Durango BID Board of Directors Karen Barger

Karen Barger

The BID is pleased to welcome Karen Barger as the newest member of the board of directors. Barger was selected by the Durango City Council and assumes the seat held by downtown businessman Ted Hermesman, who retired from the board.

As general manager and proprietor of Seasons Rotisserie & Grill, Barger brings to the BID board the voice of the local restaurant industry, a sector that has proven to be a chief contributor to the sales tax base, as well as, overall, a key attraction for the Downtown.

“We (at Seasons) are right in the hub of everything that happens Downtown,” explains Karen, who admits to having a vested interest to sustaining Durango’s Historic Downtown. “Seasons’ clientele is diverse, but quite representative. I’ve been able to talk to a lot of business people, politicians, retail store owners. I’ve heard their concerns.”

On the BID Board of Directors, Barger will continue to serve the mission of the Business Improvement District, helping to sustain the economic viability of the district. She has also agreed to participate on the city’s public arts commission and assist selection and placement of public art pieces within the city limits.

Barger joined the team at Seasons in 1995, shortly after its opening, serving assistant manager. She had previously worked for a restaurant group in Albuquerque, N.M., overseeing operations and development of the wine lists and menus for the company’s three establishments. Her husband securing a position at Fort Lewis College brought the young family to Durango.

Having a passion for wine and interested in expanding her knowledge, Barger took a position with Denver-based Classic Wines for a time, promoting smaller “boutique” wines from throughout the world across her Western Slope territory. She never entirely “left” Seasons, however, and was at the forefront when former owner Roger Roessler turned his focus fully on his winery in California. Barger made an offer to purchase, and in 2003, she assumed ownership of the popular Durango dining establishment.

“I think that when people come to Durango they’re enthralled with the Downtown,” notes Karen. “I think we all have a vision of what we think it should be, or how it should stay. I just want to make sure from my standpoint that we sustain what we have and plan for the future.”