After almost a year of Redd’s Mercantile closing and sitting empty, leaving locals without a larger Nucla grocery store, and especially since Wild Gal’s Market moved to Naturita — although Good E’s has helped the community have access to food staples, like bread, milk and cheese — the space has sold. Christopher and Aimee Tooker, entrepreneurs and champions of the West End economy, have recently purchased the old grocery, which is located at 460 Main St. in Nucla.
The Tooker family, also of Nucla, owns and operates Tooker Electric, and they have Spirits of the Tabeguache, the liquor store in Nucla. They also own the Vestal House, the historic building that functions as a bed and breakfast, including Amy’s Place. They also have the old museum building on Main Street that was previously visitor’s center and a general store. In the last year, they bought the old Nucla Creamery too, though the future of that has yet to be determined.
Now the old grocery is also a part of the Tookers’ work, and to the relief of many who want to see a real food market in their town.
The Forum was alerted to the sale of Redd’s a few weeks ago and had reached out to Aimee Tooker to discuss. Then, the family was in the middle of hunting season and also had others details they were still working out. Although they’re still “secretive” about what they will be doing with the building, the Forum has confirmed that Redd’s will indeed become a grocery store once again.
Aimee Tooker said her family had watched the building sit for sale for a quite a while, and with the price-dropping but no takers ever putting it under contract and moving forward, the Tookers said they couldn’t watch the building go to auction.
“Before the store went to auction, we were able to make an offer that the sellers’ couldn’t refuse, and we are so excited to dig in and start to bring the building back up to something the community can be proud of,” Aimee Tooker said Monday morning. “People from other cities and states do not understand the history and the importance a grocery store is to our remote area. We couldn’t let the building go to someone that has no idea the value and the impact.”
Those in Nucla likely have questions: Will deli sandwiches and the fountain drinks make a come back? What about the Mexican cokes in glass bottles? Will the space be renamed? What about the bags of ice? What about the exterior or inside? Might the Tookers completely change the space, like they’ve beautified other West End properties?
Aimee Tooker said there is no timeline for the grocery store’s opening. The couple will take their time to ensure a renovation is done strategically and methodically.
“Just like Spirits of the Tabeguache, when you see the open sign turn on, you will know when we are open,” Aimee Tooker said.
