JUNE 2011
Explore Local Culture
Beet Street
Gears Up for Fun Summer
Affordable Roofing’s Business Approach
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If you’re uncomfortable with your teeth, you could be holding back who you really are. But Invisalign’s clear, creative director Scott Prosser custom-designed aligners can be an inconspicuous and removable way to get a beautiful new smile. Many Senior Designer Lisa Gould digital director Austin Lamb | austin@stylemedia.com complex cases that once required braces can be treated with Invisalign, often in about a year. So check with an Advertising Sales EXECUTIVES experienced Invisalign provider to see if it’s right for you. And let the real you bloom with a new smile. STRAIGHT TEETH ARE WITHIN REACH. Call today for a free, no-obligation consultation.
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2011 Style Magazines January-Loveland/Greeley Medical & Wellness Magazine and Directory February-Style March-Northern Colorado Medical & Wellness April-Style May-Northern Colorado Medical & Wellness June-Style July-Northern Colorado Medical & Wellness Magazine and Poudre Valley Health System Physician Directory August-Style September-Women’s Health & Breast Cancer October-Northern Colorado Medical & Wellness November/December-Holiday Style Style Media and Design, Inc. magazines are free monthly publications direct-mailed to homes and businesses in Northern Colorado. Elsewhere, a one year subscription is $25/year and a two year subscription is $45/year. Free magazines are available at over 150 locations throughout Northern Colorado. For ad rates, subscription information, change of address, or correspondence, contact: Style Media and Design Inc., 211 W. Myrtle St., Suite 200, Fort Collins, Colorado 80521. Phone (970) 2266400. Fax (970) 226-6427. E-Mail: ina@StyleMedia.com ©2011 Style Media and Design Inc. All rights reserved. The entire contents of Style Magazine are copyrighted and may not be reproduced without the expressed written consent of the publisher. Style Media and Design Inc. is not responsible for unsolicited material. All manuscripts, artwork, and photography must be accompanied by a SASE. The views and opinions of any contributing writers are not necessarily those of Style Media & Design Inc.
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Thank You for Our Ad Dearest Lydia, Again, how can we thank you for your goodness to our National Day of Prayer event, by providing a beautiful ad in your magazine? We do thank you from the bottom of our hearts! Important Issue Came Alive Greetings ladies, Wow! What a fun project! Thank you so much (especially you, Lydia) for making the importance of the human-animal bond come alive (“Enhancing the Human-Pet Bond,” March 2011 Northern Colorado Medical & Wellness). Our culture has changed so much and is so much richer for the animals that cohabitate with us. It was amazing to be able to articulate so many important messages. Angie, you did a great job with our interview, weaving it into a very compelling read, and you also did a bang-up job on the sidebars. All in all, it was a cool way to spend the day. Not sure my dogs have recovered from their “15 minutes of fame!” I have had countless people ask if the picture was photo-shopped to get them all to look the same direction. So thank you once again for drawing attention to the importance and life-giving force of the family pet relationship. Celebrating, protecting and sharing the special love of animals, Robin Downing, DVM Windsor Veterinary Clinic The Downing Center for Animal Pain Management
Betsy Hoff National Day of Prayer, Fort Collins Men’s Fashion – Well Done Dear Lydia, Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to be part of the “Geek Chic” men’s fashion layout (April 2011 Style Magazine). I was very impressed with the piece that was done. Your magazine is so well done. This exposure should help and, again, I am grateful. Sincerely, Kevin Williams Williams Clothier, Fort Collins Fun Modeling Lydia, Thank you for the opportunity to be in your magazine (one of our male models in “Geek Chic,” April 2011 Style Magazine). I had a blast! I can’t say enough about how much fun it was to work with you and your staff.
oops!
Style inadvertently forgot to include Highland Hills Municipal Golf Course in the “Northern Colorado Course Comparison” chart in our April 2011 Style Magazine. Here are Highland Hills' vital statistics. We regret the omission: Highland Hills Golf Course 2200 Clubhouse Drive, Greeley, (970) 330-7327 Public course Dining: Bogey’s Pub and Grille 18 holes Yards: 6,807 Par: 71 Rating: 71.8 Slope: 124 Golf Pro: Chris Colling Highland Hills is known for its classic parkland style layout, with an abundance of tree-lined fairways. “It is a challenging but very straightforward course,” says Colling. “With our multiple sets of tees, golfers of all skill levels will enjoy a rewarding round of golf.”
Thanks again, Clint Andrews, Fort Collins
we love to hear from readers. send your comments and suggestions to: angie@stylemedia.com | Phone: 970.226.6400, ext.215 | Fax: 970.226.6427 | www.stylemagazinecolorado.com
Style 2011
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on the cover
Troy Jennings and Jim Simpson have used a complementing friendship and great business acumen to grow their roofing and restoration companies during the Great Recession. Photography by Marcus Edwards.
features
lifestyle
Good Friends, Great Business . . . . . . . . .18
Northern Colorado’s Newest Cultural Destination . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Beet Street Ready for Busy Summer . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 The Living Space on Supporting the Arts . . . . . 25 Streetmosphere’s 2nd Year to be Best Yet . . . . . . 27 Local Designs . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Markley Motors Changes with the Times . . . . . . . . . . . 34
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business Business Profile: A Window to the World . .14
Sculpture in the Park . . . 58 Greeley Philharmonic Orchestra’s Next Century . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 SpokesBuzz Music Incubator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Com-Palat-Able Conversations . . . . . . . . . . 66
about town a photo tour of non-profit events . . . . . . . 68 Dinner of Champions Casino Royale
Business Profile: Mueller and Associates, Inc. – Successful Business Supports Community . . .16
28 34
The Taste
The Fort Collins Co-Op reinvented . . . . . . . . . . . . .54
Homeless Connect
building
Garden-to-Table Dinner
Cabinet 911 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Special Building Section: Alpine Gardens Spanjer L&L Acoustical Schmidt Custom Floors Drahota HighCraft Builders Lindgren . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42
38 52
Take a Voyage to India Foothills Food & Wine Experience
Black Tie Bingo
Kitchen Kaper FCMOA Masks Gala Kentucky Derby Party Pink Boa
community innovator A Passion for the Stage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
great outdoors
The Freestones
Tools Every Gardener Needs . . . . . . . .
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departments
Summer Events Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
64
publisher’s letter . . . . . . .12
From our readers . . . . . . . . 9
56 74 june 2011 :: STYLE
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Northern Colorado is Alive with Activity When I sat down to write this column I didn’t know exactly where to begin. This issue is packed with some of my very favorite topics. For starters, it was delightful meeting Troy Jennings and Jim Simpson, our handsome cover entrepreneurs. Using their individual skills and hard work they have grown two very successful businesses as friends and business partners. Read “Good Friends, Great Business” to learn more about their background and get to know these two ambitious young men. Speaking of business, I’m sure most everyone has been watching as Markley Motors transformed itself into a brand new, ultra modern dealership. My friend, Gene Markley, must be so very proud of his family as they carry on his legacy and take it to the next level. Read “Markley Motors Changes With the Times” to learn how this family business has thrived during economically challenging times. I love this time of year because I can stroll through local nurseries and soak in the colorful beauty of blooming flowers that cry out to be planted at my home or office. I can’t seem to resist, so I end up buying a lot of work for myself! One thing I have found frustrating is replacing my garden tools when they bend, break or simply fall apart. Fortunately, I recently met locals Anne and Blake Schreck, who sell quality garden tools online all over the country. The best part is that they guarantee their tools. I will be replacing my tools with theirs as they fall apart. Read “Tools Every Gardener Needs” to get some tips on exactly what you need for your type of gardening. Outdoor gardening has expanded to outdoor living since we are blessed with such nice weather in Northern Colorado. Look at our Special Building Section and be inspired by photos of the beautiful design and installation work done by both Lindgren and Alpine Gardens. They are creative, knowledgeable and reliable. Call either of them for some wonderful ideas for your outdoor oasis. Supporting the arts is another passion of mine, and we are blessed in our region to have such a variety of choices. Read up on the exciting plans for Downtown Fort Collins this summer in “Beet Street Ready for Busy Summer.” Learn about what is new for Loveland’s Sculpture in the Park, a nationally renowned event, or peruse “Greeley Philharmonic Orchestra’s Next Century,” which speaks to the 100 year anniversary of this exceptional orchestra. New in the local culture scene is the Global Village Museum, which features multi-cultural art. And for music lovers, “SpokesBuzz Music Incubator” is cultivating area bands. We are so fortunate to have a form of arts entertainment available for everyone in our region. On a final note, I want to thank everyone who was involved in the Pink Boa 5K to raise awareness and funds for Hope Lives! We had nearly 600 joyful walkers and runners, plus kids and costumed dogs, participating along with numerous businesses supporting the cause of breast cancer awareness and survivorship. I am deeply grateful to everyone for their support! Happy planting,
lydia@stylemedia.com
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PATIO FURNITURE SELECTION!
Business Profile
Relpacing older windows can save you 30 to 40 percent on your utility bill.
Champion Window's Northern Colorado showroom.
A Window
to the World
By Connie Hein
As pioneers settled in the West, often living in small shanties and dugout homes, one of their most valued treasures were panes of glass for windows. People valued them so much that they would often remove window glass from one house to use in the next. 14
Windows have always been an important treasure in our lives because they allow us to see the world outside from the comfort of our homes and businesses. As we have become a more work-inan-office society, windows keep us attached to the earth where our sturdy ancestors made their living and fed their families. Steve Lambert, division manager of the Northern Colorado Champion Windows Manufacturing and Showroom, says windows have played a huge role in his life. Lambert started with Champion Windows in Cincinnati over 22 years ago. He jumped at the opportunity to move to Colorado when Champion opened their factory in Denver. He worked there until 1997, when he became the manager of the new facility on I-25 between Fort Collins and Loveland. “We now have 30 dedicated, hardworking employees to serve all of Northern Colorado, including Boulder, Cheyenne and Laramie.” Lambert is proud to work for Champion because they are focused on quality and service. “I believe the reason for our success is a combination of many factors. Primarily, the company has always been factory direct, meaning we build everything we sell at competitive prices with no middle man.” He says with 80 nationwide showrooms, Champion is a business that is not only sustaining, but growing even in this weakened economy. Besides manufacturing windows, which they have done since 1953, Champion also manufactures and installs vinyl siding exterior doors and sunrooms. According to Lambert, their warranty and
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customer service are the best in the industry. “We service everything we sell.” Another reason Champion continues to grow is because they invest resources to keep up with the newest technology and standards for efficiency and design. One of the new technologies they have added is the latest in computer visualization software that allows customers to actually see how different designs and colors will look on their own home. Champion, says Lambert, also leads the pack because their products are made for the best possible energy efficiency. “Our windows are ENERGY STAR rated, green seal certified and have the Good Housekeeping Seal.” Replacing older windows, doors and siding can save the average household 30 to 40 percent on their utility bills. “This is always a great place to start when planning a remodeling project,” he says, “because of the energy savings and increased resale value.” He says for 2011, there is a $500 federal tax credit available for replacing inefficient exterior doors in your home. Besides investing in local communities by making quality products in Colorado by Coloradoans, Champion Windows gives back through many charitable outreach programs. “Our Close the Window on Hunger Campaign will be going on throughout the summer,” Lambert says. “We will be donating the monetary equivalent of 50 pounds of food for every in-home estimate and every contract signed, and $25 for every service or repair appointment.” Champion’s goal is to help feed children who get free school breakfasts and lunches during the school year, but not during the summer when schools are closed. Champion will accept donations at their showroom and will promote the campaign at many local summer events, fairs and concerts throughout the area. “When you support a solid business like Champion, you are keeping jobs and money in your community, helping us help those in need, and getting a product that will last a lifetime,” Lambert says. “I am very proud to be part of that.” Lambert believes his personal success is due to his pride in the company and their extraordinary reputation. “When you believe in what you’re doing and work in a sustainable business for a company that cares about people – that’s the key to success for me,” he says. “I am passionate about what this company represents and proud to be able to share their quality products with our customers. It makes coming to work everyday a satisfying and rewarding experience.” Sometimes we may take for granted things that our ancestors treasured – like windows that make our lives brighter or efficient, solid doors that keep the harsh weather outside. Thanks to Champion Windows we can be assured of our own little view of the world. For more information about products and services, readers may call (970) 612-0811 or visit www.championfactorydirect.com
Connie Hein is a freelance writer enjoying her little view of the world from her windows in Windsor.
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Business Profile
Mueller and Associates, Inc. Successful Business Supports Community By Marty Metzger
Paul and Teresa Mueller strive to lead lives that count in every way. Time wisely spent has earned them a bounty of personal and professional satisfaction – and their community some enthusiastic proponents. Together, the couple own Mueller and Associates, Inc., a well-respected Loveland CPA firm. Thirty-four years as residents of Houston, Texas, had garnered the Muellers a secure position in that area. Paul, with 25 years under his belt at a large, national firm, had been a National Tax Preparation Leader for eight years. A second home the Muellers owned in Estes Park was intended as an eventual, “someday” retirement destination. Then, Texas’ heat, humidity, mosquitoes and hurricanes strongly nudged that distant plan into a “Why wait?” lifestyle change. The Muellers’ fresh outlook prompted purchase of an existing accounting firm in, and relocation to, Loveland in October 2008. They converted the company into a full CPA business: tax return preparation, tax consulting and business succession planning. As in marriage, there are separate duties in the business with little superfluous overflow. Efficiency produces success. Paul, the only CPA at the firm, says, “I’m the tax geek. It’s either
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a passion or it’s dreary. For me, it’s a passion.” Teresa, meanwhile, has a CFO background, having worked 20 years doing accounting for non-profit groups. Her experience makes her an expert in business operations. “I tend to stay mostly in my area, but I do some non-profit tax return preparation,” she explains. Teresa handles small business accounting, QuickBooks, training and financial statement preparation. Three other accounting/tax professionals share varied duties, and the Muellers’ daughter, Ingrid Bush, works as office manager. Mueller and Associates serves approximately 600 clients in Fort Collins, Estes Park, Berthoud, Houston and overseas. Strong financial performance, excellence in customer service, community involvement, good reputation and innovation/technology in the workplace earned Mueller and Associates the 2011 Small Business of the Year Award from the Loveland Chamber of Commerce. Another honor for the firm is Teresa’s position on the Intuit National Advisory Council. From a pool of 200 applicants, only 17 are chosen nationwide. These select accountants travel to
California twice annually to meet with Intuit product managers, to whom they give valuable feedback (Intuit are the makers of QuickBooks and other financial software). Community involvement shares mutual importance with corporate achievement at Mueller and Associates. One of the firm’s core values dictates that all six staff members use their talents and skills to support the community that supports them, says Paul. He sees that as a viable model for work/life balance. “I think that rolling up your sleeves to make the community better produces a fuller, richer life,” Paul says. Teresa agrees. “We want to be involved in the community’s economic development and quality of life so that the overall business climate in the area is successful. We really like it here and enjoy exposure to a variety of community activities.” All that enthusiasm isn’t mere lip service. Paul is involved in downtown Loveland revitalization efforts, including Rialto Bridge, a public/private partnership, three-story, 20,000 square foot development. He helped fund the initial market survey for Art Space, a live/work housing development for artists. He is Downtown Loveland Associate Director for the Northern Colorado Economic Development Corporation. He recently joined the Creative Sector Development Advisory Council for the City of Loveland. And, he’s Vice-Chair for the Loveland Community Fund Committee. In addition to her role with Intuit’s Advisory Council, Teresa is a Colorado Women of Influence member; on the Front Range Community College Business Advisory Committee; vice-president of Loveland Community Kitchen; a Loveland Rotary Club member; and on the Regional Development Council for the Community Foundation of Northern Colorado. Perhaps the Muellers’ plethora of community service stems from diversity in their backgrounds. Paul – Louisville, Kentucky, born and raised – moved with his family to Florida during his high school years. He graduated from the University of South Florida, where he met Teresa. She, a seventh generation native of the Republic of Panama, received a Bachelor of Science at the same university as Paul, intending to become a teacher. But a hiring freeze in the field sent her back for a Business degree. Teresa says she’s never regretted the career switch. The couple married and moved to Houston, where they were also active in business and their community. Even with all their commitments, the Muellers manage time for fun. Paul enjoys snowshoeing. Teresa relishes antiquing and needlepoint. As a couple, they take to the hiking trails. They’re nearly-empty nesters. Son Eric, a media production specialist with www.Ted.com in New York City, found it necessary to leave his cat behind. At 17 pounds, big yellow Cheddar still takes up his fair share of the Mueller nest. The success of Mueller and Associates can’t be separated from team members’ eagerness to promote Loveland. “Community involvement is in our DNA,” says Paul. “It’s simply an extension of the service philosophy of our business.”
