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Honeyville: Out with the old; in with the new (building)

A crew from S&S Construction demolished the old Honeyville building off U.S. Highway 550 on Wednesday to make way for the new store, which currently is under construction north of Durango. Honeyville has been in its current spot for 59 years.

A construction crew began tearing down the longtime home of Honeyville on Wednesday as the honey manufacturer and retailer prepares to open a new building Memorial Day weekend.

The company was founded in California in 1918 and moved to Durango shortly thereafter. Honeyville has been in its current location at 33633 U.S. Highway 550 north for 59 years. It is owned by local residents Sheree and Danny Culhane. Their son, Keith, serves as vice president.

Honeyville’s new building will be much larger – 12,881 square feet, up from 5,256 square feet in the old building.

“We’re planning on growing into it a little bit,” Kevin Culhane said.

Honeyville sells a wide variety of honeys, jams and jellies, syrups and meads.

All of Honeyville’s manufacturing is done on site.

“Everything with a Honeyville label is made here,” Culhane said.

The company has about 10 employees and does its own distribution in Durango and surrounding towns. Honeyville also takes mail orders online.

Honeyville operates a satellite store in the Durango Mall each year before Christmas.

The new building is projected to open May 20, just as Durango’s summer tourism season heats up.

The Culhanes had planned the expansion for years before breaking ground.

“It was right for the business,” Kevin Culhane said.

Honeyville will be eligible in 2016 for an enterprise zone tax credit because of shifting territories used by the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade.

Roger Zalneraitis, executive director of the La Plata County Economic Development Alliance, said the Honeyville project is the second-largest manufacturing expansion underway in the county, after SoundTraxx’s new headquarters in the Durango Tech Center.

“I’m thrilled to see it finally coming to fruition,” Zalneraitis said.

cslothower@durangoherald.com



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