Over the years, we have experienced extreme growth in Northern Colorado. From Denver to Fort Collins, businesses are sprouting up left and right to accommodate the growing influx of people moving into the area.

Of course, even with the growth in Northern Colorado we have had our fair share of businesses leave the area as well. From national chains to stores that had their start in the Fort Collins-Greeley-Denver area, we have seen many stores come and go in our lifetime.

This made me think about those businesses that were once goliaths in our area, and then went in the wrong direction to never be heard from again. Where do we start?

1.) BLOCKBUSTER VIDEO

Credit: Tim Boyle / Getty Images
Credit: Tim Boyle / Getty Images
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Growing up, I was always that kid waiting at the entrance of the local Blockbuster waiting for a certain movie that I always wanted to be released on VHS tape (and of course DVD a few years later). If you could be one of the first people to get it and not be put on their wait list, you felt like you had won the lottery. You'd rush home, slide the tape into your VHS VCR, and watch it through the grainy quality that it was.

However, the next thing we knew this thing called the internet came along. And we all started ordering those new releases from the comfort of our home without having to "Be Kind, Please Rewind".

Blockbuster tried very hard to survive this purge, and waited until the very last moment (2013) to finally close shop. In their prime, they had many successful locations across Northern Colorado including five in Fort Collins and two in Greeley.

While our kids may never know what it was like to run into Blockbuster video to get Titanic when it first came out, we'll always remember how much of an icon the Blockbuster logo was.

2.) THE DENVER DRY GOODS COMPANY

Credit: Wikipedia
Credit: Wikipedia
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Until 1987 the Denver Dry Goods Company, also known as "The Denver", was an institution in not only Denver but also the entire Front Range.

Remember the motto "Where Colorado Shops with Confidence"? That's what Denver Dry Goods was known for. Consumers had a trust in the company that no other business in the area could hold a candle to. Denver Dry Goods specialized in EVERYTHING, which some insiders believe could've been part of the downfall of the company.

Clothing, footwear, bedding, furniture, jewelry, beauty products, and more were all part of the Denver Dry Goods product line. If you needed it, they pretty much had it. And if they didn't have it, you probably didn't really need it.

In 1986, the downfall of Denver Dry Goods came about after they were sold to the May Company. Nine of the 12 locations ended up closing down and the remaining three became May-Daniels & Fisher stores.

3.) THE ORIGINAL UNIVERSITY CENTER MALL

Credit: Larimer County Tourist Booklet
Credit: Larimer County Tourist Booklet
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I understand that technically the University Plaza still stands on South College Avenue, with tenants like Whole Foods Market and Big 5 Sports. But how many of you remember when the University Center Mall was a destination for many people in Northern Colorado?

First off, it had air conditioning! Yes, that was a big selling point to many shoppers when the University Plaza was at it's hey-day.

The University Plaza Mall was anchored by Montgomery Ward, which we could write a whole different article on. Kinney Shoes, Walgreens, The Sutler Mens Wear, and Hesteds 5 & 10 were some of the stores that you could patron in one of the first enclosed malls in Northern Colorado.

It was also the only shopping mall in Fort Collins for close to seven years, but Foothills Fashion Mall opened in 1973 and Foothills Square opened in 1979. With the closing of Montgomery Ward in 1997, it started the movement in another direction for the University Mall and was renamed University Center. The Montgomery Ward space was taken over by Whole Foods in 2004.

4.) BENNIGANS RESTAURANT

Credit: ABC 7 - Denver
Credit: ABC 7 - Denver
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So the first time I ever hit up a Bennigans Restaurant was one year before they filed for bankruptcy. Yes, my timing was impeccable. But I'll never forget the first time I sat down at one and had a Monte Cristo Sandwich.

Mmmm....*cue drooling*

Sadly, in 2008, the company couldn't survive the bankruptcy filings that it made and all Colorado locations ended up closing since they were corporate owned. This included the Bennigans location on South College Avenue in Fort Collins.

Remember their "Death by Chocolate" dessert? I think it sent me to heaven each time I had it.

5.) KB TOY STORE - LOVELAND

Credit: Tim Boyle / Getty Images
Credit: Tim Boyle / Getty Images
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Here's another national chain that had a presence in Northern Colorado and had a very loyal following of consumers who enjoyed the "small box store" feel.

KB Toys on a Black Friday was always a destination of mine and they had some deals that even other toy stores couldn't keep up with. Their last Northern Colorado location was at the Outlets in Loveland on McWhinney Drive.

In 2009, Toys R Us ended up buying the brand and assets of KB Toys and still uses the "KB" name in a classic toy line the store utilizes. However, my memories will never go away of almost every KB store having the remote control or robotic toys at the front of the store and six or seven aisles full of a toy selection that was interesting to young and old.

 

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