Carther’s Roadhouse opened their doors to family and friends Thursday, Oct. 15, and then to the community over the weekend with games, family fun and a look into the past.

DEL NORTE- A new establishment has opened their doors in Del Norte and it is nothing less than one of its kind for the Valley. Proprietors Dave Garrison and Kevin Van Dyke began planning for their dream business in December after moving here from the Denver area. “We came down to do some work for the Wilson Ranch three years ago and I instantly fell in love,” said Garrison.

Originally the two partners thought about opening an art gallery having dealt in art for several years. “We were gently swayed away from the idea of another art gallery and started planning for the restaurant/roadhouse in December. We decided to move forward with our plans in late January and then COVID hit. We figured, well we are in it this far, might as well finish. So, we did,” continued Garrison.

Local resident and business entrepreneur Stan Johnson purchased the old Carther’s Motor Company from previous owner Charlie Prease. Prease had established an antique store where the current restaurant resides, and it wasn’t until Garrison and Van Dyke became involved that the history of the building came to light.

According to local historian and Rio Grande County Museum Director Louise Colville the neighborhood where the building sits used to be a kind of industrial area of Del Norte from the late 1800s to the mid-1900s. First the location was home to a Livery owned by Dan O’Neil in the late 1800s but the building that housed the Livery was torn down. In its place, Arthboth Car Dealership took up shop and then it was changed to Carther’s Motor Company, then the antique store and now Carther’s Roadhouse.
On Thursday, Oct. 15, Garrison and Van Dyke welcomed an intimate group of family and friends to help them celebrate the opening of Carther’s Roadhouse. It was during this celebration that a sound came from down the street, it was the distinct toot of an old-time horn. As everyone turned to look, a 1926 Chevrolet one-ton tow truck trundled up Spruce Street and stopped in front of the roadhouse.

Building owner Stan Johnson had reached out to Moonlight Customs owners Ryan and Kyle Black who set out on the difficult task of finding a 1926 Chevrolet tow truck and once tracking one down, the took on the task of restoring the vehicle. When Ryan Black drove the vehicle up to the front of Carther’s, no one could have anticipated the story that would follow.

According to Black he set out to find a 1926 tow truck similar to the one that is photographed in front of the original building in the 1920s, little did he know he would find the actual truck from the picture. Black tracked the vehicle down through research and finally found one in Utah. He traveled to pick up the vehicle and after getting it home, worked on finding all of the missing parts in order to piece it back together.

It was through this process and after referring to the original photograph that he was able to determine that it was in fact the original Carther’s Motor Company tow truck. It was a wonderful surprise for those in attendance and it will now reside inside the restaurant after making its long journey home. Before parking the tow truck in its new home, local photographer Amber Lynn Newhouse helped recreate the original photograph.

Garrison and Van Dyke have created a wonderful new establishment for the San Luis Valley that offers a family friendly environment with games like, pool, connect four, shuffleboard, darts, table hockey and will be bringing a new Karaoke machine in soon too.

The restaurant will also have a snack bar and offer gaming events. The front room has been set aside for young customers, local sports teams and large crowds. “We also plan to have a hot cocoa and lemonade stand that local students can use to fundraise. Students can come and use our stand which will be placed outside the restaurant. It is our way of giving back to the community,” said Garrison.

The restaurant will offer several delectable dishes like hamburgers, hotdogs, brats, cheese steaks, rotisserie chicken and so much more. “We hope to do specials throughout the week and add to our menu as we go along,” said Garrison. Carther’s is located at 505 Spruce Street and will be open Monday through Thursday 3 p.m. until 11 p.m. and from 11 a.m. until 11 p.m. on the weekends. Hours will increase as more of the restaurant is opened up.