Marty Metzger, who lives in Fort Collins, has worked as a freelance writer for 23 years.
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AT DELLENBACH WE ARE OBSESSED WITH PROVIDING A WORLD CLASS CADILLAC OWNERSHIP EXPERIENCE
125 W. SWALLOW (JUST WEST OF DELLENBACH SUBARU)
970-226-2438 WWW.DELLENBACH.COM Style 2011
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Good Friends,
G r e at B u s i n e s s
Every house needs a roof. Preferably one that is solid, stable and capable of protecting the inhabitants inside. This is a story about building roofs and about the importance of creating a solid business designed to last. 18
Six years ago, Troy Jennings was one of hundreds of local real estate brokers trying to eek out a living in an overcrowded Northern Colorado real estate market. As he gathered clients and sold homes, he began to see a trend. While everyone could say they knew a good broker, very few could say they knew a good roofer, one they could rely on. Jennings and his wife, Amy, had worked as independent insurance adjusters prior to his venture into real estate. They had built strong relationships in the industry and gained experience in roof storm damage assessment. They loved the thought of uniting that experience with a demonstrated need, so they started Affordable Roofing. Around the same time, Jim Simpson and his wife, Gretchen, had travelled to survey and estimate their last disaster site. The Simpsons were independent
By Angeline Grenz
insurance adjustors working for several adjusting firms and large insurance carries, such as State Farm, Farmers and USAA. They travelled across country to survey disaster sites and had been sent to survey the destruction wrought by Hurricane Katrina. “As we were driving home, we decided this would be the last time we take our growing family toward a catastrophe,� recalls Simpson. Simpson and Jennings had been high school buddies, hailing from Longmont, and had maintained a strong friendship since those days. They both entered a turning point in their careers at the same time. Though they took separate paths at that time, they soon realized, as in their friendship, the camaraderie they enjoyed based on complementing but different personalities was the same recipe for a successful business partnership.
Lydia’s STYLE Magazine
Jim Simpson and Troy Jennings are high school buddies who partnered in 2008 to grow their roofing and restoration businesses.
In 2008, they decided to join forces. Simpson purchased half of Affordable Roofing from Jennings and they cemented their partnership. A few months later, they formed the restoration side of their business, Fort Collins Restoration. “I had done so many claims nationwide and was familiar with how contractors would go in and handle those emergency situations,” says Simpson. “I also knew I wanted to go into general contracting. The market was good, but there are hundreds of contractors in Northern Colorado. I needed to find a way to specialize.” The partners use their strengths to run the two businesses successfully, and rapid growth proves they are on to something. Simpson handles the production side of Affordable Roofing and Fort Collins Restoration, organizing and managing their crews. “What we do that is unique is to keep our overhead minimized. Many of our guys who are good on the roofing side serve some sort of function on the restoration side.” Their staff is versatile and useful to both sides of the business, and Simpson and Jennings carefully screen their employees to ensure they can serve both functions. This benefits roofing clients, says Simpson, when their employees have construction knowledge beyond just roofing. Jennings handles the sales and marketing side of the two businesses. He spends time training employees to represent the roofing industry in a new way. “We put a certain quality person out on the street,” says Simpson, “to handle sales leads and answer questions. They know what they are talking about, and they are going to understand the insurance side of this as if it
Style 2011
were their own claim. That is how we train our guys.” “We didn’t want to put out a product that mimics every other roofing company,” says Jennings. “During a difficult economic time we were able to bring in highly educated people with a more professional background.” A more business-like appearance became their standard uniform, including a logoed shirt. They expect team members to demonstrate a great level of respect for the homeowner – don’t park in the driveway, show up on time (better yet, show up early), and be prepared. “Everything we can do different or better can help us tilt the odds in our favor,” he continues. “And this attitude has been a large part of our success.” Affordable Roofing currently has five in-office staff, an operations manager, sales manager and six full-time salespeople. The company, in its short years, has grown quickly, moving out of its first location in an office located on Jennings’ property to a roomy piece of land off of Trilby Road about five months ago. A far cry from the original small team consisting of both couples and one other full-time team member when they started in 2008 out of Jennings’ “barn.”
Finding Their Niche
In 2008, when the tornado devastated Windsor, their restoration business was only a few months old. Simpson and Jennings rallied their resources to be able to provide the community with restoration services with a short staff. They called in fellow contractors, subcontractors and friends to help the community with mercy board-ups of damaged homes.
During this trial-by-tornado, they also got a real test of their abilities and realized that the dysfunction between homeowner claims and the repair process was an area where they could step in and help both client and insurance company. “One of the services we try to provide is to facilitate service claims,” says Simpson. “People make claims all the time. One thing we know is that many times people don’t even know what is involved in the process. They feel they pay insurance because they have to, but no one is really there to help them through step by step and then ensure, on the backside, that the work is done to the standards it needs to be done and guaranteed.” Part of that process is talking to clients in a language they can understand, says Simpson. “We are not the typical contractor, but we are actually facilitating the process all the way through, talking in their language. Then we guarantee the work will get done at the price that we got covered for you and not more.” In order to offer this type of streamlined service, Affordable Roofing has gone to all the agents: real estate agents, insurance agents, property managers and adjusters. “We tell them, ‘If you have a customer who is thinking about making a claim, we will go to their home or business free of charge and evaluate what their claim might be and let them know if it is worth making that claim,” explains Simpson. “Some insurance companies will raise your premiums based on your claim history, whether they cover the claim or not.” This pre-screening for homeowners is valuable and
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successful. “If we go out there first and make the call based on our training and expert background,” says Simpson, “typically our numbers are over 90 percent accurate. We want to prevent people from making claims that don’t pay what we think they are going to pay.” Agents appreciate that assistance as well: “They get calls all day long. We step in and say ‘Let us look at it first.’ We can confirm there is damage and help expedite the process.” They are also proactive in finding new ways to simplify the process, such as the use of multiple contractor vendor lists, which are third party management programs that they’ve been asked to join. These programs represent the “future of claim handling,” says Jennings. Basically, the programs allow all claims made to an insurance company to go to a third party vendor who works with specific contractors in a community. The vendor sends select contractors through a training program, and when a claim is made, it is assigned to the contractor. Prices are fixed based on the program, says Simpson, so when a disaster hits – like a major hailstorm – prices do not become volatile as contractors try to seize jobs. Homeowners benefit because insurance companies have a group of contractors who guarantee their work at a reasonable price. The insurance company benefits because the claims are handled faster and without any “fly-by-night” contractors becoming involved, explains Simpson. Warranties are included. “Warranties are only as good as the stability of the company backing it,” adds Jennings.
Managing Two Businesses
While the roofing side has grown quickly and steadily, the restoration side is just now seeing the same sort of explosive growth. Partial success is based on their ability to handle emergency situations. “The emergency stuff (frozen pipes, water damage, etc.) generally happens in the middle of the night,” says Simpson. “The temperature drops to 20 below, all the sudden the phone is ringing off the hook.” When these calls come in – as they have steadily since the first of the year – Simpson and Jennings fly into action and help homeowners make a bad situation better. “We’ll do general contracting, but there are a million general contractors out there,” says Simpson. “What we do is go in during an emergency situation and get your house ready to rebuild.” Clean up from water, fire, sewer, mold, asbestos mitigation, lead paint abatement, meth lab clean up, and odor mitigation comprise some of the services Fort Collins Restoration provides. Even the increase in the number of people growing indoor marijuana has created opportunities for the business. “Pot creates mold,” explains Simpson. “If people are growing pot, medical, legal or otherwise, the house is getting damaged unless it has a very good ventilation system.” Currently, the restoration side makes up about a third of their overall business, estimates Jennings, but it is growing fast. “This is a broad business. When we started, we had to sit back and decide what to do first, so we really focused on the roofing first because it was the one growing the fastest.” Simpson and Jennings took a deliberately slow path to growing the second business. “The restoration side sat in an infancy stage for a while,” says Jennings. “We would go out for a job here and there, but that really allowed us to dissect the process and really experience every single detail that we would need to know and to teach.” Now? The restoration side has matured and is growing quickly, and has overtaken
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Lydia’s STYLE Magazine
the roofing side in speed of growth. Their formula is working. “We had a plan for growth,” says Jennings. “But we had to put it in motion instantly and then we had to start hiring and we are still understaffed. When we sat back and said we will kind of let it grow organically, it was because if we had gone out and solicited, we could not have handled the volume we are doing now.”
Growing for the Future
Affordable Roofing’s business success was highlighted in May with their placement on Northern Colorado Business Report’s Mercury 100 list. This list recognizes the fastest growing companies in the region and Affordable Roofing took the number 11 spot. The listing is based on Affordable Roofing’s revenue growth between 2009 and 2010 – a 70 percent increase from $3 million to $5.2 million. Affordable Roofing currently covers territory in Colorado, Wyoming and Nebraska. Simpson and Jennings manage all operations out of their Fort Collins office, though they are evaluating the need to open additional offices. An independent party has also approached them, interested in expanding their business model into Austin, Texas. At the same time, Affordable Roofing is also expanding their commercial roofing services, including membrane, metal and PVC roofs, and they are able to handle much larger commercial projects with their crews than in the past. To give back to the community, Affordable Roofing supports various Northern Colorado causes. They’ve contributed to local sports programs, Northern Colorado 20/30, Greeley Blues Jam, the Arts Picnic and others. In addition, they’ve built a partnership with regular donations to ReSource, a nonprofit that sells reusable building products at a fraction of the cost. But continued growth and success for Jennings and Simpson will remain largely tied to their easy relationship. “We are like brothers,” says Simpson. “We have always had this bond. Whatever [Jennings] was very good at, I might not be, but I would rely on him to take care of those things and vice versa. It works out.” “The dynamics between the two of us, knowing each other’s tendencies like we do, means you know how to navigate together,” adds Jennings. “We saw where the fit came in before we went into business together. If I have something I am in question about, I know that if I ask Jim I will get a completely different viewpoint, that I knew I wouldn’t be able to see through my eyes.” Balance, for now, is the challenge for Simpson and Jennings. Their wives play very active roles in building the businesses with them. These diligent businessmen are also dedicated fathers. They both have young children. Simpson has three young sons: Ethan, Jackson and Isaak. Jennings has two children, Breken, his daughter, and Tyler, his son. Both young families are busy during non-working hours coaching and carting children to soccer, football and baseball games, and taking family trips. It’s a busy life, but a good one, for this duo. For more information about Affordable Roofing and Fort Collins Restoration, please visit their website at AffordableRoofingInc.com or call (970) 207-0000.
Angeline Grenz is editor for Style Magazine.
Style 2011
21
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Special Advertising Section
THE 2011 SUBARU OUTBACK:
SAFETY AND SPACE
You’ll find a commitment to safety in almost every aspect of Subaru design. From a uniquely poised Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive system, to a one-of-a-kind engine that can help protect you in an accident, each vehicle is created with active and passive safety systems that make a Subaru – in a worst-case scenario – one of your best possible bets. This passionate commitment to your confidence was the reason Subaru was the only manufacturer to have each of its models named a 2011 IIHS Top Safety Pick1, and why it continues to win safety accolades year after year. Subaru Outback is also the only brand to receive Motor Trend’s Sport/Utility of the Year two years in a row, and Subaru has been awarded highest predicted resale value by ALG and Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com.2 Those designations may have something to do with the Outback’s spacious cargo capacity, perfect for exploring the Colorado outdoors. From mountain bikes to water bottles, the Outback is equipped to conveniently load all the gear that goes along with embracing your adventurous side. Keep more items at hand with an array of compartments, pockets and holders – 8 cup holders, conveniently sized door handle pockets and a two-stage center console bin, among others. In the back, cargo hooks that fold flush when not in use help keep items where they belong. And the underfloor cargo-area storage compartment keeps valuables safely and discreetly stowed, as well as having a spot perfect for storing the retractable cargo cover. And that’s just the inside! When gear has to go on the outside, the Outback can easily accommodate some pretty heavy-duty equipment. The easy-to-reach roof rack system will hold up to 150 pounds and can be equipped to handle just about anything you need to take with you. This unique roof rack features retractable cross bars, which fold up and tuck away into the body of the integrated roof rails. It’s a convenient way to reduce wind noise, improve vehicle aerodynamics and to avoid the problem of storing the cross bars when not in use. What’s more, they come standard on every Outback. For the green-conscious, you’ll be pleased to know that every Outback is built in a zero landfill plant. And Subarus are built to last: 96 percent of Subarus sold in the last 10 years are still on the road.3
Those are just some of the many features of an Outback. Other features include: • 29 MPG HIGHWAY, 22 MPG CITY4 • POWERED BY THE SUBARU BOXER ENGINE • 8.7 INCHES OF GROUND CLEARANCE • 10-WAY POWER DRIVER’S SEAT • RECLINING REAR SEATS • AVAILABLE HARMON/KARDON 9-SPEAKER PREMIUM AUDIO SYSTEM • AVAILABLE HEATED FRONT SEATS • 105.4 CUBIC FEET OF PASSENGER SPACE AND 34.3 CUBIC FEET OF CARGO SPACE • MANUFACTURER’S SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE5 (BDB1): $25,495
Stop in to Dellenbach’s today to find the Subaru that’s right for you. 1
Ratings based on Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS’s) 40-mileper-hour frontal crash test, 31-mile-per-hour side-impact test, 20-mileper-hour rear-impact test, and roof-strength test. For more information, contact IIHS or visit their website at www.iihs.org.
2
Based on ALG’s 2011 Residual Value Award for Mainstream Brands and Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com 2011 Best Resale Value Award: Brand. For more information, visit alg.com and Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com.
3
Based on Polk U.S. vehicles in operation registration statistics 2001-2010.
4
EPA-estimated fuel economy for Outback 2.5i CVT models. Actual mileage may vary.
5
MSRP excludes destination and delivery charges, tax, title and registration fees. Dealer sets actual price.
3103 S.College Ave., Fort Collins 970.226.2438 www.dellenbachsubaru.com
Beet Street Ready
for busy summer
W
The goal of Beet Street is to build arts and culture as an economic engine in Fort Collins and to develop this region into a nationally recognized arts and cultural center. The organization works towards their goal in a variety of ways, including putting on many events. 24
hile Beet Street fosters their mission year round, summer is an optimum time to host several large culturaloriented events in Fort Collins. Theses events are designed to provide an opportunity to help the arts community in Fort Collins reach a new audience, as well as expose the public to local artists, thespians and musicians.
Streetmosphere Showcases Local Talent
Beet Street organizes two major summer events, Streetmosphere and the Creative Garden within Bohemian Nights at NewWestFest. This will be the second year for both programs. Streetmosphere is a summer long affair that began in May and takes place every weekend until September 4. The event provides an atmosphere of artistic expression and entertainment on the streets of Old Town Fort Collins. “It’s designed to feel like it is part of the fabric of the street,” says Ryan Keiffer, executive director of Beet Street. In terms of the number of performances, the amount of programming and the many thousands of people this event reaches, Streetmosphere is Beet Street’s largest program. With 20 performances each weekend, and as
By Heidi Kerr-Schlaefer
many as five performances occurring at any given moment at various outdoor venues around downtown, Streetmosphere isn’t only a chance for artists to reach a new audience, but an opportunity for them to be compensated for their talent. “All Streetmosphere performers are paid,” says Keiffer. This year’s lineup showcases some of Northern Colorado’s most talented artists, featuring youth and adult entertainers, new artists and established performers. “It’s designed so that everybody has an equal opportunity to audition, and it’s a great way for emerging talent to get out there and get involved,” says Keiffer. From dancers to magicians, Streetmosphere provides something for every age and taste. A wide range of dance acts are scheduled, from Canyon Concert Ballet to the Choice City Breakerz, a youth break dancing troupe. Also on tap in the dance category are performances by Dance Express, High Voltage and The Studio. The streets of Old Town will be alive with the sound of music during Streetmosphere, with musicians making up the majority of performers. Many musical genres will be represented including bluegrass, classical, jazz combos, percussionists, R&B, blues
Lydia’s STYLE Magazine
and acoustic. Visual artists will also make their mark at Streetmosphere; painters, weavers, sculptors and potters will all be part of the downtown landscape. Variety acts such as magicians and jugglers are also in the queue, as well as several theatrical performances. By the end of last summer, the community awareness and participation in Streetmosphere had grown significantly. “If we made that much progress in the first year, it’s going to be really exciting to see what happens in the second year,” says Keiffer. To find a map of performance locations visit www. beetstreet.org and pick up a 2011 Streetmosphere Downtown Guide Book at participating downtown businesses or at Streetmosphere performances.
