NEDERLAND, Colo. — Three weeks after a fire devastated nearly two dozen businesses in a Nederland shopping center, one shop owner is preparing to reopen at a new location thanks to overwhelming community support.
John Thompson, owner of Mountain Man Outdoor Store, will reopen his business on Halloween after losing his building and all of his inventory in the Caribou Village fire on Oct. 9. His new location, dubbed "Mountain Man 2.0," sits across the street from where his original store once stood.
"I could have waited til the insurance came through and then try to find someplace in April," Thompson said. "But I just, I'm not the person that can sit down and wait."
The Nederland community couldn't wait to help him either.
Since securing his new location, Thompson's shop door has been constantly opening with friends and customers dropping off used gear to stock his shelves.
"Sunday, I had a stack back there that's five feet deep, and I'm still working at it," said Thompson.
Despite the devastating loss, Thompson knew he had to reopen in the same community that had supported him.
"That's why I'm doing this again, because I found the one little place in the planet that I really fit perfectly," Thompson said through tears. "So I couldn't, I couldn't... it still gets to me sometimes, I couldn't quit. I'm not a quitter."
The Nederland community refused to let him quit, too.
"Yeah, people really come together," said Todd Buchanan, a longtime friend who installed shelving for all of the new inventory.
With shelves stocked and the shop taking shape, Thompson is settling into his new location, looking forward to welcoming customers through the door on Friday.
"The place didn't matter. I realized that in the end, the place didn't matter," Thompson said. "It's all the people and the relationship with the customers and the people that really keep me here."
Denver7 is continuing to follow rebuilding efforts in Nederland. Read our previous coverage below:
- State leaders gather in Nederland to support business owners, employees impacted by shopping center fire
- Nederland deli owner feeds shopping center fire victims, first responders through nonprofit kitchen
- Nederland turning disaster into determination in wake of devastating business fire
- Nederland grocery store reopens just four days after fire tore through 18 businesses in mountain town
- ‘No credible evidence’ fire at Nederland strip mall was intentionally set, Boulder deputies say
- Nonprofit brings relief to fire-stricken Nederland with free laundry services
- Wild Bear Nature Center launches fundraising campaign after Nederland shopping center fire
