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COVID-19 hit Northern Colorado college towns' economies hard after students left

Fort Collins, Greeley and Boulder saw their usually strong economies wither when students went home.

FORT COLLINS, Colo. — Vincent Booker filled a large order for hats this week, a stark contrast from most days since Fort Collins' economy shuttered to stem the spread of COVID-19. 

Since mid-March, business at BT Imprintables Green and Gold Shop in the Campus West neighborhood has nearly dried up. May sales were down almost 80% after a dismal April, Booker said.

It was the second full month without many Colorado State University students in the city. No influx of parents and families coming to Fort Collins for graduation, shopping for T-shirts, hats or sweatshirts at the CSU-licensed shop. No sports camps and no large orders from the university itself.

Credit: Eddie Randle, KUSA

The city of Fort Collins gets a small percentage of every sale Booker makes in sales tax revenue. So, with every piece of clothing that sits on the Green and Gold Shop's shelves, the city loses.

With campus still quiet, Booker isn't sure when his business will begin to rebound. Much will depend on whether there's another surge of COVID-19 cases and whether CSU is forced to keep students at home this fall.

Read more at Coloradoan.com

> Video above: Life at CU Boulder during COVID-19

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