LYONS, Colo – Nearly a year ago, a fire tore through several downtown Lyons businesses, leaving a big impact on Main Street right in the middle of the holiday season.

On Saturday night, the holiday season officially began with the Lyons Holiday Parade of Lights. At the beginning of the route, and at the front of downtown, still sits the boarded up and burned businesses.

“The building needs to be razed. That should be happening next week,” said Mayor Hollie Rogin, “The building won’t be able to be saved, it will be an empty lot for at least a little while.”

She was there the day of the fire, she recalls it being terrifying for the small town.

Next door to the burned buildings is Red Canyon Art, a staple on Main Street for nearly 20 years.

“Red Canyon Art was on the corner since 1995,” said owner, Connie McGuire. She moved down the block about a year before the fire, explaining to Denver7, that she had some guilt after her neighbors lost everything.

“I woke up and came to work. My neighbors woke up and didn’t have a store,” she remembered.

Since then, some of the business owners have moved to new locations, and others have downsized and are operating out of other previously existing shops on Main Street.

Plans for burned business in Lyons underway as holiday season kicks off

“This town really banded together like we always do,” said Rogin.

The upcoming demolition is expected to close the one road through the downtown, Highway 36, with no estimated time as to how long the demolition could take.

“It’s always a bummer to have an impact on the holiday season, but we’re still here. We’ll always be here,” said McGuire.

She hopes even with a Main Street disruption for a second year in a row, shoppers will still choose to support small businesses this holiday season.

“We got great places to eat, drink, shop and be merry and hear music. If you haven’t been, you should come check us out, and if you have been, come on back,” said McGuire.

As for the future lot where the burned businesses currently are, Mayor Rogin said there have been several conversations with the property owner on how to integrate the space into the downtown culture until the space is able to be built up.

“Maybe a food truck park, or a pocket park, or pop-up shops. As soon as it’s level and ready to go, we’ll start our planning,” said Rogin.

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