by Lori Nagel
We’ve so far been able to hold off the fast-food chains in our tiny little town at the end of the road, Crestone traditionally having been filled with residents who prefer health-conscious alternatives to convenience. However, with the influx of people moving here from all over, especially big cities, the demand for fast food is on the rise, and, “the current supply of quick hot food around here is severely lacking,” according to those pushing for this endeavor. The next question, undoubtedly: Who are the people leading up this endeavor?
There’s a group of local residents, 95% of whom are newcomers or run AirBnB’s out of their vacation homes here, who call themselves Normalize Crestone! At this time, the individual members prefer to remain anonymous. They have many plans for the future of our town, including creating more “fun” types of activities, so as to attract more tourists from all walks of life and really put Crestone on the map with a booming economy. Some of the ideas they’re currently throwing around are go-carts, laser tag, mini-golf, zip-lines and possibly even a gondola tram to go up to the top of Kit Carson, where they’ll build a visitor’s center, just like on Pike’s Peak.
If all goes according to Normalize Crestone’s plan, the new McDonald’s will be right next the kiosk, so as to be convenient to both Baca and town residents, and then it will also be on county land, which makes it easier for them to work through the legalities of re-zoning that area to be commercial. The planned date for the grand opening is on April 1, 2025. Oh, and one more thing – April Fools!