The Living Space
on Supporting the Arts
Creative Garden to Expand in 2011
Offering gourmet food, specialty beer and wine, a juried visual arts show, musical acts and theatrical performances, Creative Garden within Bohemian Nights at NewWestFest is an escape from the hustle and bustle of the festival. Creative Garden is in its second year and attracted 20,000 visitors in 2010. That success means that the event is being moved from the original location on Walnut to the Remington parking lot behind the Aggie Theater. Through intercept surveys, Beet Street discovered that some people came to Bohemian Nights at NewWestFest just to attend Creative Garden. Others simply stumbled upon the event and enjoyed the retreat atmosphere provided in the garden. “We got really positive feedback on last year’s event,” says Keiffer. While the overall experience will remain the same, this year’s Creative Garden will be even better. The Bohemian Nights Singer/Songwriter Stage will be the place to listen to musicians who will impress with their lyrics and instrumental skills, while local theater and dance groups will strut their stuff on the Performing Arts Stage. This year, the stages will be located farther apart and more seating will be available for the audiences. The heart of Creative Garden is the visual art show and sale. Ninety-five percent of vendors sold work during the first festival – yet another indicator of its success – and this summer’s larger space will accommodate twice as many art vendors. While last year artists were invited to be vendors at the event, this year they will be chosen via a juried process. Beet Street is also commissioning a piece of art for Creative Garden to be displayed on t-shirts, posters and other items available for purchase. Creative Garden runs August 12-14, in conjunction with NewWestFest in downtown Fort Collins. Keep an eye on www.beetstreet.org for update information on all Creative Garden participants.
Ryan Keiffer addresses the crowd at last year's opening of Beet Street's Creative Garden.
Style 2011
By Heidi Kerr-Schlaefer
A
s a business owner and resident of Fort Collins, Rod Clough, owner of The Living Space, feels that supporting arts and culture downtown is vital to creating a vibrant community. The Living Space offers unique furnishing options for discerning Northern Colorado customers. “I am able to, through my store, make art a big part of who we are,” says Clough. “I look to support more organizations that hit on various elements of art – visual arts and performing arts – because I want to make sure that we spread the support as well as we can.” Growing up in Boulder, Clough developed a strong appreciation for the arts early in life. He remembers visiting the Pearl Street Mall and witnessing the various entertainers who would perform there on weekends. “To see organizations like Beet Street evolving and to see more of that sort of thing coming to Fort Collins is just really exciting,” he says. Having played piano since he was 8 years old, Clough has experienced arts and culture both as a performer and as a spectator. His passion for the performing arts only grew as he became an adult while working in Las Vegas. Today, as the father of two young girls, Clough wants his children to experience art and culture just as he did. Beet Street has developed a downtown guidebook to accompany their Streetmosphere event, the summer long program that brings arts and culture to the streets of Old Town. The Living Space, located at 123 N. College Avenue in the Opera Galleria, is a sponsor of the 2011 Streetmosphere Guide. “The downtown business community has been so supportive of Streetmosphere, and without stores like The Living Space we wouldn’t be able to do this program,” says Ryan Keiffer, executive director of Beet Street. “For me, being exposed to the arts makes for a much more enjoyable, fulfilling and complete life,” says Clough. “But this only happens if you participate and support because there’s no magic faucet of money that goes into these things. It has to come from us because we are the residents of Fort Collins.” Clough also supports other local arts programs, such as Canyon Concert Ballet, OpenStage Theatre and Company, and Bas Bleu Theatre, as well as Respite Care. Heidi Kerr-Schlaefer is a journalist and freelance writer from Northern Colorado.
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Downtown Fort Collins visitors can enjoy music, dancing, theatre and more during weekend Streetmosphere performances, now through September 4.
Cafés Spark Imagination Throughout the Year
Science Café is Beet Street’s longest running program and has a dedicated group of attendees. These cafes are held on the second Wednesday evening of each month at Avogadro’s Number and feature presenters who speak on current scientific issues such as climate change, ecology and even magic. “The speakers really enjoy the fact that they can get out of their labs and offices and present what they are doing to the public,” says Keiffer. Colorado State University (CSU) provides a neverending supply of educators who have firsthand knowledge about all sorts of interesting scientific topics. On the fourth Wednesday of every month, Beet Street hosts Art Café. Also held at Avogadro’s Number on South Mason in Fort Collins, these cafés allow the public to get a sneak peak behind the curtain and into the lives of artists, musicians and actors. Past speakers at Art Café have been Wes Kenney, music director of the Fort Collins Symphony, Dr. Gary Huibregtse, department coordinator of photography at CSU, and Jessica V. Freestone, artistic director at Canyon Concert Ballet. “One thing that surprises me about both cafés is that there is a core group of people who attend every café, but there are always new people too,” says Keiffer. “I think it’s interesting that we are
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able to bring different types of topics to the public and that those various topics draw different sorts of people each time.”
Art as an Economic Driver
Keiffer grew up in Fort Collins and has an English degree from CSU. His position as executive director at Beet Street is the first time he’s worked in a job that is directly linked to the arts, and he has aligned his skills as a strategic planner, leader, marketer and communicator with the mission of Beet Street. “I love the arts and I love experiencing the arts, but I’m not an artist myself,” he says. He is happy to be doing something so directly tied to the community in which he grew up. “Artists do what they do because they love it; it’s inside of them and they have to get it out, and it’s about expressing themselves and their soul, and I really love working with people who are that passionate.” Although it’s not always easy to draw a graph showing a dot-to-dot relationship, incubating the arts does drive the economy of a region. First, the arts are an important factor in quality of life issues. A thriving cultural city helps attract businesses that want to be located in a desirable area in order to attract and retain a top-notch workforce. Therefore, art and culture are essential to attracting and retaining both the businesses and the workforce they need.
Second, an active arts and culture atmosphere draws outside money into an area. For instance, when people come to experience the arts in a place such as Fort Collins, they will stay in hotels, eat at restaurants and shop in local boutiques – all things that boost the city economically. Keiffer stresses that this part of Beet Street’s strategic plan will take a while, but establishing Fort Collins as an arts destination is part of their long-term goal. The first step towards this long-term goal is for Fort Collins’ residents to see their community as a place with a vibrant arts and culture scene, and these Beet Street events provide an avenue for reaching that objective. “Fort Collins is a uniquely creative community,” says Darin Atteberry, Fort Collins city manager. “Our art expresses our creativity, enriches our lives, strengthens our economy and helps to make Fort Collins a truly exceptional city.” To stay on top of all Beet Streets events and café speakers, and to view Northern Colorado’s most preeminent art and culture calendar, visit www. beetstreet.org. You can also join Beet Street on their Facebook page, sign up for weekly emails about arts happenings, and follow them on Twitter. Heidi Kerr-Schlaefer is a journalist and freelance writer from Northern Colorado. She is also the Mayor of HeidiTown.com, a blog about Colorado events and festivals.
Lydia’s STYLE Magazine
2nd year to be best yet By Ryan Keiffer
A
walk down the streets of Old Town is usually an experience in itself. Historic buildings and quaint shops are staples that make the area unique to visitors, yet familiar to its residents. And every weekend through Labor Day, the streets will be alive with music, art and a few quirky acts to entertain anyone looking for a distinctly Fort Collins entertainment experience. It’s always nice to window shop at all of the local stores that the city offers, or grab a bite to eat at any of the abundant locally owned and operated restaurants that line the blocks of Old Town, but there is something missing in between these common activities. Who wouldn’t like to hear some music in the streets or see magicians awing a crowd? Beet Street is excited to present Streetmosphere 2011, a showcase of more than 300 local performances from May 13 to September 4 in the heart of downtown Fort Collins. With performances every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, this event is a way to display independent artists and performers that are making their way into the mainstream scene. Streetmosphere is a great chance for visitors and local residents to admire the city’s bustling talent in a way that everyone can experience and enjoy. Last year, multi-talented artists, musicians and magic acts captured the attention of passersby on numerous corners. As the executive director of Beet Street and an avid local art advocate, I was so pleased with the outcome of thousands of participants last year that the second year was a must. We at Beet Street have added even more great talent this year to let everyone know that Fort Collins is a center point for art and entertainment in Colorado. We held auditions in February and could not be more impressed with the acts chosen to liven up our historic downtown area. We are bringing fresh talent and a few regular faces to the streets to show off homegrown art and culture for five months. A multitude of diverse performers include musicians, dancers, actors, visual artists, jugglers, magicians and so much more, all of them selected specifically to showcase the multitude of local art and talent while providing visitors a look at what makes the city one of America’s best places to live. Streetmosphere signage will display the performances, with multiple simultaneous locations so that the entertainment is always varied and available. There is no doubt that those who are not interested in one act will find their fit just around the corner. This exciting event would not be possible without the local businesses and organizations that support it. Be sure to pick up a Downtown Guide Book at any Streetmosphere performance and support the businesses that are supporting this program.
Style 2011
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Local Designs
The Fall 2011 line by KaiT
By Angeline Grenz
Northern Colorado has galleries for artists, theaters for thespians and music venues for musicians. However, there is a breed of craftsperson that does not always have access to such pubic venues in which to declare their skills – and they are charged with finding an audience, a consumer and an outlet. 28
Thanks to Colorado State University’s (CSU) Department of Design and Merchandising, highly trained and educated designers abound, though the community at large may not realize how hard these artists must work to turn their art into commerce. The following four visionaries are talented and driven, and their stories, told at different stages of success, are inspiring for all.
Art Inspires Commerce
Eulanda Sanders is one of “the lucky few.” She knew exactly what she wanted to do with her life from age 8. She came from a creative family, learning to knit from her mother. And after 21 years teaching in CSU’s Design and Merchandising program, she is no stranger to the challenges and triumphs of designing wearable art. Sanders is an associate professor and graduate from CSU’s Design and Merchandising program. “This has been one of the best careers,” says Sanders of her CSU tenure. “I can’t even call it a ‘job.’ Or ‘work’ even. We have a wonderful program with faculty that are leaders in the field.”
Or course, Sanders is no slouch. She has received awards and recognition for her designs, including acceptance of her “Fractal Bride,” pictured on this page, into the International Textile & Apparel Association 2010 Design Exhibition, where it took winner of Best Fiber Art Design. Her dress was an inspiration for the Shibori Felt Scarf, sold through Sanders’ retail line of handcrafted wearable art. Sanders’ passion is in fiber and textile arts. As with the “Fractal Bride,” her artworks are often the inspiration for her retail pieces sold online through her company Yo-San Studio. Yo-San is a family affair. “Over the years I have always dabbled with doing custom work for people,” recounts Sanders. Five years ago, Sanders’ sister, Denise Caleb, contacted her, interested in starting a business. They considered and rejected a variety of businesses before deciding on wearable art. “After 9/11 we saw a change in the cultural perceptions of artisans and people doing craftworks,” she says. “Knitting and crocheting began to be much more appreciated. People began to do them more and
Lydia’s STYLE Magazine
others began buying them more. That has been a nice change to see.” And the increase in awareness fit Sanders’ interests perfectly. Sanders and her sister were joined by their mother, Martha, in the operation of Yo-San. Caleb took the marketing reigns. Sanders and her mother Martha focus on design and production. The business was originally named The Scarf Factory, but the team of three soon decided they were ready to branch out into other products. Yo-San is primarily an online business, though they do feature wearable pieces at local shows. They are in the process of creating a new website and an Etsy store (an online store for handcrafted items) to test products and expand their market. Their new series “Metalling with Fibers,” which uses metal pieces – zippers, rivets, etc. – incorporated into the scarves, will debut on their new website this summer. A challenge for Sanders is to find the time to devote to the day-to-day business needs of Yo-San, but she is looking at the business with a new vigor. This summer and into the fall, Sanders plans to take the company in a new direction by adding in garments – jackets will likely be their first undertaking. An artist first, it is often difficult for Sanders to find the balance between price point and the laborintensive nature of her handcrafted scarves. “Part
Sanders' "Fractal Bride" won the internation Textile & Apparel Association 2010 Design Exibition's award for Best Fiber Arts.
The gown was the inspiration for this scarf, sold on Sanders' Yo-San Studio website.
Style 2011
of what I do is to take those pieces and distill them down into something that is marketable or pull elements from them that I can reproduce more quickly for Yo-San. It is a challenge, but one that I enjoy.” For more information about Sanders and Yo-San Studio, visit her website at www.yosanstudio.com.
Designs with a Message
Heidi Olinger took a circuitous path to designing, though she had the drive at a young age. Olinger, at age 10, would design and sew her own clothes. She had decided to be a fashion designer, but her love of writing and literature took over, and she majored in journalism at the University of Wisconsin. “At the time, I just didn’t have the smarts to blend the two,” says Olinger. She worked as a writer in West Germany for years, traveling much of the world via cargo plane. “I started looking for clothes that looked great pulled out of a duffle bag, that would carry me from one stop to the next with the least amount of wrinkles.” Olinger began to look for lines and fabrics that could go from day to night, dressed up or down. When she returned to graduate school in 1988, she chose Colorado and decided to stay. A few years ago, Olinger moved from Lyons to Fort Collins with the goal of starting her clothing line. The line was inspired by a shopping trip for a gift for her 7-year-old niece. Looking for something smart, intelligent and fun, Olinger was left wanting. She realized there was a gap in the market. Originally, Olinger targeted “tweens,” ages 7 to 14, to fill this under met segment of the population. She based the line on the observation that women were seldom considered both pretty and intelligent. Society, more often, labeled them as one or the other. “It began with a joke,” recalls Olinger. “If I can re-label all the girls in the world ‘pretty brainy’ then the world would begin to see them in that light.” The phrase stuck and her branding was born. Olinger started Pretty Brainy with a basic T-shirt in a substantial fabric than is not typically found in most girlswear. She added the Pretty Brainy logo across the top and an inspiring biography of a famous woman down one sleeve. She uses as her tagline “You have a Heroic Mission.” Olinger quickly found that women loved the name and the concept. “Women find an emotional resonance with Pretty Brainy. They love the logo across the front. They think it is funny and inspiring.” She noticed mothers were buying the largest sizes she carried for themselves. In response, Olinger began to target “smart girls of any age” with her 2010 line, opening it up to a wider range of sizes. As with Yo-San, Pretty Brainy’s web presence is a large part of her marketing platform. During her first few years, Olinger realized that her product was best suited to the gift category. “Mothers, grandmothers and professional women love Pretty Brainy as a gift item.” Tees and tanks remain Pretty Brainy’s mainstay, “but the line is in evolution.” The newest release, their take on the little black dress, is slimming, graceful, elegant, yet can be dressed up or down according to style and occasion. The dress, on the inside bottom hem, still carries with it the “brainy” theme with a glow-in-the-dark multiplication table printed inside. Olinger is also releasing a line of accessories with a “design it yourself” element. The accessories (scarves and jewelry, initially) can be purchased along with a kit that allows it to be personalized.
Heidi Olinger models Pretty Brainy's little black dress. Below, a young model shows off her version of the versatile dress.
Photo courtesy of John Mueller Productions.
The idea came in response from customers who had purchased a Pretty Brainy tee and wanted to add another element to it. “I want our design to always reflect our mission, which is improve the perception of how women are seen and the expectations of what they can do in the world,” says Olinger. “When you reach people emotionally, it is really something. We will keep designing our mission into whatever we do.” For more information about Heidi Olinger and Pretty Brainy, visit the website www.prettybrainy.com.
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Above, at 27 years old, Kaitlyn Thomas has already launched three seasons of her KaiT line. At left, KaiT's Fall 2011 line will be sold in boutiques in Colorado, Chicago and California.
