on their way to or from work.
"We serve a need for people who live in our neighborhood," said Baus.
A need many locals said will be sorely missed.
"I'm really said to think it's closing because we live so close and we can walk," said one shopper.
"It's just like a family here and I think the whole neighborhood is going to be affected by this," said another shopper.
The owner is actively looking for a new site in the neighborhood. He said they're going to keep the shelves fully stocked as long as they can and take care of their customers until the end of April when they'll have to close their doors for good. The landlord did confirm it is 99 percent certain Family Dollar will be moving in after April.
