Bonjour: Who’s Moving Into Longtime Vacant Old Town Location

133 S. College Avenue in Old Town Fort Collins was once home to Jimmy John's, but since the sandwich shop closed in late 2018, it's just been empty, even though it's prime downtown real estate. According to the Coloradoan and What Now Denver, it's been confirmed that Old Town is getting a French bakery. 

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What Now Denver says that Philippe, a French bistro and bakery named after its chef, Philippe Boutinet, will open this summer. There's no exact opening date yet, but on May 1, the bistro's website shared that they're 'opening shop in Fort Collins this Summer – stay tuned!' And, if you're wondering how to pronounce it, it's 'fee-leep.'

It's a welcome site to have a small business opening in Old Town Fort Collins after a difficult year of COVID-19 shutdowns. But, even before that, several businesses quietly closed one by one on that particular downtown strip.

Just a couple doors down from the former Jimmy John's, the Old Chicago closed its doors in the summer of 2018. While it was vacant for a year, it's now Brother's Bar and Grill. On the same block, 125 S. College Avenue has been a number of businesses in the last decade. Stonehouse became Beach House, then became Mainline, which also closed in 2018 and still remains vacant.

Of course, one of the most-missed businesses on that block is the Drunken Monkey. The longtime iconic Fort Collins bar with rope swing chairs and fishbowl drinks closed in the fall of 2019. It's now home to The Bar District, which opened in 2020 while facing the challenges of COVID-19 restrictions.

Right now, Lulu Asian Bistro, Julian's, Garwood's Jewelers and Nepal Tibet Imports have remained on that block the longest. Here are more businesses that have left Old Town.