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Hayden Town Council to consider new, larger Kum & Go

The interior of the Market Fresh Kum & Go in Craig. A new, larger Kum & Go store in Hayden is slated to have more food options, similar to the Kum & Go in Craig.
Photo courtesy of Craig Press

HAYDEN — Hayden’s Kum & Go convenience store is set to double in size, should the town council approve the store’s plans later this month.

The Hayden Planning Commission approved a larger Market Fresh store, which would see phased construction of a new building on lots adjacent to the current store, additional gas pumps and the current store demolished.

The Hayden Kum & Go is currently about 2,000 square feet. The new store would be about 5,000 square feet, Hayden Town Manager Mathew Mendisco said. A site plan for the new store covers an acre, which runs the length of an entire town block between North Chestnut and North Poplar streets.



The site plan will go before the Hayden Town Council at its April 18 meeting.

“Today in Hayden, we have food but not the full food offering that we have in our Go Fresh markets,” Kum & Go spokesperson Ariel Rubin wrote in an email to Steamboat Pilot & Today. “What we’re hoping to have in Hayden is similar to what we have in Craig: a full food program in a much bigger space.”



The new store would offer additional food choices including made-to-order pizzas, sandwiches and bakery items cooked onsite. It will also triple the number of gas pumps available, from two pump islands to six. A bike rack is proposed, along with a Redbox movie and video game rental machine and propane sales.

Mendisco said he believes impacts to the town will be positive. With a larger store, he believes the town will see an increase in sales tax revenue. The addition of new sidewalks and a landscaped area between the store and U.S. Highway 40 will also improve the visual appeal of downtown Hayden, he said.

“We are hopeful that we will have the opportunity to rebuild an older asset in town and bring it up to current standards,” Rubin wrote. “We really appreciate being a part of the community and look forward to a continued presence for many years to come.”

Rendering of a new Kum & Go store slated for construction in Hayden.
Image courtesy of Town of Hayden

Construction could start as soon as May, “if all else is well,” Mendisco said. The company plans to seek building permits once the plan receives council approval.

Construction will happen in two phases. The first will see the demolition of buildings on the adjacent lot just west of the current store. According to documents presented to the Planning Commission, Kum & Go is negotiating the purchase of two adjacent properties owned by Hayden Digs 2, LLC and WG Property Investments, LLC.

This summer, Kum & Go plans to build the new store and gas canopy on these western lots. Kum & Go will keep the current location and gas pumps open until the new building is completed. Mendisco said the company hopes to have the new store built and open to the public by November.

In the second phase, Kum & Go will demolish the existing store and gas canopy and replace it with additional new gas pumps.

Public comment on the new store, which was offered in a neighborhood meeting and during the Planning Commission hearing, was largely concerned with the business’ appearance and mitigating noise and light pollution.

“Kum & Go has done a really good job of listening to town staff and putting in a lot of extra landscaping that you wouldn’t normally see at a Kum & Go,” Mendisco said.

The property will see trees, additional landscaping and new sidewalks added along U.S. 40 and Poplar Street, additional trees and a privacy fence erected behind the building.

The company also will improve an alleyway mid-block, providing a wider, paved access to U.S. 40, Mendisco said. The new store won’t have an electric vehicle charging station, but Kum & Go plans to place the infrastructure needed for one should it decide to add one in the future, he added.

“(Kum & Go) has already become a willing business partner,” Mendisco said.

The company donated water for the town’s Parks and Recreation programs and events.

“We’re establishing a positive relationship,” he said.

To reach Eleanor Hasenbeck, call 970-871-4210, email ehasenbeck@SteamboatPilot.com or follow her on Twitter @elHasenbeck.


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