Young Designer Launches Her Line
Kaitlyn Thomas’ design prowess and skill with a needle are what initially garnered this young designer local attention and helped jump-start her career. Thomas obtained a degree in Apparel Design and Production from CSU in 2007, designing custom pieces in her free time. She designed her wedding gowns (all four of them – she and her husband were married four times in one month) and people took notice. Custom orders began coming in and she started a small bridal business. As her reputation grew, Thomas sold some of her designs to local boutiques. She developed a relationship with Biyazzi boutique owner Avriel Agnello, who invited Thomas to accompany her to a trade show, and it was here that Thomas made a fortuitous connection. “Avriel asked me to go to a trade show and she would introduce me to a few reps,” Thomas recalls. “It doesn’t happen that easily for most people, but I just happened to find a rep that was looking for a new clothing line at the time I was there.” The rep asked her to bring some samples, liked what he saw and “it has just snowballed from there.” The hardest part for Thomas is cultivating her business sense while designing and producing
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clothing lines at breakneck speed. “I have had to learn the right ways to reach out to clients, find new reps and market myself.” Her husband is her business partner and helps her manage this end of her line, KaiT. “I came into this through my sewing machine, instead of with any business training,” says Thomas. But Thomas has not let that stop her from moving forward. Her line is better womenswear that is comfortable, yet still tailored and dressy, with rich fabrics and design details. Her line is considered a bridge line, meaning it is a notch under designer lines. “It is a little bit contemporary and a little bit missy,” she says. The line sells well with women ages 30 and up. Thomas’ designs first appeared in stores in fall 2009. Her line is currently sold in high-end boutiques in Colorado, California, Chicago and Michigan, with California being her top market. Her Fall 2011 line will be available in a variety of boutiques in Fort Collins, Denver and Aspen. Thomas’ phenomenal success would be daunting to a lesser being, but she is a self-contained 26-year-old, taking success in stride. She tackles her KaiT line while still fitting in custom orders. This past holiday season, between the two, she produced 300
Lydia’s STYLE Magazine
pieces in two months. “I wouldn’t recommend it,” she adds. “I worked 100 hour weeks.” Thomas remains dedicated to the design process. “The most exciting part of the process is creating new samples. That is what keeps me motivated.” Her ability to understand the materials she works with and the process of stitching them together is ultimately what makes her line so successful. “If you do not have at least some of that skill set as a designer you aren’t designing clothes that work. Part of being a designer is breaking the rules of construction. But you have to have to know the rules very well before you can break them successfully.” Contrary to the impression this trendy designer might portray, Thomas grew up on a ranch in Wyoming, “somewhat a tomboy, always outside playing with the horse.” But she has long loved clothes and learned to sew as a mere 4-year-old. As KaiT has grown, Thomas has moved production of her line to Chicago. She travels frequently, keeping an eye on production in Chicago, attending fabric shows in New York and Los Angeles, and marketing her line at trade shows. Last year, she was gone an average of two weeks out of every month, but she is scaling back as her business begins to settle into a rhythm. Her contemporaries class Thomas as designerentrepreneur, and it is a segment of the industry that is seeing some growth in the new economy, says Thomas. Her challenge is to continue to be relevant in a difficult market. But Thomas will likely tackle this as she has all others – with determination and tenacity. “I would like to keep my line exclusive and smaller, and expand it nationwide. I can see adding bridal or menswear in the future.” For more information about KaiT, or to view her Fall 2011 line, visit www.kaitdesign.com.
Establishing Your Clientele
Scott Barber’s menswear line is known for its fine woven shirts in beautiful Italian fabrics. Sold at boutiques throughout the country, Scott Barber is the go-to designer for men who want a classic look. But unlike our previous designers, Barber did not start his journey with a childhood dream to go into men’s fashion. Rather, his route was a indirect one, entering the clothing industry from the business and retail side, and after he realized he had an aptitude for design, he began to build his clothing line. Barber, an Iowa native, came to CSU to pursue an economics degree. In his senior year, he took a position at a local men’s store where he shopped frequently. After graduation, he moved from retail to the wholesale side of the apparel industry, traveling in Colorado and in southern California. He then took a position with a men’s neckwear and dress shirt manufacturer in Boulder, leaving in 1993 to branch out on his own. Scott Barber operated first from Boulder, then moved to downtown Fort Collins, and finally to his current location in Loveland six years ago. Though the creative side of designing menswear came naturally to Barber (he credits his innate good eye to his mother’s own sense of style), he gained a full understanding of the business side. “It was a pretty good education,” he says. “And I really enjoy this business.” Barber knew how he wanted to position his clothing line, focusing on “an updated, classic Ivy League kind of brand.” His first retail line was Fall 1995. The timing was good, with fashion trends
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moving more towards casual dress. “Stores were scrambling to have more sportswear and we offered this kind of casual button-down sensibility.” Barber began his product line with woven shirts, expanding over the years to add men’s knit shirts, sweaters, pants, outerwear, casual sport coats, denim and accessories. Barber is in the process of choosing fabrics for his Spring 2012 line, and his fabric buying trips generally take him to Italy. Barber’s primary clientele “are affluent men who like clothes.” Flattering, comfortable and well made are the hallmarks of Scott Barber apparel. “We are very careful about what we buy and what fabrics we use. It is oriented around our target client and it is very, very important that you remain consistent.” His product is found mainly in high-end men’s boutiques, though he has sold to Nordstrom in the past and anticipates working with them again in the future. His fine woven shirts are available locally at Williams Clothier in Old Town Fort Collins. As with many designers, marketing was a challenge for Barber in his early years. “Marketing was one of our shortcomings. I was product and service oriented; I had good relationships with a lot of these stores and I had relationships with salesman in different parts of the country.” With those relationships already in place, marketing took a backseat. After Scott Barber menswear became more established, he realized marketing had fallen short in several areas (running ads, a functional website, professional photography, etc.). “We didn’t do a very good job of telling our own story in the beginning and we were overdue on reinforcing
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Above, Scott Barber chooses fabrics for his Spring 2012 line of men's woven shirts. Left, Barber's Fall 2011 line was shot in Malibu in May and will appear in boutiques nationwide.
our brand image." Five years ago, Barber brought in an advertising agency out of Minneapolis to fill this gap. Today, Barber’s seasonal clothing lines are photographed at various locations across the country (his Fall 2011 line was photographed in Malibu in May) with a professional team, and his website has been upgraded. As brand recognition grew, his loyal client base wanted the ease and flexibility of accessing his products online. Because Barber’s line remains based around the woven shirt, his customers like the predictability of fit and style. Though his style may be classic, Barber is still responsive to changing trends. In recent years, men’s fit silhouettes have become slimmer. “We have to be careful. Our clientele is as equally concerned with comfort as they are with having the newest, latest thing. There is a limit on how trim we can go, but our styles are much trimmer than a few years ago.” It is moderate, Barber says, but is still a more current take on their classic design. Success for Barber is a product of hard work and good taste, and he takes pride in the line he has put together over the past 18 years. “We make nice things for guys who like nice things. It is a cool business. I feel very lucky because I am suited to it and I feel really engaged in it.” For more information or to view Scott Barber’s current line, visit www.scottbarber.com.
Angeline Grenz is editor of Style Magazine.
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Markley's core team: General Manager Roger Belisle, Administrative Assistant Judi Payton, Chief Operating Officer Carrie Markley-Baumgart, Chairman of the Board Gene Markley, Marketing Director Cindy Markley-DeGroot, Owner/President Doug Markley and Fixed Operations Manager Terry Brunk
Markley Motors
Changes with the Times
Changing as the times change has kept Markley Motors viable for 75 years. Over this period, the company has, more than once, modified its business plan and altered its direction so that it could continue to serve customers and maintain its stellar reputation. The latest change is reflected in the expansion and remodel of the facilities on South College Avenue. As odd as it might sound, the remodel was the result of the sluggish economy. “When General Motors declared bankruptcy and came out of that, the first decision was to eliminate the Saturn franchise and the Pontiac franchise,” says President Doug Markley. “That concerned us a great deal because we had two facilities that would be empty.” “Fortunately,” he continues, “the next door
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neighbor to our Saturn dealer in Cheyenne was another dealership.” Markley called the head of the dealership with two questions. “I said, ‘One, would you sell me one of your franchises?’ He said, ‘No.’ So I asked the second question: ‘Would you be interested in a nice facility next door to you? I have a good building and have great key employees.’ He said, ‘Yes.’ He purchased it from me at the appraised value and hired five of our key people. Two others came here and everyone else found jobs.” There were some tight times, he admits, but, says Chief Operating Officer Carrie Baumgart, “We watched what was coming and we did a lot of proactive planning and that helped.” “We lost a few people through attrition,” Markley says. “We didn’t refill those positions, but we didn’t have to let anyone go. We felt good about not letting the economic downturn affect the lives of our employees.” Two other factors came into play. First, General Motors sent a letter asking that Markley represent GMC and Buick but requiring that any foreign franchise be physically separated. Since Markley also had a Honda franchise, that demanded action. But, with the closing of the Saturn dealership, Markley found an opportunity. “I decided to move Buick and GMC into the old Saturn building next door.” It was the perfect solution. Because of the proximity, it allowed the separation of the two franchises, and key management could easily oversee both. “It was the right time for us to do this,” Markley says. “The economic downturn
By Kay Rios By Kay Rios
scared me; but, over the years, my father taught me to leave money in the business, so we had always reinvested back into the business and that gave us a cushion.” The second factor was a requirement from Honda that Markley adopt more of the Honda image. “It was more than just the Honda wave; it was the furniture and the flooring,” says Cindy DeGroot, marketing director. It was an extensive list, Terry Brunk, fixed operations manager, adds. “It included the number of service bays, the colors and the signs.” Greg Donald, partner of STRATAap and architect for Markley’s new look, agrees that the Honda criteria were extensive. “I knew what we needed to do because I used to be a consultant for Honda. Our biggest challenge, even before applying all the brand image requirements, was to keep the operation open and running.” But there were other challenges as well, he says. “Honda has a prototypical design. There are also Honda standards that are not about the look but about the amount of space and the types of space dedicated to customer care. So this was not just a face lift but a functional remodel as well.” Donald and the Markley crew knew there would be a reorganization of space, but the building’s previous five remodels required a different approach. “How could we take this building that was multiple construction types and solidify it into one clean statement, accomplish Honda’s branding identity goals and also be sensitive to Markley’s goals? Markley is an institution in Fort Collins and we
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didn’t want to lose their story in the remodel.” Markley and his staff also wanted to go as “green” as possible, but because the Honda prototype is 15 years old, that wasn’t as easy as one might think. “We needed to reinterpret the manufacture’s goals and standards in today’s sustainable green environment,” says Donald. “We definitely pushed the envelope on the redesign. We used LEED as our standard with energy savings, life cycle costs, and materials that will last and are easy to maintain. I knew the approval process and knew where we could push things and what things were sacrosanct.” The result was a combination of approaches that everyone could live with, Donald says. “In the showroom and in the public areas, we used a monolithic floor with radiant heat in the new addition. One thing that was bothersome to Markley was that the customers had to park outside on a cold day, and now the customers pull their car into the building and the service consultant comes out to greet them.” The overhead doors for this area were expensive, Donald says, but they open in 1.6 seconds and also close quickly, keeping heat in. “We added large fans (brand name Big Ass Fans) for passive ventilation. They circulate air slowly and move so much air you don’t have to crank the A/C. We upgraded the electrical system so that where they were spending $100,000 to $150,000 a year on energy, they will cut that in half. It’s called life cycling where you spend more now but, over the life of the building, you’ll save a significant amount of money. That was very important to the Markleys.” The functionality of the building also had to be improved. “In a car dealership you have so many things going on – sales, technicians, receptions,” says Donald. “It was about making customers comfortable. Markley wanted a small town atmosphere where you like to hang out. Instead of the small sales office approach, we created islands for customer interaction throughout the dealership and an information center.” The Markley crew was easy to work with, Donald says. “I don’t remember one hard sell. When we brought something up that was going to be more expensive than expected, if we could justify in the life of the building, they got it. They were one of our most enjoyable clients.” It was a bit of a long haul, though, they all
agree. “When you remodel, you quickly learn what a change order is,” Baumgart says. “Every part of the facility was impacted.” Pat McCann, Drahota’s field superintendent, says there were a couple of issues involved. “We were dealing with the public because they were still open for business and we had a lot of customers wander through the job site, so we needed to be sensitive to that.” The building itself was the other issue, he says. “It was built in 1975, and there were old phone systems and all the old cable from the ‘70s that was still in the walls even though it had been abandoned. So we had a lot of cleaning up to do and that’s typical of a project like this.” “The building was gutted,” says Judi Payton, admin support and part of Markley’s Building Committee. “They took it to the bare walls and five people were still working in the building. There was no bathroom – we had to go next door.” “We ran the service department out of a trailer,” Brunk says. “They had to grind the floor to polish it,” DeGroot says. “And that meant we had a thick layer of dust and film every day. We were constantly cleaning.” Markley says it all worked out. “Thanks to phenomenal employees and the patience of good customers, our business didn’t suffer during this. We found a way to make this operate; sales didn’t drop and service increased.” “We averaged 120 customers coming through the service trailer every day,” Brunk confirms. There was no tension, Payton says. “I was so impressed by the attitude of the staff. They were all so excited.” Baumgart also credits Drahota Construction and McCann. “I’ve always heard that contractors don’t care about your business and the construction just goes on but Drahota staff really cared and the construction crew worked so well with us. They communicated with us every step of the way. We had a weekly meeting and it really was a seamless process.” McCann passes the credit along. “We had a great group of subcontractors who didn’t have any issues; the architects were easy to work with and it turned out better than most people expected, including Mr. Markley. He said more than once it exceeded his expectations.”
McCann also says that Markley’s Building Committee made the project easier. “Once they made a decision that was it. They didn’t waffle. It made it real easy. I was a little uneasy at first because with a committee, it’s sometimes hard to get everyone to agree, but they actually do work as a team.” Baumgart agrees. “We are so proud of this and we worked together so well as a team. Our Building Committee is such a great group. We really enjoyed working with Drahota, but, as much as we are sorry to see Drahota leave, we’re ready to get back into the car business.” Back to business as usual, and there’s no doubt it will continue to be successful. First, it has the strength of family with its four generations of involvement. And, second, as this last remodel and the history demonstrates, it’s a very adaptable business. Markley has weathered many changes since Ferd Markley opened a Dodge-Plymouth dealership in 1936. After World War II, sons Gene and Bob became involved, eventually taking over ownership. In 1959, Markley added Chrysler-Plymouth. The Markleys always seemed to be ahead of the curve, making changes that would insure success. The Honda franchise was picked up in 1974 just as Honda was quickly becoming one of the top selling vehicles, and the Chrysler, Plymouth and Dodge lines were terminated in 1979. In 1990, Saturn was picked up and began selling over 100 cars per month, becoming the number one selling car in Fort Collins. Now, the fourth generation is active in the business – Baumgart and DeGroot are Doug’s daughters, and son Justin works in the Internet department. Family ties also extend beyond bloodlines with many Markley employees staying on for years: Payton has been with Markley for 55 years. They’re geared to the future. “We are extremely proud of being a part of the Fort Collins community for the past 75 years," Markley says. “With the completion of this project, we are prepared to enter the next 75 years.”
Kay Rios, Ph.D., is a freelance writer in Fort Collins. She writes for a variety of publications and is at work on a collection of creative non-fiction and a mystery novel. To view more photos of Markley’s Honda dealership remodel visit “Building Relationships” on page 46 and 47.
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Building Northern Colorado
Cabinet 911
The showroom at Tharp Cabinet Corp. in Loveland
It was a dark and stormy night. I was starving and searching for that last jar of olives (with the lights off, so I wouldn’t have to share). The jar, hiding in the cursed corner cupboard, land of lost treasures, eluded me. Just as the prize was within reach, it toppled off the shelf and rolled to the back of the cupboard, where only spiders go. As I gave up in disgust, the thought crossed my mind again, “Maybe it’s time to get new cupboards.”
