Bell, Book, Candle & Coffee out

Wednesday, Oct. 3 marked the last day for Bell, Book, Candle and Coffee (BBCC) at its Niwot location at 198 2nd Ave. Christine Lucas, who opened BBCC in June 2016, said earlier that she plans to continue the business, but has not secured a new location.

Lucas, a longtime resident of the area, said she opened the store with her retirement savings, moving it from the Boulder Airport and expanding her merchandise offerings so that it would be the “department store” for the town. Inventory was very wide-ranging and included books on aviation, functional and decorative household items, jewelry, and body care products.

The historic former Niwot Tribune building, previously owned by John Lockwood, was sold in December 2017 to several investment companies.

Lucas said her initial lease went to June 2017,and was renewed for another year with the former owner. That lease, according to Lucas, contained an option to renew again.

Although Lucas said she wanted a longer term lease all along and hired an attorney to work on her behalf, that was not the wish of the former or present owners. The approximately 1000-square foot space is now being shown to potential new tenants by leasing agent Christian Smith of the Colorado Group.

In February 2018, according to Smith, each of the four tenants of the building signed a new lease with the present owners.

Lucas’s new lease, which she said she didn’t read thoroughly, gave up her right to renew in June 2018, meaning the business had to leave the premises on May 31, 2018. She said her attorney was able to negotiate a new moving date of Aug. 31. Lucas said she had hoped that continued talks would result in her being able to remain in the space, but that wasn’t the outcome.

The present owners, Smith said, agreed to a second extension allowing BBCC to stay until Sept. 21, and then took the precaution of having Lucas sign a court stipulation acknowledging she would be out of the building by that time or would face eviction. When Lucas had not vacated the premises by Sept. 21, the owners arranged for eviction. Listed on the eviction notice are two owners; 6654 Gunpark, LLC and Main and Main, LLC.

“This is a difficult situation,” Smith said. “We inherited the tenant and have done our best to work with her. I don’t feel like anything has been done improperly from our side, at all. We extended her now twice, we tried very hard to have it be peaceful, but unfortunately, we’re out of time and out of money.“

Boulder County Sheriff’s deputies, accompanied by movers and Smith, arrived the morning of Oct. 3 to remove the contents of BBCC. They posted an eviction notice on the door and the unit’s locks were changed. Lucas was not on the premises when space was emptied and items were placed on the sidewalk..

Most of the inventory was already in boxes inside the store, so movers placed the boxes and the BBCC sign on the sidewalk. A “For Lease” sign was affixed to the side of the building.

“It was a very sticky situation. It was hard and we were bummed to be in the situation we were in,” Smith said. “We did the best we could and did everything by the book. Her attorney was fully aware that this was happening, so she was fully aware. There was nothing else we could have done. It was unfortunately necessary.”

Lucas had previously said she would be looking for a new space to lease either with another business or on her own, and until then, her inventory was going to be placed in storage. Since the eviction, Lucas has not returned calls from the Courier.