Town Pump - Saving a Ft Collins Legend

For more than one hundred years, the Town Pump has been a part of the heart that beats at the center of Fort Collins. It is a haven and a throwback to the original culture of Old Town; a gathering place for many locals, a cozy sporting event host and a heart warming watering hole for new patrons and loyal regulars.

The oldest and smallest bar in Fort Collins has weathered many storms including wars, depressions, recessions, fires, floods and even federal prohibition of alcohol. Every time, the Town Pump has prevailed and continued to welcome folks looking for a little breather. But this pandemic threatens the resilience and the future of the Town Pump.

Jake Latendresse worked as a bartender at Town Pump from 1990 until he purchased it on July 1, 2000. This spring, he closed the Town Pump temporarily and quarantined against the current coronavirus. He furloughed his employees so they could draw unemployment while he applied for PPP which took several weeks. He dug into his personal savings to pay rent, suppliers/distributors, and costly requirements towards social distancing compliances. He worked through the possibilities of how to reopen safely. The Town Pump adapted. Jake designed a new outdoor seating area to expand the tiny 416 square-foot space. He changed his cash-only payment policy to accept credit cards.

But the sad reality is that personal funding and time is running out. Closing the doors forever is a heart-breaking truth despite tackling every difficulty head on with his heart-felt responsibility to his employees and to this incredible landmark which has survived so many other challenges.

We are all looking forward with hope and to vaccines that are finally on the horizon, but now the cash reserves are dry and the Town Pump needs your help to survive until the ultimate goal of returning to normal becomes a reality. As a community, both far and wide, we must come together to save our beloved bar.

With this Go Fund Me effort, we are asking for donations from anyone and everyone who the Town Pump has touched over the years... and we can’t wait to read the personal stories that come from this communal effort.

Please know that every dollar will go to help the Town Pump survive this pandemic so they can meet you on the other side with a cold drink in hand. Please contribute as generously as you can.

The Pump is a pillar in our community, and for Fort Collins to lose the Town Pump would be a loss to the core of Old Town and to all who have graced its doors over the past 112 years. The Town Pump has survived this long because of the amazing patrons just like you and your loyalty to its amazing history.

Please help us keep this landmark open and moving forward towards another one hundred years. 

Thank you,
Town Pump est. 1909
Fort Collins, Colorado

https://www.facebook.com/TownPumpColorado/