Greeley restaurateur to breathe new life into Salzman’s building

GREELEY — For more than 80 years, the storefront at 911 Eighth Ave. was home to Salzman’s Shoe and Boot. The building has sat vacant since the historic shop closed in 2017, but that will soon change.

The space was recently purchased by Brian Seifried. The Wing Shack founder and co-owner of Luna’s Tacos and Tequila in Greeley plans to transform the shop into a dining establishment.

“My background is in food and drink, so that’s the direction I definitely want to take,” Seifried told BizWest. “… It’s a great little space with lots of Eighth Avenue window frontage. It’ll be fun to bring some life back to the building.”

Weld County public records show that Seifried purchased the store in late March from Maddie Holding LLC, an entity affiliated with Greeley developer Richmark Real Estate Partners, paying $186,900. Richmark bought the property for $130,000 from Sally June Salzman in 2017.

Seifried hasn’t quite decided what kind of restaurant to develop at the former Salzman’s property, but said, “I’ve got a few concepts I’m kicking around.”

The former Salzman’s building’s relative compact interior — less than 1,400 square feet — is a major consideration Seifried said he has to keep in mind when deciding on a concept for the new restaurant.

“We’re still evaluating the space and seeing how we can most efficiently make use of the space,” he said. “… We’re not quite dialed in yet in terms of how extensive of a kitchen we are able to have while being able to fit enough seats to make the whole thing work.”

Seifried said he hopes the restaurant will be able to accommodate at least 60 seats for diners.

Regardless of the concept, Seifried said he’s confident a food-and-drink operation can be successful in that location.

“I think the timing is right for something new and exciting,” he said. “In downtown Greeley, there’s so much energy right now … and we definitely want to be a place where people can come together, enjoy a drink and eat some good food.”

Seifried said the plan is to nail down an idea for the concept this summer, start construction by late fall or early winter, and open the new establishment in early 2020.

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