Press.

The Kennedy Building – Pillar of Paonia

by Stu Carlson of the High Country Shopper

“The monolithic building standing sentry in the middle of Grand Avenue in Paonia has come to life – again. Originally built as a department store with apartments upstairs, the Kennedy building has been resurrected to serve its original purpose. The building provides a commercial space for a group of entrepreneurial women downstairs, and will soon offer unique downtown apartment living spaces on the second floor. Proprietors Amy DeLuca and her partner Frederick Zimmer have breathed new life into the iconic building, creating five unique retail spaces, and are in the process of remodeling five distinctive flats on the second floor, transforming the once tired space into a vibrant shopping and living experience.”

“For several decades now, the building has been known as Hays Drugstore. The two-sided store offered everything from medications to model airplanes. A fabric and home goods store (complete with a toy section not forgotten by the one-time youth of Paonia) also took up residence on the south side of the building. The nostalgic five-and-dime atmosphere it presented is dear to the hearts of many in the North Fork, and it offered unique items that could otherwise only be found by driving to Delta or beyond. It also served as the only drugstore in Paonia. However, as Robert Frost once penned, “Nothing gold can stay,” and when proprietors Rick and Jill Mcgaughay decided it was time to retire, the chapter titled Hays Drugstore came to an end.”