Downtown Aspen hungry for food options

Carolyn Sackariason/The Aspen Times
As winter season kicks off, the downtown commercial landscape has experienced some moves in the retail world with new arrivals and the changing of locations, yet several restaurant spaces will remain dark until next year.
Almost a dozen spaces that used to be restaurants in downtown Aspen will remain closed this winter season, including a handful that have been closed for several years.

Anna Stonehouse/The Aspen Times
The longest that have remained closed are Main Street Bakery, which ceased operations in 2016 and is owned by prominent landlord Mark Hunt, as well as the former Over Easy and Aspen Brewing Co. space on Hopkins Avenue, which the Hillstone Restaurant Group purchased in 2017.

Carolyn Sackariason/The Aspen Times
Brian Biel, vice president of the restaurant group, which owns the White House Tavern next door, issued a similar statement last week that the company has made in previous years.
“Hillstone is working with the city of Aspen to pull out its building permit and expects to start work on a new project soon,” he said via email.
Hunt told The Aspen Times this past February he hoped to start construction within a few months, but that