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By Corey Radman
I hate my kitchen. I hate the dated stained oak finishes, hate the way I lose the muffin tins way in the back of the inaccessible bottom corner. The tiny, one-butt-at-a-time layout dooms me to standing alone chopping by myself while the family plays in the other room. It’s time for a change. Ask any kitchen designer what people most complain about, and my top three ailments are what you hear most often: function, appearance and useable storage. They tell me I’m not alone; woeful tales of olives occur in kitchens across the world, but especially in homes like mine – homes that were designed before the kitchen became the acknowledged center of the house. Don Fraley, president of Tharp Cabinet Corp. based in Loveland, assures me that my kitchen doesn’t have to be so tragic. But, he cautions against using a one-size-fits-all approach, like what may be found in big box stores. “The beauty of using a custom kitchen designer/manufacturer is that the solutions are made specifically for your kitchen, to match your
Lydia’s STYLE Magazine
Sliding drawers placed under this range top keep pots and pans within easy reach.
space and your needs. At our facility, your order is all milled and constructed at the same time from the same batch of wood. Thus, the wood grain and colors match perfectly.” Carla Riedel, designer at Schroll Cabinets, says that her clients most often have trouble with the usability of their kitchen storage. She highly recommends adjustable shelves, drawer slides and rollers. “Shelves should roll out to meet you. Heavy pots should fit in the bottom cabinets; nothing heavy should be above your head. Even without replacing cabinetry, retrofitting storage solutions like that increases your existing storage space by 20 percent.” For newer kitchens that open to a great room, having enough storage is a problem, explains Bill McLain, “Cabinet Guy” for Sutherlands Lumber & Design Gallery. The solution? As big an island as you have space for, he says. “They are continents, more than islands. I really like to see islands with multiple surface levels for interest, higher prep surfaces or display areas.” But most of all, those islands function
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Painted cabinets and no soffits are a popular trend in kitchens today.
as extra storage in a kitchen with only two walls. Beyond the basics of making a kitchen work the way you need it to and having enough space for your pots, there is style. Fraley says, most often, his clients have grown weary of the finishes on those dated oak cabinets. One big change he and his staff recommend now is the removal of kitchen soffits (the empty, framed in space above most kitchen cabinets). By freeing that extra 12 to 16 inches, the cabinets can be built upward, in some cases, abutting a nine to ten foot ceiling. “Some of my female clients comment, ‘I’ll never be able to reach that high,’ but it’s really more about creating a visual impact,” he explains.
By building a wall of beautifully stained or painted wood that compliments the appliances, the kitchen cabinets become a focal point, Fraley says. Eric Parlin, certified kitchen designer for Tharp Cabinets, adds that painted finishes are huge now, as are multiple tones in the same kitchen. “In more traditional styles, I see a lot of linen colored cabinets around the edges with mocha in the center on the island cabinetry.” Additionally, most of those finishes are distressed: hand-rubbed around the edges so the wood color shows through, or banged up with apparent bird pecking or dings from rudimentary tools to look like reclaimed lumber. Stains can be used to accent those distressed
Custom cabinets can make the most of any space and new styles give them the look of furniture.
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New hardware is an easy update to revive an old kitchen or complete the look and feel of a new one.
marks or the knots in the wood with a darker color showing through a lighter color on the top. Riedel says warm red or deep brown tones are ruling the day as opposed to yellows. Think cherry or walnut colors, with the top wood for staining alder or knotty alder. McClain notes that black, either painted or stained, is hugely popular and goes with everything. For painting, McClain says maple is the best choice because of its uniformity. And for color, green, white, black and red dominate. Parlin says that many kitchens in Northern Colorado are sticking to that traditional or “transitional traditional” approach. “It’s less about highly ornate carvings now, and more Mission or Craftsman style. CONTINUED on pg 50
New pull-out shelves make a better use of awkward corner cabinet space.
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Building Northern Colorado
Special Advertising Section
Before
A Landscape Re-Imagined No matter how big or small your landscaping project, you can count on Alpine Gardens and their over 30 years of experience. “Our goal is to make the process simple. From the design and permitting to details like irrigation, lighting, and recommended plantings. If it is outdoors, we can take care of it,” explains Landscape Designer Kris Nylander. Whether it is a new deck, pergola or fence, installation of an outdoor kitchen, a flagstone patio or a water feature, they will do whatever it takes to handcraft a landscape specifically designed to fit your life. The Weeks Residence When Jeff and Christy Weeks asked Alpine Gardens to design and build their new backyard retreat, naturally, as a previous customer, they were very excited and enthusiastic to get started. A custom exterior entertaining area became the focus of the project. The scope of this project included a massive entry arbor, a rustic pergola, and outdoor kitchen, as well as a splashing water feature softened with new perennial color. The existing circular, stamped concrete patio was to be utilized in the overall design. Therefore, a very atypical layout for the pergola was developed. The kitchen area would become the epicenter for the design of the pergola, with large beams extending across the entire patio from this point in a radial pattern. For an added touch, custom ornamental wrought iron was sculpted by a blacksmith. The columns were surrounded by stone that was selected to be an exact match to the exterior of the house, and this same material would also be utilized as a bench between two of the columns, as well as the base of the kitchen area. New, more inviting steps into the house were also made by means of this combination of materials.
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Building Northern Colorado
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Stainless steel appliances were used throughout the kitchen, including a grill, refrigerator, and sink. The patio was enhanced by the addition of a pet and grandchildren friendly “pondless” waterfall, set in full view from inside the home, as well as the patio. Landscape lighting enhances the evening enjoyment of this spectacular new outdoor living area. “This project was especially fun to do,” Nylander comments. “We were able to fully leverage our design, project management, and landscape skills as we worked side-by-side with plumbers, electricians, carpenters, masons and a blacksmith.” A Winning Combination Alpine is conveniently located adjacent to sister company, Fossil Creek Nursery, on South College Avenue in Fort Collins. Not only does this mean they have a magnificent hands-on palate of plants to work with, it means that they have the right experts on staff that specialize in the horticulture of this region. Don’t be surprised when you are invited to peruse the park-like grounds at the nursery to find the specific plant, tree, annual, fountain or pot that is just right for your project. Having all of these design elements available in the planning and design process enables customers to make informed decisions and gain a complete picture of every detail.
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www.alpinelandscaping.com 970-226-2296 7029 S College Ave Fort Collins, CO 80525 43
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AFTER
The Warren Lake Home Everyone dreams of owning a home that is comfortable and welcoming yet portrays a design that expresses individuality. The owners of this 1990 Warren Lake home are no exception. When they initially laid eyes on this handsome home, they knew it had the potential to fulfill that dream – once they customized it to fit their needs. Enter Spanjer Homes, L&L Acoustical and Schmidt Custom Floors. Spanjer Homes was the contractor chosen to turn the homeowners’ vision into a reality. They, together with trade contractors L&L Acoustical and Schmidt Custom Floors, have 80 years of combined experience providing excellent customer service to Northern Colorado. The Warren Lake homeowners wanted to live in a classic waterfront home with unobstructed views and a functional design. But the home fell short with a dated interior, poor window placement, and an inefficient use of space. “The structural ‘bones’ of the house were good,” says the homeowner. “So, rather than scraping the original home, we decided to concentrate our efforts on redefining the spaces and upgrading finishes.” The owners pinpointed features – such as rustic wood floors, board and batt wood paneling, bead board, open rafters and beamed ceilings, an aproned kitchen sink set in a soapstone counter, and marble vanities with driftwood mirrors – that would add a richness of detail to complement the expansive views of Warren Lake. Before these details could be implemented, the structure had to be addressed. “Our initial meeting with the homeowners began with a tour of the home and a description of their vision,” recalls Barb Spanjer. The original design of the home included soaring vaulted ceilings and limited views of the lake setting. “We wanted to recapture some of the vaulted spaces by turning them into functional rooms, and to make the most of the awesome views by opening up the back of the house with windows,” says the owner. Some of the large-scale changes included building a second floor with-
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BEFORE in the home to create three bedrooms and a study from the existing two bedrooms and loft, maximizing the lake views by constructing window walls at the back of house, and transforming the character of the façade to depict life on the lake. The energy efficiency of the home would also improve with the window replacement and the installation of a zoned-furnace system. Even though the house was not taken down, only one upstairs bedroom remained intact. The homeowners didn’t go into this process lightly; they spent the first four years in the home researching and defining their vision. The exterior of the home was transformed with the addition of gables, combining the original two front porch areas into one, adding trellis features and other traditional trim, and covering the home with a tapered, sawn wood shingle-style siding. “The transformation was amazing,” says the owner. “We were able to create wonderful areas in which to enjoy family and friends and where we can all marvel at the constantly changing views of the lake.” “The Spanjers, who came highly recommended, molded our ideas into a lovely finished product,” she continues. “They are an amazing team, and they in turn pulled together a very talented group of supervisors, craftsmen and trades.” Two of these craftsmen in particular, L&L Acoustical and Schmidt Custom Floors, were responsible for completing portions of the design that make a big impact upon entering the home. L&L Acoustical worked closely with the owners to update the home’s drywall finish. After removing the dated orange peel texture from the older walls, they sampled a number of custom hand finishes for the homeowners to study in the variable lighting inside the
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Building Northern Colorado team. To maintain the uniformity of tone, color, and surface smoothness for this wood floor, his team scraped and sanded the floor by hand – quite a feat with over 3,000 square feet of flooring. “The floors were one of most important elements in the home,” says Schmidt. And the finished product tells the story: the dramatic floors immediately draw your attention and are one of the homeowners’ favorite features. “We love the overall feel of the home now, with its comfortable spaces that flow more easily than they used to,” says the owner. “Our favorite features would have to include the walls of windows, open kitchen area, hardwood floors designed to look old, and the woodtrimmed walls and ceilings. We are so grateful to be able to turn our vision into a reality and have so much fun doing it!” Today, sitting in their home on the lake is the serene and satisfying experience they had always anticipated, a fulfillment of that long-awaited dream.
AFTER home. The hand texture was then sanded down until just the right reveal was obtained. The entire house was then finished using this custom hand texture. “In this project, only a few existing walls remained, the rest were new,” according to Gery Lockman, vice president of L&L Acoustical. The continuity in look between old and new walls was an important detail in the home. “Many people don’t realize the impact an updated finish can have on the overall look of the home. But when you consider that the finished walls make up 80 percent of the home, it is well worth it,” says Lockman. L&L Acoustical, which provides quality drywall services from hanging to priming, prides itself on the quality of their finish work – whether it is the entire home or just the drama of an accent wall. Schmidt Custom Floors took on the challenge of turning vision into reality with the one-of-a-kind white oak floors, stained an antique brown. The goal was to achieve a very rustic, aged look but still maintain uniformity of color and have a smooth walking surface. The random width planks were skip-planed, leaving them very rough in places; great for a rustic look, but hard on the feet. Schmidt had to get creative to maintain the character and still make the floors usable. But this was a challenge that suited company owner Barry Schmidt and his
BEFORE
970-223-2664 www.spanjer.com
970-221-3139 www.llacoustical.com
970-663-7402 www.schmidtcustomfloors.com 45
Building Northern Colorado
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Special Advertising Section
For nearly 40 years, Drahota has been in the business of building relationships along the Front Range and the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. The recently completed Markley Motors Honda Dealership is a prime example of Drahota’s business model and approach to client service. The facility, which opened its doors this spring, was delivered in solid fashion with an on schedule arrival and stunning new showroom. “The Markley project and our relationship with the Markley family is a perfect illustration of our overall business philosophy,” said Terry Drahota, Founder & CEO of Drahota. “Since the beginning, we’ve been dedicated to the same values of trust, commitment and communication, which I believe has been the key to a longstanding, successful business venture and client relationships.” The Markley project consisted of a 6,400-square-foot addition and interior remodel of the 10,000-square-foot of the existing Honda dealership. Phase II consisted of an exterior façade remodel of 2,000 square feet on the north end of the building. The entire project was completed in eight months. Drahota oversaw the construction process which included demolition, foundations, site concrete, landscaping, structural/miscellaneous steel, casework, storefront and curtainwall systems, aluminum composite panels, Trespa façade panels, roofing, interior finishes, MEP systems and new fire sprinkler system in both the existing and new space. Drahota also worked closely with the client, the architect
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Building Northern Colorado
Strata AP, and the entire team of subcontractors to adhere to the specific Honda guidelines and deliver an exceptional building. “The goal for the entire project was really to minimize the impact on Markley’s business operations in order for the dealership to remain open during construction,” said Mark Teplitsky, project manager for Drahota. “Everything was centered around keeping their existing operations running smoothly. At the same time we were focused on delivering an innovative facility with some highly customized features. It was a real team effort that could not have been accomplished without the great synergy among Drahota, the entire Markley team, and Strata AP.” Since the completion of the Markley dealership, Drahota is involved in several new developments including a mixed-use project in Denver and the Provincetowne Green apartments, which will be among the first affordable housing projects in the nation to be certified as a “Green Building” based on Green Community standards. “No matter what the market’s doing, we’re dedicated to the kind of buildings that exceed our client’s expectations, support the environment and give back to our community,” said Terry. “We look forward to many more years of serving our clients’ needs and delivering extraordinary buildings, such as Markley Motors, to Northern Colorado.”
970-204-0100 www.drahota.com
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Building Northern Colorado
Special Advertising Section
A Transformation for Home and Homeowner When homeowner Nancy Schwartz experienced a change in her life, she decided it was time to take charge. Her actions helped her rediscover herself and, with HighCraft’s remodel expertise, create a new living space that is bright, cheery and open – just like its owner. The project started with the master bath. “I had decided it was time to do something for myself,” says Nancy. “The bath was dark charcoal grey and very masculine. I wanted it brighter and lighter.” A phone call to HighCraft led to a transformation for both the bath and for Nancy. “The bath ended up just the way I wanted it, very contemporary, though I didn’t know that was my style at the time.” As Nancy watched the charcoal disappear, she felt the room come alive. The dour color was replaced with fresh, glass blue and white mosaic wall tiles, and clean, cream and soft gray textured floor tiles. “That contemporary look became my style: clean and open,” she says. “Threequarters of the way through the bath, I decided to have HighCraft redo the tile around my fireplace and repaint the whole area in light green. When I saw the result, I just had to do the kitchen.” HighCraft’s Project Manager Dana Gibson provided Nancy the support she needed to follow through with her design. “The fun thing for me is that I designed it and Dana made it happen,” she recalls. She selected a watery seafoam green glass brick tile for her kitchen backsplash and together she and the team at HighCraft based the design off of that element. Unnecessary headers and restricting walls that closed the kitchen off from the rest of the house were removed, opening up the space and allowing natural light to spill in. The dark, oil-finished hardwood floors were stripped and re-finished with a natural tone that immediately enlivened the space. Nancy’s dated, rustic Hickory cabinets were removed and replaced with modern, crisp white painted cabinets. The impressive height of the kitchen was emphasized by installing double-stacked cabinets all the way to the ceiling. Reeded glass fronts were added to the top row, acting as mini display cases for Nancy’s glassware and pottery when lit from within. Sleek stainless steel appliances and a high end stainless Grohe faucet provided by Ferguson Enterprises help create a cohesive design. The contrasting natural Maple island designed specifically for Nancy can be repositioned within the space, making the room not only aesthetically pleasing, but highly functional. During the kitchen remodel, Nancy came to Dana with an unusual request: hide the power outlets and switchplates in the backsplash. “The glass tile needed to be seamless. Being broken up by outlets would ruin the look. I asked Dana if we could tuck the outlets up under the cabinets. He said he had never done that before, but, by the next morning, he had it figured out.” The result is breathtaking; a smooth stream of uninterrupted glass.
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Now Nancy has a home that makes her feel lighter, brighter and happy. “Walls really came down in the house – it opened up and I opened up at the same time,” says the happy homeowner. “I really came out of myself with this project. And Dana was great – so supportive of my ideas. We have become great friends.” Nancy now feels like her home fits her personality, and she has a new appreciation for the importance of a living space that makes you happy. Let the team at HighCraft help you find your new space. To find out more visit www.HighCraft.net or call (970) 472-8100.
970.472.8100 • www.highcraft.net
Special Advertising Section
Building Northern Colorado Decorative details can also enhance your outdoor structure. “We can go as simple or as intricate as you want,” says Jonez. In fact, the structure can be designed to match or enhance the architecture of your home, or the structure can be used away from the house, above a “destination” patio or garden area that draws people across the landscape. Whatever you envision for your outdoor structure, Lindgren can make it happen. Contact them today for more information about creating your truly exceptional outdoor space.
GardenStructures Garden structures – pergolas, gazebos and the like – can elevate an outdoor space from adequate to exceptional. Not only do outdoor structures provide protection from the elements, such as wind, rain, snow, intense sunshine and mosquitoes, they also create a sense of enclosure, security and comfort. “Outdoor structures are very versatile,” according to Allison Jonez, Lindgren Landscape & Irrigation designer. “They can increase or decrease the amount of shade by the size and spacing of the rafters.” This versatility can help homeowners reclaim their views, adds Jonez. “One of the best parts of Colorado is having mountain views from your home. However, many homeowners find the west facing side of their property almost unusable because of the relentless western sun.” With a well-planned design and some creativity, Lindgren can help homeowners enjoy their views again. Beyond providing just the right amount of shade, a few “extras” ensure complete comfort in your outdoor living space: fans, misters, heaters and lights make these structures usable in all seasons and at all times of day.
