Amen Wardy in downtown Aspen to close when lease not renewed; lease issues a trend of late
Courtesy photo
Another closure, another blow to local retail legacy in downtown Aspen.
Amen Wardy, at 625 E. Main St., must close by August. There is an immediate sale of up to 50% off numerous items in the sprawling boutique.
“We’ve been trying to negotiate our lease since December, when this retail space was sold to Ian de Waal,” said Soffia Wardy, Amen Wardy’s daughter.
Karl Herchenroeder/The Aspen Times |
“We tried initially, and he decided not to renew our lease, so we have no choice but to close the store. There is nowhere else to go,” she said.
De Wall did not respond to requests for comment.
Wardy, a broker with Aspen Snowmass Sotheby’s International Realty, said it’s challenging to find a space this big in Aspen (3,000 square feet), not to mention the cost of moving.
The gift shop had 31 years of Aspen legacy, but the wonderland of high-end hospitality gifts, home accessories, and gourmet will come to an end in August.
Soffia Wardy/Courtesy Photo
Amen Wardy started his boutiques business almost 70 years ago in Texas, along with Beverly Hills and Newport Beach in California, dressing royalty, socialite, and celebrities. In the ’90s, he expanded his affinity for luxury retailing into home furnishings, gourmet and gift boutiques in Aspen, Dallas, Las Vegas, Boston, Scottsdale, Palm Beach and Santa Fe.
Eventually, Amen decided to keep only the Aspen location, as it drew the same clients from all over the country. He died in February 2021.
Soffia Wardy said she believes Aspen is losing its charm, and landlords who put community second contribute to that feeling.
“As a resort community, people come here not only for the beauty of our town but to be delighted by shops and restaurants exclusive to Aspen, which make us unique and different,” she said.
“We want to thank our customers for decades of support and our staff, who have become part of our family,” she added. “It’s bittersweet. We’ve had a long, long run here, and we’re grateful.”
For more information, contact Soffia Wardy at soffia@soffiawardy.com or 970-710-6556. For information about lighting fixtures and other store-related sales, contact Bob Hightower, owner and operator, at the 970-920-7700 or email bob@amenwardyaspen.com
Paul Conrad/The Aspen Times
