Magna Main Street businesses still closed, assessing damage after earthquake
Posted: 10:32 PM, Mar 19, 2020
Updated: 12:32 AM, Mar 20, 2020
MAGNA, Utah — Owners of buildings on Magna Main Street damaged in Wednesday's earthquake returned to Main Street Thursday, to see what it'll take to get back up and running.
A several-block span of the street is still shut down to the public, and none of the businesses are open.
The historic Main Street is a unique corner of the Salt Lake Valley. Most of the buildings date back a century.
"A lot of people don't know about downtown Magna," building owner Brandis Touhuni said. "It's kind of the heart of our community."
Except right now, there's a different kind of history on Magna Main-- one made just a day ago.
"It was a little bit of a gut punch," said Charlie Colosimo. "But, we realized that this building is not a spring chicken."
Colosimo and his brother own Colosimo's Standard Market, which has been open in their Main Street building since 1961. Colosimo explained that his dad started the business as a grocery store and deli, but evolved into a sausage, seasonings and equipment company.
They've managed to survive recessions and big-box store competition. It took an earthquake to shut the business down, even if temporarily.
"It's been red-flagged for right now," Colosimo said. "And what you see behind me, the structural damage, is the biggest blow that we've taken."
Down the street from Colosimo's, damage to the building next door to the Empress Theater, is even worse.
Magna Main Street businesses still closed, assessing damage after earthquake