Style 2011
970.226.5677 www.lindgrenlandscape.com
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CONTINUED from pg 41
Carla Riedel, designer Schroll Cabinets
Kayleen and Don Fraley, owners Tharp Cabinet Corp.
Bill McLain, designer Sutherlands Lumber & Design Gallery
It’s clean. However, in metro areas like Stapleton in Denver and the Boulder area, we are seeing a lot of requests for contemporary design.” Contemporary looks currently favor high gloss, painted finishes and stainless steel hardware, reminiscent of European kitchens. It’s easy to see the appeal of a more modern look that accepts funky, bi-fold glass or metal doors, or a lift up cabinet face that exposes the whole cabinet and holds it open with a piano hinge. “Trends work their way in from the coasts,” says Riedel. “I think hardware is trending toward pulls that look automotive, slick.” But, it is possible to take just a few modern touches and pull them into a more traditional kitchen. Use a sleek, silver drawer pull, or paint just your island a distressed red. “The integration of different woods or multiple tones in the same kitchen is growing,” says Fraley, who encourages clients to mix and match a bit. “I also like to see uneven cabinet fronts, bumping in and out for interest.” One other direction contemporary design is moving is toward environmentally sustainable woods like bamboo, zebrawood or wenge. “People either love this or hate it,” laughs McClain, who acknowledges the veneer patterns look a little like 70s era laminate. However, their natural coloration adds focal interest that meshes beautifully with geometric tile on a backsplash. Created from renewable plantation hardwoods, these are certified sustainable forestry products and are available through most cabinet design shops.
Shop Locally Tharp Cabinet Corporation Established in 1971, Tharp is celebrating its 40th year in business. Its 72,000 square foot manufacturing plant is located in Loveland at 1246 Denver Avenue. Building for both homeowners and builders, Tharp offers factory direct service on large and small jobs. Kitchen design services available. Phone: (970) 667-7144 Web: www.tharpcabinets.com
Schroll Cabinets Schroll’s manufacturing and main showroom is in Cheyenne, with four showrooms in the region: Cheyenne, Fort Collins, Denver or Colorado Springs. They offer design services to help homeowners winnow down the multitudinous options (like choosing one of 84 different cabinet finishes). Address: 3600 Mitchell Drive, Suite 80, Fort Collins Phone: (970) 266-2717 Web: www.schrollcabinets.com
Sutherlands Lumber & Design Gallery Sutherlands offers the option of custom design with the lower price point of pre-built cabinets. With several lines of cabinets to choose from, The Design Gallery at Sutherlands provides designers to all of their customers. Sutherlands offers as much or as little help as you want – they can install the cabinets for clients or coach homeowners in doing it themselves. Address: 2100 E. Prospect Rd., Fort Collins Phone: (970) 226-1000 Web: www.sutherlands.com Corey Radman is still looking for the olives and contemplating green painted finishes. She can be reached at www.fortcollinswriter.com.
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Lydia’s STYLE Magazine
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Great Outdoors
T OLS
Blake and Anne Schreck, owners of the online Garden Tool Company
every gardener needs
From golf to sewing and everything in between, we all know that sports and hobbies are easier and more enjoyable when you use the right equipment. You may not realize that this is especially true with gardening. Calling “a spade a spade” is not necessarily accurate when it comes to garden tools. Depending on the type and size of your gardening project, there are many sizes and varieties of tools that will make the job easier, more efficient and more enjoyable. With the help of Blake Schreck, co-owner with wife Anne of the internet Garden Tool Company in Fort Collins, we are going to learn about everything from handheld spades to handheld mixers to make the most of gardening projects large or small.
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If you haven’t tried gardening, or have tried and failed in the past, take heart – chin up, spades ready, the Schrecks can help you be successful and love the experience. It’s worth a try when you consider the benefits of a healthier, more beautiful environment as well as fresh vegetables for your family and perhaps a little to share with your neighbors. Schreck says, for beginning gardeners, it is important to start small and enjoy some success. “To start out too big can be overwhelming and discouraging. Starting small and gradually growing to fit the space and time you have will bring success with each new step and will give you something to get excited about.” He also says to always start with the right tools for the job. “There are as many different shapes, sizes and types of garden tools as there are gardeners that use them,” he says. “It’s important to find the ones that will work best for your particular space.” He says the tools they sell at Garden Tool Company are manufactured by companies that have been around for hundreds of years and have guarantees to match their extraordinary quality. “Our tools
By Connie Hein
will last many years and will not add waste to the landfills after the first year, as some tools found at discount and big box stores.” Schreck says the following information will give you a general idea of the tools needed for the most common types of gardening.
Large Flower/Vegetable Gardens Choose tools that will make it easier to weed and hoe. Long handled tools are the key to preventing back pain and working the entire area more quickly and efficiently. •
Garden/Digging Fork – for turning the soil, aeration and mixing nutrients into the soil
•
Garden/Digging Spade – for digging, turning the soil, soil aeration and edging
•
Garden Hoes – for weeding and cultivating
•
Garden Rake – to level and clear debris from your soil
Lydia’s STYLE Magazine
• •
Pruners – buy a good pair and you’ll have a lifetime garden tool
3 Tier Terra Cotta Planter
Hori Hori Knife – for light digging, weeding, planting, opening bags and cutting plastic nursery containers
3 clay pots (three sizes) Potting soil Your choice of plants: vegetables, herbs or flowers
Raised Bed Gardens Most raised beds are approximately four feet wide, which makes it easy to reach half way across the bed from both sides making shorter garden tools a good option. •
Medium Handle Hoes – these longer weeding hoes with their variety of head shapes are very useful, even though raised beds are typically smaller
•
Dutch Hand Hoe – at 18 inches long, they can easily reach across most raised beds, and are available in right and left handed versions, for weeding and making furrows for seeds
•
Trowels – many different types are available
Flower Beds and Lawns If you are maintaining a yard with flower beds, you can use several tools, not only in your flower beds, but in your veggie garden and yard as well. Additional tools you might find useful besides those mentioned for large gardens: •
Leaf Rake
•
Rabbiting Spade – it has a narrow pointed blade, great for transplanting shrubs, ditch digging or planting gallon container plants
•
Shrubbery spade for tight spaces
•
Shovels – a sharp pointed shovel for general digging or maybe a border
•
Edgers and trimmers – great for creating that neat, tidy edge around lawns and gardens
•
Loppers – great for pruning smaller tree and bush limbs that are green
•
Pruning saw – for dead branches
•
Good quality water hose – ask local experts to find the best quality water hose you can buy
What you will need:
Place soil into the pot that will be used as the base of the planter. Fill about 2/3 full of soil and press gently. Place the second pot on top of the soil and fill it as with the first pot and repeat with the smallest pot. Have fun using different varieties of vegetables, herbs or flowers in each of the three pots. It is nice to have vining plants in with other varieties. So pick up your spades. Now that you know what kind to use, get out into the beautiful Colorado sunshine and start planting! To purchase garden tools that last a lifetime, visit www.gardentoolcompany.com. To contact the Schrecks for information or to set up a time to see the tools before purchasing call (970) 631-8801. Tools ordered on the website can be picked up at the Schrecks' home to avoid shipping costs. For information about how you can plant extra vegetables for a needy family, visit www.gardenwriters.org to read about the Plant a Row for the Hungry campaign. Connie Hein is a freelance writer living in Windsor with spades of many colors.
Pot and Planter Gardens For spaces that have no yard or garden area, pot and planter gardening is becoming quite popular and can be done anywhere, even on a windowsill. The tools needed for planter gardens are generally the same as in other gardens, but in smaller sizes. Along with the tools mentioned above you will need: •
Good quality potting soil
•
Watering can and/or watering wand to distribute the water evenly and gently, especially for those young seedlings
For unique ideas for pots and planters, visit the healthy and green living site, Care to Make a Difference at www.careto.com. Here’s just one of the great ideas from the site:
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Business Matters
The Fort Collins Co-Op
Lynn Chriestenson, manager of the Fort Collins Food Co-Op
Reinvented
It’s easy to hop in the car and head to your nearest King Soopers, but by travelling a few extra miles to north Fort Collins your dollar may go farther. Style sat down with Lynn Chriestenson, manger of the Fort Collins Food Co-Op (Coop) to find out more about the new innovations they have implemented that are not just saving Northern Colorado residents money, but are supporting local community members as well. The Fort Collins Coop is a natural local grocer’s
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market located at 250 East Mountain Avenue in Fort Collins. It is not a ‘member-only’ establishment. It contains a full grocery, with dairy, frozen food, meat, health and beauty, household items, produce and deli departments. According to their website, they are a “Coop that seeks to serve all those in our community who want to support their local circle of profit through buying locally sourced grocery items. This place is built on understanding what we are consuming and why.” Chriestenson explains their membership program: “The primary benefit of ‘membership’ is profit sharing at the end of the year. Members can make a one-time purchase of $160 for an equity share. You are then eligible for member-pricing on special orders, monthly member-only specials and you can show your membership card at area businesses for deals.” The businesses are listed on their website. When someone becomes a member they are also eligible for a patronage dividend at the end of the year. The dividend depends on the profit for the year. The Coop has sold over 850 shares
By Erica Pauly
to date. The Coop distributed its first-ever patronage dividend in 2010. Full membership information can be found on their website as well. The original idea for the Coop grew out of a buying club started by CSU students and community members in the early 1970s. The eclectic staff consists of professionals who have done research in ornithology, plant science and climate change. They are artists, yoga instructors, parents, students and even social workers. The Fort Collins Coop was founded with a passion to help both local vendors and the community. The Coop board today is compiled of eight members who all have their own skills and education to speak to the growth of the establishment. In the past couple of years, the Coop has made some major changes. “Two years ago, we noticed that we were not making the profit that we needed to continue a positive presence here,” says Chriestenson. “We knew that we had to make some pretty profound changes to
Lydia’s STYLE Magazine
our systems so that all of our members would profit from the Coop.” The changes implemented to the Coop created the first profit for the organization in seven years. So what changed? In 2008, the Coop worked to positively modify the store. Labels became easier to read and the store layout transformed into a much easier place to find everything they have to offer. A system of symbols and colors on products now makes it easier for a customer to maneuver throughout the store. The store’s department heads also did research on what products the community wanted. By running reports and checking with their vendors, they gathered all the information necessary to regain sales for the Coop. Specific procedures and systems were put in place at the Coop as well. “We wanted to make it flow as best we could so that there were not as many inconsistencies as before,” says Chriestenson. “We also reached out to our community here,” she continues. “We started a Food for Thought Film Series and we also worked on getting accurate information on our website so people could find out more about us. Before they even walked through our doors, they knew what to expect.” The Food for Thought Film Series consists of educational events held at Everyday Joe’s. Educational classes are posted at the Coop website and cover a plethora of different topics like nutrition supplements, soup making, and Earth Day Awareness. In addition, the Coop recently held an Earth Day event with live music in Fort Collins. They also became involved with the Rocky Mountain Sustainable living Association fair. They belong to the Downtown Business Association and Be Local Northern Colorado. They also support community vendors at the local winter and summer farmers markets. Who do they work with? The Coop works with local and organic vendors whom they promote throughout the year. Caroline Tracz (pronounced “Trace”) has become their Outreach Director. “She has worked hard to become a liaison for us in this area,” says Chriestenson. Another perk to shopping at the Fort Collins Coop is that anyone can bring in re-usable containers to fill with the product they need. “This not only saves them money from buying new containers, but it also follows the idea of ‘reduce, reuse, recycle,’” says Chriestenson. Their bulk department has a large selection of herbs, seasonings and other cooking amenities. If a shopper just needs more olive oil, they can easily bring their old container in and fill it up with local, quality oil. They have scales on hand to measure exactly how much a customer needs. The bulk department is one of the many sections of the store that is growing because people have become more cost-savvy due to recent economic changes. The Coop was founded with one goal in mind: to work together to make a difference in their community and the people in it. With the recent changes in place, that is exactly what is being done. As stated on their website, “The Coop and its members hope to be a part of a larger, long term movement to promote healthy living through a stronger connection to a local economy.” That hope has become a reality for the Fort Collins Co-operative. It has become a place for all to come and enjoy local and organic products, without breaking the bank.
Erica Pauly is a freelance writer who lives in Loveland with her husband, Brent. She is also the Marketing Director at GrowSecure Insurance and Financial Services.
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LifeStyle
Northern Colorado’s newest cultural destination
By Elissa Tivona
John Roberts asked a Solomon Islander a simple question, “You know what a mermaid is, don’t you?” The craftsman replied, “Of course, a creature that’s half woman and half fish.” “Good. I’d like you to make one for me.” 56
Months later, a 3-foot sculpture was delivered to his Peace Corps office. Carefully unwrapping the piece, Roberts unveiled an intricate hardwood carving with the large, open-mouthed head of a fish flowing seamlessly into the shapely hips and legs of a woman. Roberts’ eyes sparkle as he remembers this story, one of dozens from his career with the Peace Corps and State Department, working in 19 different countries. Today, he enjoys a different kind of work, as Board Chairman for the Global Village Museum of Arts and Cultures. This new cultural destination in Northern Colorado invites audiences to share the unpredictable delights typical of a lifetime of international service through the art and artifacts on exhibit. Everything on display is from personal collections of residents who call Northern Colorado home, including the original Museum founders: Roberts, Jeanne Nash, Martha Denney and Stewart Price. Each one has a long history of international
experience and, like Roberts, breathes life into treasured objects by spinning stories about the adventures that led to finding them. The Global Village Museum opened to visitors in April with the premiere exhibit, The Splendors of Japan. The new facility on 200 W. Mountain in Fort Collins boasts 6,800 square feet, featuring three unique galleries loaded with international folk art and a regular schedule of cultural programs and activities for children and adults. The Village Art from the Emerging World gallery spans five continents. The Oceania section features the one of a kind “MaidMer,” star of Robert’s story, along with companion carvings, painstakingly inlaid with mother of pearl by Solomon Island craftsmen. The Ra II, on loan from the family of board member Flora Teran Vargas, is the centerpiece of the South American display. The miniature vessel – hand-built by Paulino Esteban, an indigenous Aymara from Bolivia – is a precise scale-model of the original ocean-going Totora reed boat currently on display in the Kon-Tiki Museum in Norway. One very special room has been designated for artifacts and juried photographs donated by returned volunteers to honor the 50th anniversary of the Peace Corps. A Peace Corps presence in a Fort Collins museum is only natural, since educators from Colorado State University played a central role in providing background research to the Kennedy administration, which led to establishing the U.S. Peace Corps in September 1961. The main gallery takes museum-goers into the hearth of a typical Japanese living room, complete with raised Tatami mats and a copper-lined brassier. Suspended above the stove, which also doubles as central heating, is a large ornamental fish and hook on a wooden pulley. Traditionally, a hanging teapot was raised or lowered into hot coals to heat water (or sake), which was then served to guests seated at floor level. Walls are adorned with wood block prints, including masterpieces by Ando Hiroshage dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries, as well as contemporary handcrafted prints belonging to founder Price. Price, a retired schoolteacher who taught in Japan for 43 years, takes special delight in leading visitors to the print of a Japanese lady holding her parasol against a brisk wind, which was featured by the Museum for the opening exhibit poster. In the piece, the woman’s left calf is scandalously exposed by a strong gust. With a mischievous smile, Price relates the story of the first trolley car, of similar vintage as the wood block prints. Boys and young men would regularly gather at trolley stops to gawk, hoping for a glimpse of a lady’s ankle as she tried to descend the trolley steps. An exposed calf would be the very height of immodesty! In fact, by the standards of the time, the poster might even be considered titillating. Nash also shares the fabric of her world travels through the creation of miniature displays. Her gallery, dubbed Mundoville, was originally housed in a room above her garage. She jokes that the best way to see her exhibits was by failing to outrun her. Her greatest passion was bringing anyone she caught into her museum to experience the bustling daily lives of people, depicted through elaborate dioramas and dolls from every corner of the globe. She quips, “It’s a wonderful way of explaining the rest of the world to a lot people who may not have a clue about how similar people really are.” Among her most prized artifacts are 34 Tibetan
Lydia’s STYLE Magazine
dolls represent folk life in actual Tibetan towns or villages and are authentically adorned according to their station. The skilled and patient monks who performed this labor of love have since retired and the catalog of dolls is no longer available, which makes Nash’s collection one of the most complete in North America. Everyone on the museum board shares a vision – to build an international center to celebrate and preserve global arts and cultures here in Fort Collins. Thanks to the generosity of the City of Fort Collins, they are well on their way. City leaders were instrumental in making the museum possible by providing the use of prime property in the heart of the city's downtown business district. The loan of space underscores the important partnership between economic expansion in Northern Colorado and innovative cultural programs and services. On April 15, Mayor Doug Hutchinson and members of the Fort Collins City Council were on hand to cut the ribbon at the Grand Opening. These notables joined dozens of volunteer staff and docents at the museum in officially welcoming Coloradoans to "step around the corner and see the world." Editor's note: Sadly, Style learned Jeanne Nash passed away shortly before the publication of this magazine. Style sends their condolances to the Nash Family. Elissa Tivona is a writer and international educator in Fort Collins. Regular posts of media that matter appear on her blog at www.tivonaconsulting.com/harmony and her book chapter will be featured in Expanding Peace Journalism (Sydney University Press: 2011).
