Tubby’s
Turnaround
A beloved corner store finds its next chapter
— shaped by you.
CHAPTER I
Forty Years of Familiar Faces
For more than four decades, Tubby’s Turnaround has been the kind of place where a quick stop turned into a conversation, and a stranger became a regular. Siblings, Jerry and Clara along with the behind-the-scenes support of accountant sister Norma, ran the store from the mid-1980s, welcoming neighbors and visitors with the kind of personal care that can’t be manufactured.
“For decades, Jerry and Clara welcomed neighbors and visitors with the kind of personal care that turned a quick stop into a familiar one, and turned strangers into regulars.”
Clara, known to most simply as “Mom”, and her siblings built something rare: a place that felt like it belonged to everyone. After more than forty years, and with Norma having also sold her accounting business, the sisters decided it was time for a new adventure.
40+ years
5,000 residents
Built 1967
~2 million annual visitors
CHAPTER II
The Penny Arcade Steps In
The Manitou Springs Penny Arcade has purchased Tubby’s with the same spirit that defined its own acquisition: preserving something irreplaceable for the next generation of Manitou. Owner John Weiss—a former journalist who co-founded the Colorado Springs Independent in 1993—has a well-documented track record of investing in community anchors.
On the Catalyst Fund: The purchase was made possible by the Catalyst Fund for Manitou, which provides low-cost financing and free consulting to community-minded entrepreneurs acquiring legacy businesses — the same fund that helped Poor Richard’s find its new owners in April 2026.
CHAPTER III
What’s Happening Right Now
Tubby’s is back to the studs—gutted, wide open, and full of potential. The renovation is thoughtful: better energy efficiency, a new checkout area, more shelving. The two existing garage door facings have been removed to flood the space with natural light and open it up to outdoor markets.
I. The legacy chapter closes
Clara and Norma complete 40+ years and hand the keys to the Penny Arcade.
II. Renovation & listening tour
Walls stripped, windows opened. Community conversations happening right now.
III. Tasting Event
June 13
Taste vendors, meet the team, and cast your vote for what Tubby’s becomes.
IV. Reopening & beyond
Mid-June reopening. Tubby’s identity is still being shaped — together.
CHAPTER IV
A vision for the community
Manitou Springs is a food desert—grocery options are limited for the 5,000 people who call it home, let alone the nearly two million who visit each year. The long-term vision for Tubby’s is to change that: to become a true community food hub, connecting local producers with local people.
“Long term, our goal is for Tubby’s to evolve into some sort of community food hub—maybe a larger grocery store, or maybe even a food co-op, connecting local producers with the 5,000 people who live in town.”
John Weiss, Penny Arcade Owner
Whether that means a grocery store, a food co-op, or something Manitou invents entirely—that direction hasn’t been decided yet. And that’s intentional. The community gets a say.
