Berthoud Weekly Surveyor | Covering all the angles in the Garden Spot

Former Wayside Inn building sold

November 30, 2015 | Local News

Building will be future home to Berthoud Animal Hospital

By John Gardner
The Surveyor

One of Berthoud’s most iconic buildings has sold. The former Wayside Inn building, located at 505 Mountain Ave., in Berthoud, has been purchased and will be the future site of the Berthoud Animal Hospital.

Berthoud Animal Hospital owners Trish Miller and Ken Bixel closed on the property on Nov. 16, Miller confirmed. According to property records from the Larimer County Assessor’s office, the property was built in 1995 and has a listed valued at $550,000 as of 2014. It was once listed as valued at $850,000 in 2010.

The current Wayside Inn was re-built after the original building burned down on Christmas Eve 1993. The restaurant re-opened in 1995.

When the restaurant burned down it was called Peterson’s Wayside Inn. Fred Peterson had purchased the restaurant from Stan Williams in 1978, and Peterson operated a successful dinner theater in conjunction with the restaurant for several years.

Jeremy Roush, a former Peterson employee, purchased the inn in October 2006, which reopened in 2007; however, it was closed soon after.

Since then, the building has sat vacant.

Berthoud Animal Hospital is currently located at Second Street and Turner Avenue in Berthoud. The business opened in 1977 by the previous owner and has been there ever since. Miller purchased the animal hospital in 2012 she said, but the business has outgrown its current facility.

“It’s a small business and we have, after 30 year of the practice being here, we’ve outgrown the facility and have been looking for opportunities to expand into a more visible location as well,” she said.

The former Wayside Inn provided the expansion possibilities necessary for the veterinary business, she said, and she is excited for the opportunity, adding she was amazed so many people didn’t know where the animal hospital was located.

“It amazes me that people don’t know where we are,” Miller said.

The new location, right on Mountain Avenue, provides a more direct exposure, Miller said, and allows them to expand the business as well and offer more services to clients.

While she’s anxious to move into the new location, Miller said they don’t have an opening date set just yet and are still planning for a remodel to accommodate the business.

“It’s in the works; we are working on plans now, but nothing set for remodel yet,” Miller said. “That’s what we’re working on; getting rid of the internal stuff, tables and stuff that is in there. We have a little time to get that out before we start demo.”

Miller hopes to start the remodel process within a month with hopes of being able to open in the new location in mid-2016.

“Hopefully sooner if we get the ball going,” she said.

The current facility is around 2,000 square feet, according to Miller. The new building is much bigger and allows the hospital to at least double in size. Miller said they may consider other opportunities in the rest of the building as well.

The new location will allow for added services and continuing the high level of care Berthoud Animal Hospital provides.

“Clients have requested additional services as well, and this will give added space to fulfill that,” Miller said.

Miller and her family have lived in Berthoud since 2004, and she is excited to be able to keep the practice in town.

“I love the town and I’m excited,” she said of purchasing the former Wayside Inn. “It’s a good place for me; I enjoy knowing the people that come in.”

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