1960’s & 70’s

Trips to Glenwood Springs used take a good hour or more in the sixties and seventies, long before the highway 82 re-alignments and the addition of multiple lanes that we see today.  At the same time, Glenwood had all the “big” chains that we needed to shop at on occasions, things you could not get in Aspen.  Places like F.W. Woolworths, Coast-to-Coast, Radio Shack, the Sears Catalog Store and even the local chain that eventually made it to Aspen, Bill Bullock’s.  Glenwood had other attractions too like, Dairy King (not a typo), Robo-Wash, A&W Drive-in and my favorite, The Spudnut Shop.  The Hot Springs Pool was an obvious attraction and few trips to Glenwood Springs did not include a visit to the pool.

“Mr. Spudnut”, the company mascot, frequently appeared in front of the store enticing all those who had not yet tried those potato based delights.  I remember Bill and his wife working all those years in the shop.  He always saved the Spudnut holes; they were never for sale as they were reserved for their best customers, kids! 

My family members were big fans of the A&W Drive-In and our trips to Glenwood Springs or just passing through included stops at both locations.  We used to come home with the gallon jugs of Root Beer and return them for a re-fill on our next trip.

In time each of those brands disappeared and were replaced with McDonalds, Wendy’s and the anchor stores out at the recently completed Glenwood Springs Mall in West Glenwood.  Bullocks could not survive against J.C Penny’s and the other clothing stores arriving in town during the 1970’s and beyond.

The A&W Building still stands and has gone through major changes over the years.  Everything else has long since disappeared from the Glenwood Springs landscape.

Long after the Spudnut Shop closed, I ran into Bill in Grand Junction.  We had a great time reminiscing about our visits to the shop.  It amazed me how he remembered so many of his former customer’s years after his retirement.  By the 1980’s the Spudnut Corporation went out of business but there are still a few stores in Colorado and around the US operating as independents.