BISBEE, Ariz. (KGUN) — A popular Bisbee restaurant has relocated from Main Street to a larger space on Howell Avenue, citing the need for more seating capacity as the primary reason for the move.
Le Cornucopia Cafe, which had operated on Main Street for many years, moved to its new location to better serve its growing customer base. The restaurant's previous location could only accommodate 23 diners, while the new space offers 100 seats.
"We're so excited that we could serve a lot more people and not make them have to wait outside, which we had to do a lot of times," Gretchen Bonaduce, co-owner of Le Cornucopia Cafe, said.
Bonaduce said she wasn't concerned about leaving the historic Main Street corridor because of the restaurant's reputation and strategic location.
"I never worried coming off Main Street, because this is the entrance to the gulfs, and we are rated number one for lunch, so people are going to walk over here," Bonaduce said.
The move comes as Bisbee works to recover from what local officials describe as a challenging year for tourism. Steve Ball, president of Bisbee Forward, a nonprofit organization focused on bringing more tourism to Main Street and Bisbee, expressed concern about businesses leaving the area.
"Main Street is really the primary driver of where that money is flowing in. If you think about the incremental dollars that are coming into the city of Bisbee, it's largely centered on Main Street," Ball said.
Ball emphasized the importance of community collaboration during this recovery period.
"The key for us right now is making sure we continue to collaborate together. We continue to be supportive of not just the businesses, but the community at large and our neighbors, and making sure that we're supporting those folks," Ball said.
Bonaduce plans to expand the restaurant's operating hours and remain open seven days a week, hoping to attract more visitors to the area.
"If you build it they will come, and that has been our experience," Bonaduce said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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