Is It A Huge Deal That Downtown Loveland’s Only Gas Station Has Shut Down?

Did you know that, according to the City of Loveland, "Downtown" runs from where Taco John's is to the north, south to where Barnes Softball Complex is? That's a pretty big stretch of highway. Should there be a gas station?

I grew up in Loveland, and currently live in Downtown Loveland; I can't say that I've been to this gas station more than a couple of times. I call it the "Safeway" gas station, though it was never affiliated with the grocery store. It was pretty popular as a place to stop in and get sodas, snacks and cigarettes.

I'm not saying that it's the end of the world that this gas station has ceased operation, but it does strike me at least a little peculiar that there isn't any other gas station in Downtown Loveland. If anything, it's almost like a landmark, that old station; it'll be weird to not see it there.

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With Natural Grocers coming in across the street at that corner soon, maybe a new gas station will go in. Maybe it will, indeed, be a part of Safeway, this time around. I do most of my shopping there at that Downtown Safeway and am earing "gas points" that I rarely use.

Another question: If they don't put in another, different, gas station at this location, where should one go, in Downtown? I know that there are two gas stations to the south of Downtown at Highway 402 and Lincoln, but I'm not a big fan of that one on the west side of the street; plus it's not "Downtown."

I'm not a city planner or anything, but what about putting a station a corner not far from where the gas station that closed stands.  7th and Lincoln.

I'm not one to want to take away any parking from Downtown Loveland, but this lot on the corner of 7th and Lincoln would be a prime spot for a 7-11 or whatever. Again, I'm not an engineer or anything, so I don't know if that pad is big enough; but It would be nice.