Granby’s newest restaurant has something in common with popular spots in Grand Lake.

Debbie’s Drive In joins Cork on the Water, Lulu City and Squeaky B’s as the newest endeavor by owner Deborah Fitch and her family.

A classic American diner, the new restaurant had its soft opening Jan. 11. It has been overwhelmed with patrons and community support since, often with lines out the door.

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“I can’t say enough nice things about the people in Granby, how warm the welcome has been and how helpful people have been to us,” Fitch said. “It’s an unbelievable sense of community in Granby that is unprecedented, and I don’t think you can find that anywhere else.”

Fitch describes the restaurant as “slow food served fast,” a place where guests are served quality food in a quick manner. While the drive-in and drive-thru part of the restaurant have not yet opened because of construction delays, the dine in experience is up and running.

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The positive reception for the soft opening was unexpected, according to Fitch, and they’re waiting until all menu items have been finalized before scheduling a grand opening.

“I don’t want to present anything without knowing I’m going to deliver something high quality,” Fitch said.

Fitch’s family moved to Grand County in 2018 after visiting repeatedly. They opened their first restaurant, Squeaky B’s, in June of that year and went on to open Lulu City and Cork on the Water in 2019.

The move to include a Granby location had to do with the larger, year round community found in the town, along with the vacant building. As a member of the Grand County Tourism Board, Fitch says she’s very aware of the negative effect empty buildings can have on a community.

“Pearl Dragon moved to their new location and this was just sitting there vacant,” Fitch said. “We just kept driving by thinking we should do something.”

After leasing the building, Fitch and her family sat inside contemplating what their restaurant would look like. They decided the building “wanted” to be a throwback in time.

“I don’t even know what year the building was built, but we thought it would be so fun to bring it back to that, feeling that nostalgic vibe so to speak,” Fitch said.

The restaurants are truly a family business for Fitch, whose partners include her husband Cameron Fitch and son Jonah Landy. When her younger children, Drew Landy and Tessa Fitch, aren’t in class, they also help out at the restaurant.

“Working with my whole family is such a blessing in itself,” Fitch said.

While this is the family’s first business in Granby, it doesn’t look like it will be the last. The family has also been working to update the Chuck Wagon Café and Bar, though there’s not an estimated time for its opening yet.

For Fitch, working with her family in a supportive community spurs forward her work, and she looks forward to all it brings.

“You have to be a little bit crazy to do something in restaurant industry, but it is really fun,” Fitch added.

Editor’s note: This article has been updated to clarify that Debbie’s Drive In is leasing the building it is located in.