The Steamboat Pilot & Today

Downtown Steamboat shop closes doors

Steamboat Springs — Design of the Times, at 810 Lincoln Ave. in Steamboat Springs, has shut down after 22 years of business. Owner Ben Gero said “it’s just time” to end his run. The shop, which sold clothing, jewelry, toys and other items, closed Aug. 23.

Gero said his two stores at Yampa Valley Regional Airport, the Hangar gift shop and the Hangar Express, would remain open “for the foreseeable future, provided we’ve got airplanes.”

Gero, who is 70, said he had no plans to leave Steamboat.

“My family is here,” he said. “I have six grandkids here; they need my help to ski.”

YVRA seeking partner for wireless Internet

Yampa Valley Regional Airport officials hope to join with a business to install free wireless Internet at the airport in Hayden, YVRA Manager Dave Ruppel said. A real estate company had expressed interest in helping pay for the network in exchange for the rights to advertise through it, he said.

YVRA officials are seeing whether other businesses would like to back the project.

“It’s part of our county bid requirement to make sure we’ve given a fair opportunity to any entities that might be interested in that opportunity,” Ruppel said.

The airport will take bids on the project, he said.

YVRA officials aim to have free wireless internet available for the ski season. Interested businesses are asked to submit proposals by Sept. 22 and can call Dean Smith at 276-5020 with questions.