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Isla Bonita Restaurant/Law Offices -
908 1/2-914 8TH AV
 Print Listing
Historical Name -
Sing Lee Laundry
Style -
No Style
Built Year -
1908, 1926
State ID -
5WL4116
Description -
Long, one-story, rectangular, corner, brick commercial building with flat roof. Front wall above storefronts is stuccoed. Curved fabric awning shelters storefronts. Northernmost storefront (Isla Bonita) has a band of stucco above the awning and narrow metal coping along the roof. There is a center inset entrance with glazed and metal frame door with an air conditioner above in the transom. Walls next to the entrance are angled inward and have plate glass windows. Flanking these are large plate glass display windows. Walls under the awning are also stuccoed. Next storefront to south has particleboard on walls and five simulated multi-light windows; north half of storefront is inset. Inset entrance with glazed metal frame door surmounted by transom at south end. Next storefront has inset central entrance with two glazed metal frame doors. Large plate glass display windows flank entrance. Entrance at south end of building is inset and has glazed metal frame door and transom above entrance. Large display windows adjacent to entrance to north. South wall is painted brick and has a brick chimney and two small windows. Rear wall divided into four sections. Northernmost section is brick and has segmental arched windows with brick sills and multiple lights. Section south of this has large segmental arched openings that have been covered up or shortened. Section to south of this has stuccoed wall and center entrance flanked by windows with security bars. Southernmost section has brick wall with center door and large multi-light window.
Historical Background -
The southern part of this building was erected in 1908 according to Weld County Assessor records; the northern part was built in 1926. For the southern portion, the 1908 city directory lists an ice cream and lunch business at 910 and a grocery at 912. 914 was not listed in 1908. By 1909, 914 was the site of the Sing Lee laundry; 912 was vacant; and 910 contained the Union Tea and Coffee Company. A 1907 photograph shows Sing Lee in a frame laundry building at the corner of 8th Ave. and 9th St., where the Weld County Savings Bank later stood. The 1909 Sanborn map showed a boot and shoe store in 912. Sing Lee and Union Tea were still at this site in 1910, while Knight-Campbell Music Company was operating in 912. In 1913 a new business, P.J. Arbuckle, was listed in 1912, while 910 and 914 remained the same as 1910. By 1915 C.O. Crawford (bikes and repairs) was listed at 912, while Sing Lee and Union Tea were in the other two stores. In 1917-22 Sing Lee was still in 914; a tire and novelty store and bike shop were in 912; and 910 housed a seed store.
Sing Lee was gone by 1926, and the laundry was replaced with a lunch business. In 1926-28 a variety shop was in 912 and a coffee company in 910. In 1926, H.C. Starr remodeled 914 as the Colorado Quick Lunch; in 1930 a luncheonette was still in 914. Greeley Market occupied 912 in 1930, and Cummings Hardware was housed in 910. By 1940, 914 was still a restaurant, 912 was a realty office, and 910 housed Cummings Hardware. In 1944, Cummings Hardware was still in 910, 912 was still a realty office, and 914 was a café. In 1950, Greeley Home & Auto Supply Company was in 910. B. Armitage occupied 912. In 1960, the Mustang Café occupied 914. Ben Armitage, realtor had offices in 912. Greeley Home & Auto Supply Company was still in 910.
The northern portion of this building was erected in 1926 by E.M. Nussbaum, according to building permit records which describe a 42' by 87', two-room store building costing $9,000. The Singer Sewing Company occupied 908A from 1936 to at least 1960. In 1940 and 1944, 908 1/2 housed Morrison's Steak House. In 1950 and 1960, Sam's Steak House operated at 908 1/2.
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