Culture Camp
at the Global Village Museum Flora Teran Vargas, Global Village Museum of Arts and Cultures board member, was originally born and raised in the highlands of Bolivia, in the mining town of Catavi, Potosi. She takes pride in sharing intimate knowledge of the artistic and scientific contributions of indigenous people in her country and from other parts of the world. Vargas and other international residents of the Fort Collins community will be sharing stories and traditions with youngsters at the museum’s Culture Camp, running for two sessions in August. Afternoon sessions of Culture Camp for youngsters ages 5 to 9 feature virtual “tours” of four different continents. Session 1: Europe and South America – August 1st to 4th (1:30 - 4:30 p.m.) Session 2: Africa and Asia – August 8th to 11th (1:30 - 4:30 p.m.) To reserve a space in the program, early registration (before July 15) is highly recommended. For more information, call (970) 221-4600 or walk in and register during your next visit to the museum at 200 W. Mountain.
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LifeStyle
Sculpture in the Park
"Quartet" by Karen Ehart
By Marty Metzger
"Fly Away" by Gary Alsum
For the 28th year, the Loveland High Plains Art Council will present Sculpture in the Park, a premier annual event and one that is significant to Loveland’s art history. 58
The 2011 event at Benson Sculpture Park (29th and Taft, across from Loveland High School) will be held on Saturday, August 13, 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and Sunday, August 14, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The annual show and sale has a rich history. Five local artists, Loveland city government and Loveland Chamber of Commerce members jointly conceived the idea for the first event in 1984, at which 50 local sculptors exhibited Western-themed bronzes only, says Polly Juneau, Loveland High Plains Art Council’s show business chairman. Over the years, steady growth has expanded all aspects of Sculpture in the Park, now making it the largest outdoor, juried sculpture show in the United States. The broadened scope of works range from realistic Western bronzes to impressionistic and abstract bronze, stone, wood, glass, metal and mixed media pieces. From all around the U.S., 169 artists (plus two from Canada) will display their adroit creations. Four spacious tents will contain the open-air gallery, consisting of up to eight pieces from each presenter. When a one-of-a-kind work sells, the artist may replace it with another. Including silent auction items, Juneau estimates approximately 2,000 sculptures will be exhibited. At the auction, 120 to 130 displayed pieces will be up for bid. Winners will be announced and contacted at show’s end. Juneau says that visitors should make it a point to
peruse the artwork in the “Take Home a Piece of the Park” tent, in which replicas of pieces on permanent display at the park will be offered for sale. The 12-inch bronzes will be numbered and some will be signed as well. Prices vary, but most are in the $1,000 range. Sculpture in the Park’s well-earned reputation as the most professionally organized show of its kind in the country annually draws about 30 artists who’ve not previously entered. Additionally, repeat participants’ fidelity speaks to the prestige of the event. Some artists limit their attendance at shows to only Sculpture in the Park. In fact, seven artists have never missed even one year. The “Magnificent Seven,” as Juneau says they are known, include Southwestern-style bronze sculptor George Walbye, one of the founding artists. The requirement that all works in each show be produced within the previous three years assures a fresh and ever-expanding annual presentation. Juneau attributes the show’s uniqueness to its longevity and income level. Per event, $1 million in art is sold. That amount represents wares from 70-75 percent of participant artists, a very high percentage, says Juneau. It’s not just artists that return year after year. Aficionados and collectors attend annually, offering much positive feedback. Some fly in on private jets, solely to frequent the show. Many bring along friends
Lydia’s STYLE Magazine
"Harvest Moon" by Wendy Salin
to introduce to the eminent affair. Approximately 20,000 people attend each year. In addition to the actual show, a private party held on the Friday preceding the event offers big buyers an advance opportunity to preview and purchase desired works. This soiree is by invitation only (and adults only) based on a buyer’s purchase history. However, event organizers hold a limited number of tickets for the gathering that are available on a first come, first served basis, for $75 each. Loveland High Plains Art Council manages the show in its entirety. They and 400 volunteers provide and set up pedestals for all smaller pieces of art. The dedicated and generous souls work on advertising and other pre-event details, sell admission tickets, conduct sales, process the paperwork in the business office, set up and tear down tents, and attend to sundry additional tasks. Volunteers are always welcome. For those who have not only an eye hungry for beauty but also a growling stomach, a food concession offers sustenance. Breakfast and lunch are available at The Pavilion, a permanent structure at Benson Sculpture Park. A lovely eating area is spread out amongst shade trees and handsome pieces of artwork. Every possibility is considered and prepared for. August in Colorado can be hot, so drinking water is made readily available. Tent sides can be quickly closed in case of a shower. Even a tornado warning one year didn’t faze organizers, who provided adequate shelter for all and then proceeded without a hiccup when the all-clear sounded. Juneau recommends visitors take advantage of handy shuttle buses to the show, since parking at the park is limited. The five shuttle locations, where parking is ample, are Centerra, Orchards Shopping Center, King of Glory Lutheran Church, Thompson Valley Town Center and the City of Loveland Water and Power building. Admission to Sculpture in the Park is $7; children ages 14 and younger get in free. Shuttle schedules, photos of this year’s artists and their works, and other information can be found at www.sculptureinthepark.org. Alternatively, call Loveland High Plains Art Council at (970) 663-2940. Marty Metzger, who lives in Fort Collins, has worked as a freelance writer for 23 years.
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LifeStyle
Greeley Philharmonic Orchestra’s
Next Century By Heidi Kerr-Schlaefer
The Greeley Philharmonic Orchestra (GPO) just celebrated a century of bringing live, classical music to the citizens of Northern Colorado. After 100 years, they have more than a few stories to tell. The orchestra is the oldest in the Rocky Mountain region, and is only one of 22 orchestras in the country to have celebrated a centennial. Founded in 1911, the original orchestra had 15 members, but this wasn’t the first music group in Greeley. The town has been a hub of music since it was a Union Colony, established by a number of highly educated individuals. These colonists were not only patrons of the arts, but many were musicians, vocalists, amateur orators and actors. In the late 1800s, while bars, dancing and other
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common revelries of the day were forbidden in Greeley, music was embraced. The Greeley Tribune published this during the time period: “There are more music lovers to the square inch in Greeley than any town of its size in the country.” In 1907, ten local women founded the Fortnightly Music Club, and this eventually grew into the GPO. The GPO performed their first full symphony, Haydn’s “Surprise in G Major,” in 1916 at the May Music Festival. While the orchestra’s original members ranged in age from junior high students to senior citizens and held traditional day jobs, today’s members are professional musicians who make their living producing and teaching music. Current musicians come from all over the region to play for the GPO. During its first century, the GPO has had just five maestros, with Dr. Howard Skinner holding the longest leadership record at 37 years. Dr. Skinner, who was a conductor of choirs and musical director at Colorado State College, now University of Northern Colorado (UNC), maintained the traditionally strong ties between the university and the orchestra. The bond between the GPO and UNC was established in the beginning and has only grown over the years. In fact, UNC School of Music students and faculty have been provided with more professional performance opportunities at the GPO than with any other single employer. Today, the orchestra has a first-class home at the Union Colony Civic Center (UCCC) and Monfort Concert Hall, but it hasn’t always been this way. In the beginning, the orchestra led a nomadic lifestyle, moving from place to place.
The first home of the orchestra was the 972-seat Sterling Theater. They also performed at the Opheum Theater, the Hunter Opera House and Jackson Opera House. Churches and auditoriums served as venues when the orchestra began traveling around the region in the 1920s. From 1930 to the mid ‘40s, the orchestra played at the Greeley High School auditorium (now Greeley Central High School). Like many other theaters at the time, Greeley’s local live entertainment theaters had been supplanted by the expanding movie industry. A reporter at The Greeley Tribune wrote in 1976, “In its 65 years, the orchestra may well have played in every room in Greeley large enough to hold it.” After playing in many more temporary venues, the orchestra, then in its seventh decade, found a permanent home in the $9.2 million facility that is the UCCC. UCCC opened officially in 1987. The auditorium seats 1,665 with no seat more than 100 feet from the stage. Today the GPO is conducted by Glen Cortese, who was hired in 2007 after a year-long search. Maestro Cortese hails from New York and is also the artistic director of the Western New York Chamber Orchestra and the Oregon Mozart Players in Eugene. “He brings so much because he has had so many experiences with so many orchestras,” says Jeannette Kolokoff, executive director of the GPO. “He brings in guest artists that he knows and who want to work with him.” While Cortese enjoys conducting the old masters, he is inspired by new work, and he assigns each orchestra season a theme. The 101st season is going to be filled with love.
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The theme is “Feel the Passion,” and first up will be music from the “Romeo and Juliet” overture by Tchaikovsky, and Prokofiev’s selections from the same play, as well as Bernstein’s “West Side Story.” Other concerts will feature mezzo soprano Melissa Malde, a performance with the UNC Opera Theater and much more. “I think we are most proud of our quality, and most proud that we have been able to sustain ourselves for 100 years,” says Kolokoff. The GPO has been a nonprofit since 1953, and major support for the orchestra has always come from the community. The GPO’s largest fundraiser is Wines of Note, but this year it will be different. Embracing the many micro-breweries and new distilleries in the area, the fundraiser is now called Symphony of Spirits and will be held Friday, September 9, 2011. In celebration of the GPO’s 100 years, the Greeley History Museum has a comprehensive exhibit about the orchestra. The exhibit runs through September, and admission to the museum is free. Find hours and location online at www.GreeleyGov.com/Museums. If you’d like to learn even more about the Greeley Philharmonic’s first 100 years, you can purchase The Greeley Philharmonic Orchestra – A Century of Magic, 1922-2011. This coffee table book takes an in-depth look at the orchestra’s rich history. To purchase the book, learn more about the upcoming season or buy tickets to this year’s fundraiser, visit www.GreeleyPhilharmonic.com. Heidi Kerr-Schlaefer is a journalist and freelance writer from Northern Colorado.
Greeley Philharmonic Orchestra's first concert master Lucy Delbridge, 1911-1929.
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LifeStyle
SpokesBUZZ Music Incubator
Dani Grant, with husband Matt Hoven, founded music incubator SpokesBUZZ. Photo courtesy of Darren Mahuron of Summit Studios.
By Kay Rios
When Dani Grant decided to bring live music into Chipper’s Lanes, she had no idea what lay ahead. “When we started booking emerging artists for the bowling alley, I thought we would be hard pressed to find many, but that wasn’t true.”
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She quickly became aware of a “smokin’ hot” local music scene. The supply was there but, she found, the demand was lacking. Although opening Chipper’s Lanes created additional venues (she and husband Matt Hoeven own two Chipper’s in Fort Collins, one in Broomfield and one in Estes Park), that wasn’t enough. Not one to sit around waiting for someone else to step in, Grant created SpokesBUZZ, a non-profit with a two-fold mission: promote Fort Collins as a music scene by building national awareness and help musicians gain the skills to promote themselves and develop a business sense. “SpokesBUZZ includes an incubator where we carefully select bands with quality, technically skilled musicians who represent diverse music,” says Grant. The bands are selected by a committee that includes representatives from various aspects of the music industry. The bands must
be based in Fort Collins and have a minimum of two hours of original music. “The Board votes on the finalists, and the bands that are selected commit to two oneyear terms with SpokesBUZZ,” adds Hoeven, SpokesBUZZ financial advisor. During that time, the bands are mentored. “They are provided legal information, taught how to write a press release and, in general, how to approach this as a business,” Grant says. “Over the two years, they gain experience, elevate their professionalism, and jump to another level so that they are in a better position to operate on their own.” “We also promote the bands and we help grow their fan base,” Hoeven says. “Everybody grows from the experience, and we’ve already seen an impact.” Last year, Grant took six local bands to the South-by-Southwest Music Festival in Austin,
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Texas, an industry showcase. One of the local bands, Candy Claws, got a contract and then hit number 10 on NPR's All Songs Considered Top 10 Albums of 2010. “That was our first year, and we collected over 200 RSVPs for our event,” Grant says. “In 2011, our organization had grown and we took 11 bands; and, with more promotion, we collected over 4,000 RSVPs to our showcase.” And while they’re out promoting the bands, they are promoting the city of Fort Collins as well. “Through the platform of music, we’re drawing national attention to Fort Collins,” Grant says. “The City of Fort Collins and the Convention and Visitors Bureau have been excited about what they’ve seen as the increase in promoting the city in a positive way.” While Grant was the instigator and is still the driving force behind SpokesBUZZ, she refuses to take all the credit. She says there are many supportive professional people involved as well. For example, Darren Mahuron, a professional local photographer, has provided countless hours of help. "Darren is a major partner with SpokesBUZZ and he is one of the cultural awareness leaders I referred to. He traveled to Austin with us and does our cover shots and group band shots." Those extra helping hands are essential in providing local talent with the support they need to move to the next step, she says. While Grant continues to focus on garnering national attention through SpokesBUZZ, she and Hoeven are also focused on preserving and expanding local venue opportunities. In December 2010, they completed the purchase of Mishawaka, a popular music venue 25 miles up the Poudre Canyon. After major renovations and a revamping of the menu, the summer music season is in place. Through a partnership with Super Shuttle, rides will be provided from town up to Mish. “We’re working hard with Larimer County to address any concerns,” Hoeven says. “Our vision is to decrease the impact on the canyon,” Grant adds. The purchase of Mish actually came from an opportunity through SpokesBUZZ. “We had our bands in the incubator play up there, and we started to feel like there was a real opportunity,” she says. Mish will not only feature well-known national acts but will also include local talent supported by SpokesBUZZ. “I feel very positive about this,” she continues. “Our musical community deserves that kind of support. Other arts organizations in this community are seeing the opportunities and getting energized. We’re not competing. We’re more than happy to support them because if their organizations take off and they start doing their piece, then we’re all successful.” Anyone interested in donating or volunteering with SpokesBUZZ can find opportunities on the website: www.spokesbuzz.org. To see more of Darren Mahuron’s work visit www. summitstyle.com.
Kay Rios, Ph.D., is a freelance writer in Fort Collins. She writes for a variety of publications and is at work on a collection of creative nonfiction and a mystery novel.
