COBWEB CORNERS: Spudnuts and other treats

By Mel McFarland

       OK, this is different! Five days a week I go up Pikes Peak, and I tell of the High Altitude Donuts at the Summit House. What are my favorite do-nuts? Pikes Peak's were, but they are no longer. I like Daylight, Krispy Kreme and Dunkin', but there was another. Actually, its place of business was not far from the Dunkin' Donuts on Colorado Avenue.
       You remember Spudnuts? Back in the 1950s there were 140 of them in 28 states, including Colorado. The first one was built here just after World War II at 2921 N. Nevada Ave. It moved to 2430 West Colorado in the 1950s, then near 8th and Colorado, and later on to South Nevada. I liked Spudnuts. I do not remember much about how they tasted, and I suppose they had potatoes in them.
       Then how about Cupp Cottages? They sat where the east end of Red Rock Shopping Center can now be found. The main house was about where the Kentucky Fried Chicken building is. Remember when it was Garth's Kentucky Fried Chicken? Mr. Garth had a place on South Nevada, last known as Mack's. It was a keystone for 1950s and '60s cruising, as was J's up by CC, on the north end. Mr. Garth managed to get one of the first franchises from Colonel Sanders in the West.
       How about Colorado Broom Company? Located on the corner at 631 W. Colorado, it made and sold some of the finest brooms around, and many of the workers and salesmen were blind.
       Or F&L Foods? The complex on the south side of Colorado Avenue between 23rd and 24th streets put out one of my favorite smells! There they made Golden Flake Potato Chips. My dad worked there for a time, and I remember watching the slicer, cooking and packaging. Later it was bought out by a big company and moved up north of Sinton Dairy's plant near 1-25 and Fillmore, but it was not the same anymore. The Safeway store was in the building that Goodwill now uses for sales. Speaking of Safeway, after moving out of that building, it had several locations before settling in at the Red Rocks Shopping center.
       Well, that is enough wandering the Westside for now. See you next week!