Regional economy appears to be climbing again

9-11 shock fading as construction, retail bounce back

When Gene Downey decided to buy G. Michael’s Restoration, a Fort Collins furniture-repair business, he reasoned that no matter what happened with the economy, he would still have a strong clientele.

“I think this particular type of business, while it’s not recession-proof, is something that everybody who has furniture needs,” he said. “With a recession-type climate hanging over us, people want to repair what they have instead of buying something new.”

And if the recession continues to recede and good economic times return?

“In good times people are redecorating and we can match their furniture to…