From left: General Manager Sofia Silva and Co-Owner and Managing Member Giovanni Leone stand in the second floor at Johnson’s Station, a new restaurant, bar and ice cream shop built in the remodeled Johnson’s Corner gas station, in the Prospect neighborhood in Longmont on Wednesday. (Matthew Jonas/Staff Photographer)
A piece of history lives on in Johnson’s Station, a mid-century Longmont institution that hopes to once again become a community hub.
Johnson’s Station is the new name given to Johnson’s Corner, a gas station that sat on South Main Street decades ago. Designed by Colorado architect Eugene Groves, the building began pumping gas and serving drinks to Longmont residents in 1937.
Moved over to Longmont’s Prospect neighborhood in 2003, the station sat dormant until a few years ago, when Erie-based company Nassar Development bought the property.
“It’s been a long road getting here,” said Zachary Nassar, a partner with Nassar Development.
The reimagined sign with new neon lighting is seen from the rooftop patio at Johnson’s Station, a new restaurant, bar and ice cream shop built in the remodeled Johnson’s Corner gas station, in the Prospect neighborhood in Longmont on Wednesday. (Matthew Jonas/Staff Photographer)
On Sept. 13, Johnson’s Station will celebrate its grand opening. Starting at 4 p.m., community members are invited to stop by the station at 1111 Neon Forest Circle to enjoy live music, a lineup of hot rod cars, and more.
Since remodeling began in June of 2021, a lot has changed for the old gas station. An extension and rooftop patio were added to provide more space for staff to serve drinks and seat guests.
“There’s a lot of really cool businesses on this street alone and in Prospect, so we’re glad to add to that tapestry,” said Giovanni Leone, co-owner of Johnson’s Station. “Downtown is awesome, but it’s always nice to be a little off the beaten path.”
Several things have stayed the same, however, including the station’s original walls and windows. A narrow staircase leads to the station’s second floor, where small nooks offer cozy seating – perfect for reading a book or going on a first date, Leone said.
“The imperfections are what gives it character,” Leone said of the building. “Having these cool little nooks and crannies and corners is something you can’t really replicate.”
By preserving the distinct Art Deco architecture of the building, it also preserves the station’s history.
“There’s no other bar or establishment like (Johnson’s Station) in the country – not one that I’ve been to,” said Colton Cartwright, co-owner with Leone. “It just needed a little bit of freshening up to help preserve and restore it.”
There’s also an effort to evoke the feeling of the past through what’s been added to the space. The station’s original “Johnson’s Gas” sign was meticulously recreated, complete with neon lighting. Vintage gas pumps, which were donated by a Longmont collector, will be transformed into electric vehicle chargers while maintaining their old-school design.
Co-owner and Managing Member Colton Cartwright, right, stands in the outdoor seating area at Johnson’s Station, a new restaurant, bar and ice cream shop built in the remodeled Johnson’s Corner gas station, in the Prospect neighborhood in Longmont on Wednesday. (Matthew Jonas/Staff Photographer)
What used to be a pool behind the station is now a turf patio, featuring picnic tables and booths. Rather than tear down the showers for the pool, the team refitted them into outdoor bathrooms.
The property also includes a kitchen for classic food offerings, and a parlor for ice cream and coffee. By making the space a hub for both sweet treats and alcoholic beverages, it caters to everyone in the community, Nassar explained.
“There’s something about ice cream that I think brings people together,” Nassar said. “You can obviously hang out and have a beer, but you can (also) bring your kids.”
According to Nassar, the construction is about 95% done. Some of the final touches include filling out the walls with art from local artists and photographs of the original Johnson’s Corner, which Nassar acquired from the Longmont Museum.
Operation hours haven’t been finalized yet, but the plan is to keep Johnson’s Station open from around 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., seven days a week. Nassar said he’s already received great feedback from Prospect residents who are excited to patronize the new business.
Nassar, who grew up in Longmont, also cherishes the gas station’s place in American history. Johnson’s Corner was written about in Jack Kerouac’s 1957 book “On the Road,” which Nassar called a quintessential American novel.
“Having this physical location be a part of that book is kind of history in and of itself,” Nassar said.
The reimagined sign with new neon lighting is seen at Johnson’s Station, a new restaurant, bar and ice cream shop built in the remodeled Johnson’s Corner gas station, in the Prospect neighborhood in Longmont on Wednesday. (Matthew Jonas/Staff Photographer)
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