Dec. 27—Sasquatch. Yeren. Yeti. Bigfoot. These names are all synonymous with a giant, hairy, bi-pedal monster that is seldom if ever actually seen but is purported to exist by evidence of his enormous footprints, his distinctive smell, his vocalization noises, or by his habit for throwing objects, particularly rocks. The creature is renowned in North America and his story has been fueled through folklore and myths.
Luckily for Estes Park, Jack and Jill Skinner not only chose Colorado as their home for retirement, but they brought with them a great deal of knowledge about the alleged creature that they consider a local neighbor.
Hence, the evolution of the newest donut and coffee shop in town: Squatchy Donuts.There has been a lot of community buzz about the opening of Squatchy Donuts, ever since before the Skinners placed baby Bigfoot outside their shop door a few months ago. Located at 430 W. Elkhorn Ave. in the West Park Center, Squatchy Donuts opened Saturday, December 17. Store hours are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. 7 days a week.
The Skinners and their Sasquatch seeking friends, Jesse Morgan and Alan Megargle, were on hand for to celebrate the grand opening of Squatchy Donuts. Sasquatch investigators and curious tourists alike now have an official place in the Rocky Mountains where they can gather to discuss the conspiracy theories of cryptozoology over some donuts and a beverage.
The shop is divided into two areas, one side for coffee and donuts, the other for retail souvenirs and an informational gallery that includes replicas of documented evidence of Sasquatch’s existence. These artifacts are displayed in glass cases next to short explanations attesting to sightings of Sasquatch.
The main supplier of their coffee is the Sasquatch Coffee Company. Coffee is served hot and ready by the cup and beans are available by the bag. The retail section of the store includes Sasquatch memorabilia and educational materials, such as the “Sasquatch Field Guide” by Dr. Jeff Meldrum, which instructs the curious how to identify tracks and collect evidence.
Squatchy Donuts almost didn’t end up in Estes Park. In 2020, the week Covid-19 shut down the world, the Skinners decided against signing a lease in Gatlinburg, TN. They might have lost their savings if they had invested in their dream there at that time. Instead, the couple continued to plan, and upon further consideration, they decided what they really wanted was to be in Estes Park, their favorite destination.
Even then, the Skinners were almost ready to give up on Estes Park and look for something down the hill, but their agent, Greg Wheeler found them the perfect location at Gerald Mayo’s newest commercial investment. The location wasn’t ready for a food-style business at the time, but after the installation of a 1,000 gallon grease trap, the Skinners received all the necessary permits from the town, county and state to move forward.
One sign that Estes was the perfect location for their business was the fact that the town has a festival in Sasquatch’s honor, Estes Park Bigfoot Days. The event will be celebrated this year April 14 and 15.
Squatchy Donuts also carries cold coffee and a few coolers full of assorted beverages, making them one of the most convenient places on West Elkhorn to stop for respite. And with the amount of Bigfoot memorabilia at the shop, this truly is a must-stop for a photo-op.
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