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Event Summe r E v e n t s C a l e n d a r
LifeStyle
Windsor
Fort Collins
First Friday Gallery Walk – first Friday of every month, 6 to 9 p.m., Downtown, free, www. fortcollinsarts.org
Streetmosphere – Every weekend through September, Fridays 4:30 to 8:30 p.m., Saturdays 12:30 to 8:30 p.m., Sundays 12:30 to 4:30 p.m., Downtown, free, beetstreet.org/118/Streetmosphere
Center beginning June 29 and runs through August 10, www.lagoonseries.com
Noontime Notes Concert Series – Tuesdays from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Oak Street Plaza in Old Town, runs June 7 through August 16
June
Ben & Jerry’s FAC Concert Series – Fridays June 3 to August 19, 7 to 9 p.m., Old Town Square, free, downtownfortcollins.com
11 & 12 – Taste of Fort Collins, starts 11 a.m., Civic Center Park, adults $5 before 3 p.m. and $10 after 3 p.m., children under 12, seniors over 65 and military personnel with ID free, tasteoffortcollins.com
The French Nest Open Air Market – Every third Saturday of the month through October, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Civic Center Park, thefrenchnestmarket.com
25 & 26 – Colorado Brewers’ Festival, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Downtown, downtownfortcollins.com
July
June
22 – Bike 2 Work Day, 6 to 8 a.m., Windsor Community Recreation Center, free, www.ci.windsor.co.us/ CurrentEvents.aspx
July
4 – 4th of July 4K 4-legged Run/Walk, 7 a.m., Boardwalk Community Park/Windsor Lake, www. ci.windsor.co.us/CurrentEvents.aspx 4 – Fireworks/Summer Concert Series, 7 to 9:30 p.m., Boardwalk Community Park/ Windsor Lake, free, www.ci.windsor.co.us/CurrentEvents.aspx 8 – Family Camp Out, 6 p.m., Boardwalk Park, $8 per person, www.ci.windsor.co.us/CurrentEvents. aspx
Drake Road Farmers’ Market – Saturdays through September, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., 802 W. Drake Road, www.drakeroadfarmersmarket.com
4 – 4th of July Downtown, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Old Town Square, free admission, downtownfortcollins. com
16 – Water Carnival, 1 to 6 p.m., Chimney Park Pool, $3.25 ages 5 and under, $4.25 ages 6 to 17 and 50+, $4.50 ages 18+, www.ci.windsor.co.us/CurrentEvents.aspx
Fort Collins Farmers’ Market – Sundays and Wednesdays, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Southwest Corner of Harmony & Lemay, www.fortcollinsfm.com
4 – Fireworks in City Park, 9:35 p.m., City Park, free, downtownfortcollins.com
22 – Dive In Movie, 8:30 p.m., Chimney Park Pool, pool fee $2.25 per person, www.ci.windsor.co.us/ CurrentEvents.aspx
14, 15 & 16 – A Fort Collins Jazz Experience, 7 to 11 p.m. the 14th and 15th, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. the 16th, Downtown, fees vary, downtownfortcollins.com
23 – Battle of the Bands, 4 p.m., Boardwalk Park, free, www.ci.windsor.co.us/CurrentEvents.aspx
August
August
Larimer County Farmers’ Market – Saturdays June 25 through October 15, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., Larimer County Courthouse parking lot, larimercountyfarmersmarket.org Lagoon Summer Concert Series – Wednesdays from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the lagoon on the west lawn of Colorado State University’s Lory Student
12, 13 & 14 – Bohemian Nights at NewWestFest, 5:40 to 10 p.m. the 12, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. the 13th and 14th, Downtown, free admission, downtownfortcollins.com
6 & 7 – Windsor Fine Arts Festival, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. the 6th, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. the 7th, Boardwalk Park, www.windsorfinearts.org
Loveland A Night on the Town – second Friday of every month, 6 to 9 p.m., Downtown, free, www.engagingloveland.org Kids Days – Tuesdays June 7 through August 16, all day, the Promenade Shops at Centerra, free, www. engagingloveland.org Foote Lagoon Concerts – Thursdays June 16 to August 4, 7 to 9 p.m., Civic Center Park, free, www. ci.loveland.co.us Sounds of Centerra - Fridays July 15 through August 19, 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Chapungu Sculpture Park, www.centerracolorado.com/events/displayAll 4th Street Farmers Market – Sundays year round, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Cherry Blossom Banquet and Event Center, www.4thstreetfarmersmarket.com Loveland Farmers’ Market – Tuesdays 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Hobby Lobby parking lot at N. Garfield and Orchards, www.fortcollinsfm.com Farmers’ Market at Fairgrounds Park – Sundays June 26 through September, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Fairgrounds Park Pavillion 1, www.ci.loveland.co.us/ parksrec/FarmersMarket.htm
June
18 – Northern Colorado Bicycle Expo, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., The Ranch, free, www.nocobikeexpo.com
July
4 – July 4th Festival, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., North Lake Park, free admission, www.ci.loveland.co.us/parksrec/july4th.htm
13 & 14 – Art in the Park, starts 10 a.m. the 13th, 9:30 a.m. the 14th, North Lake Park, www.lincolngallery.com
8 & 9 – Loveland Loves Barbeque, Downtown, www.lovelandlovesbbq.com
25, 26, 27 & 28 - Rocky Mountain Irish Festival, starts 7:30 p.m. the 25th, 4 p.m. the 26th, 10 a.m. the 27th and 28th, The Ranch, $15.00 adult, $12.00 senior, $10.00 military, children 12 & under free, rockymountainirishfestival.com
8, 9 & 10 – SummerFest in the Rockies, Civic Center Park/Foote Lagoon, www.engagingloveland.org/ events 23 – Cherry Pie Celebration, 5 to 8 p.m., Peters Park, free admission, www.ci.loveland.co.us
august
5, 6, 7, 8 & 9 – Larimer County Fair & Rodeo, starts 4 p.m. the 5th, The Ranch, fees vary, larimercountyfair.org 6 – Gnarly Barley Brew Festival, 1 p.m., The Ranch, www.gnarlybarleybrewfest.com 13 & 14 – Loveland Sculpture Invitational, starts 9:30 a.m., Loveland High School, $5 for adults, children 14 and under free, lovelandsculpturegroup.org 13 & 14 – Sculpture in the Park, starts 9:30 a.m., Benson Sculpture Garden, adults $16, children 14 and under free, www.sculptureinthepark.org
26 & 27 – Corn Roast Festival, starts 3 p.m. the 26th, Fairgrounds Park, www.engagingloveland.org/events 26, 27 & 28 – Sweetheart Balloon Rally, starts 7:30 a.m. the 26th and 6:30 a.m. the 27th and 28th, Fairgrounds Park, www.engagingloveland.org/events
SEPTEMBER
10 – ATV Pastels on 5th, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., Downtown, www.alternativestoviolence.org 17 – Peace in the Park, details TBA, www.peaceinthepark.org 24 – Boys & Girls Clubs’ “Day For Kids,” 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., TBA, free admission www.engagingloveland. com
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Lydia’s STYLE Magazine
ESTES PAR K Estes Park Farmers Market – Thursdays June through September 22, 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., The Fairgrounds at Stanley Park, www.millerfarms.net Wednesday Nights – Wednesdays June 22 to August 24 (no performance July 13), 7 to 8:30 p.m., Performance Park, free, estesnet.com/events/performancepark.aspx Thursday Night Live – Thursdays June 23 to August 25, 7 p.m., Performance Park, free, www.estesarts.com/ ThursdayNiteLive.asp
July
4 – 4th of July 4K 4-legged Run/Walk, 7 a.m., Boardwalk Community Park/Windsor Lake, www.ci.windsor.co.us/ CurrentEvents.aspx
22 – Dive In Movie, 8:30 p.m., Chimney Park Pool, pool fee $2.25 per person, www.ci.windsor.co.us/CurrentEvents.aspx
4 – Fireworks/Summer Concert Series, 7 to 9:30 p.m., Boardwalk Community Park/ Windsor Lake, free, www. ci.windsor.co.us/CurrentEvents.aspx
23 – Battle of the Bands, 4 p.m., Boardwalk Park, free, www.ci.windsor.co.us/CurrentEvents.aspx
8 – Family Camp Out, 6 p.m., Boardwalk Park, $8 per person, www.ci.windsor.co.us/CurrentEvents.aspx
August
16 – Water Carnival, 1 to 6 p.m., Chimney Park Pool, $3.25 ages 5 and under, $4.25 ages 6 to 17 and 50+, $4.50 ages 18+, www.ci.windsor.co.us/CurrentEvents.aspx
6 & 7 – Windsor Fine Arts Festival, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. the 6th, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. the 7th, Boardwalk Park, www. windsorfinearts.org
June
11 & 12 – 21st Annual Wool Market, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. the 11th, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. the 12, Fairgrounds at Stanley Park, free, www.estesparkcvb.com/calendar.cfm 11 – Rocky Mountain Brewfest, 12 to 5 p.m., Estes Park Brewery, $30 per person, www.epbrewery.com 25 & 26 – Scandinavian Midsummer Festival, 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. the 25th, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. the 26th, Bond Park, free, www.estesparkcvb.com/calendar.cfm
GREELEY First Friday: A Night of Art – first Friday of every month, 5 to 8 p.m., Downtown, free, www. downtowngreeley.com Friday Fest – June 10 and 17, July 15 and 29, 5 to 8 p.m., 9th Street Plaza, free, www.greeleydowntown. com/signature-events Greeley Farmers' Market at the Depot – Saturdays through October, 7:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. and Wednesdays July 6 through September, 3 to 6 p.m., Union Pacific Depot, www.greeleygov.com/CommunityDevelopment Greeley Farmers’ Market - Sundays June through Oct 9, 10 a.m. to 3p.m., 2555 47th Ave, www.millerfarms. net
June
4 & 5 – Garden Festival, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. the 4th, 12 to 4 p.m. the 5th, Centennial Village, www.greeleygov. com/Museums/Events.aspx 8, through 12 – Rocky Mountain Senior Games, Greeley Senior Activity Center, www.rmseniorgames.com 10 & 11 – Greeley Blues Jam, TBA, Downtown and Island Grove Park, greeleybluesjam.com 24 through July 4 – Greeley Stampede, Island Grove Park, children under 6 free, children up to 13 and seniors over 60 $2, adults $5, greeleystampede.org
July
27 through 31 – Weld County Fair, Island Grove Regional Park, www.weldcountyfair.com 30 & 31 – Arts Picnic, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. the 30th, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. the 31st, Lincoln Park, greeleygov.com/CultureArt/ArtsPicnic.aspx
August
1 - Weld County Fair, Island Grove Regional Park, www. weldcountyfair.com
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LifeStyle restaurant to use Nita Crisp and they still use them with their appetizers today. You can also find Nita Crisp at many other local restaurants.
Com•palat•able Conversations
Larimer County Farmers’ Market
where hospitality and food come together By Paul Pellegrino
Buying Local
At the Farmers Markets
When I was growing up, I was told the same stories over and over. I know these were lessons, meant to give us the meaning of hard times and hard work, heartaches and joys, our parents knowing that we all would experience our own in time. It is the ItalianAmerican way. Being born in Newark, New Jersey, in a majority Italian neighborhood, was an experience. I only wish I was a little older to better absorb the events that took place in all the stories I was told. But one story in particular strikes a resonance with my own experiences later in life. My grandfather on my mother’s side went by the name ”Joe Pepper,” though his last name was actually Di Michele. He garnered the nickname because he sold potatoes and peppers from a horse drawn wagon through the streets of Newark. We were also a winemaking family with a cement wine press in the basement where we made the family’s signature wines year by year. My grandfather’s vegetable route was established in such a way as to allow him to swing home at different periods of the day to “test” the wine. At 4 a.m. most mornings, grandpa Emidio Di Michele and other peddlers would take off to Penn Station in Newark to pick up their wares from the incoming trains. These supplies and goods would be sold on the streets while the locals networked, bartered and sold, offering the best local, seasonal produce available. My wife, Nenita, also grew up in areas where families made trips twice a day to the local open market to obtain foods and supplies. Larger markets were special trips, and she visited them much less frequently. Before we were married, Nenita worked for a rice distributor who had various types of markets set up in multiple locations in Manila. She would have an escort drive her around as she managed and monitored the markets, collected money and bought products. After we married and moved to New Jersey, we worked in food service together and would drive to the street markets located in Clifton and Newark. Nenita was in her element, haggling over price and quality, and she refused to pay premium dollar for less than premium products. I learned a lot about that type of buying from her. I hear time and time again in our family how the large supermarkets knocked the street vendors and
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peddlers out of business. One-stop-shopping (and home refrigeration) made it more attractive to be able to buy for the week at any time of the day and not worry what time “Joe Peppers” was going to be around with his cart. Eventually, the street vendors disappeared. But farmers markets and fresh, locally grown products can be worked into your lifestyle and still meet both criteria for quality and affordability. People are starting to rediscover and gain an appreciation for the sustainability and quality those artisan agricultural consumables and crafts hold, and we are starting to see growth in the number of people shopping at local farmers markets.
The Story of Nita Crisp Our own artisanal cracker company, Nita Crisp Crackers, attributes some of its success to the local farmers markets that helped launch its community awareness. It started with a recipe we found on a piece of folded newspaper from a 1967 Washington Post in a recipe box we purchased. It was called simply “Home Made Cracker.” I took the recipe, modified it some, removing the butter in the recipe, and created the Nita Crisp cracker. In 1997, I began trading batches of this cracker for some produce from a local gardener named Tom. Tom would get his crackers in a plastic bag tied with a wire twist tie and I would take whatever produce he would give me. I always thought I was getting the better part of the deal, but if you asked him he felt he was taking advantage of us. During the recession in 2001, we needed a way to supplement our income and so many people told us we should sell those crackers that we decided to give it a go. So, out of our determination to keep the catering company going, we researched the local farmers markets and BABOOM – we were selling the crackers and people loved them. So many people were asking for Nita Crisps through the farmers market that we chose our first retail outlet, Bingham Hill Cheese. Thanks to them, we learned the ins and outs of retail sales. Today we are sold throughout Colorado and many local retailers continue to support our product. The Cupboard on College Avenue is our longest standing customer, and our biggest mover is Whole Foods. Elliott’s Martini Bar was also the first
A cooperative project between CSU Extension Office and the Larimer County Extension Office led to the Master Gardeners Program and the creation of the Larimer County Farmers’ Market 36 years ago. Alison O’Connor oversees the project for the agencies. She shared with me some interesting information on local farmers markets. (Visit www.larimercountyfarmersmarket.org or larimercountyfarmersmarket.blogspot.com for more information.) The first local farmers market was located where the Trial Gardens are today across from the old Fort Collins High School. Then it hosted 6 to 7 vendors. Today’s hosts 65 to 75 vendors. Last year’s market was the best ever, according to O’Connor, generating $430,000 in sales. The market services 2,000 to 4,000 consumers each market day. It is truly a special breed of people that attend both as buyers and sellers in rain or shine and even sometimes snow. I’ve seen firsthand how many people actually have standing orders arranged. The Master Gardeners is a non-profit educational organization. “They have a master food safety advisor on site to advise on consumer safety in food handling,” says O’Connor. They offer a wealth of information, including classes in canning and bottling. Today’s Larimer County Farmers’ Market is located at the Larimer County Courthouse at 200 West Oak Street. It is held on Saturdays from June 25 to October 15, from 8 a.m. till noon. When I used to work at the farmers markets, I would set up my demo kitchen, then visit with other vendors and view what they were offering. I would ask questions about how to use their products, purchase several items and then proceed to my demo kitchen cooking and talking till my cheeks were sore. I actually ended up producing some cooking shows that appeared on the local Fort Collins channel for most of a year. I did not consider myself a public speaker – my voice breaks up and my knees shake – but once I start talking about food and food related issues, watch out. I will talk till I turn blue in the face.
Don’t Miss These Local Artisanal Products In my past 15 years as a resident of Fort Collins, I have seen some excellent locally produced products come on the market. Here are a few of my favorites. • Good Seed’s Bread & Pastry / Fort Collins • Blue Mountain Wines / Berthoud • New Belgium Brewing / Fort Collins • Odell Brewing Co. / Fort Collins • MouCo Cheese / Fort Collins • Styria Bakery / Longmont • Morning Fresh Dairy / Bellevue • Diamond D Dairy / Longmont • Sunrise Ranch Beef / Loveland • JoDar Chicken / Fort Collins • My Daddy’s BBQ Sauce / Fort Collins • Anijas Mustard / Fort Collins • Rocky Mountain Salsa / Fort Collins
Tastefully yours always, Paul Pellegrino
Lydia’s STYLE Magazine
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17TH ANNIVERSARY OF NOCO DINNER OF CHAMPIONS March 24 :: Embassy Suites Hotel, Spa & Conference Center :: Loveland More than 350 guests came to honor 2011 Hope Award recipients Dennis and Noreen Houska in recognition of their commitment to the Northern Colorado community and Dr. William Shaffer, recipient of the 2011 MS Champion Award, for his courage and commitment to the fight against MS. An inspiring $10,000 match challenge from the Toney Family Foundation helped raise an additional $35,000 towards promising MS research during the evening festivities. The more than $110,000 raised will benefit MS research and local programs and services for the 11,000 people in Colorado and Wyoming living with MS. Photos courtesy of Geoff Guimaraes.
Dr. William Shaffer, 2011 MS Champion honoree, Carrie Nolan, Dennis & Noreen Houska, 2011 Hope Award honorees
Brownie McGraw with celebrity guest Groucho Marx
C A S I N O R O YA L E March 26 :: Sunset Events Center :: Fort Collins This 2nd annual event provided a high-stakes evening of intrigue, featuring casino gaming, signature martinis, a silent auction, and live Bond-style combat entertainment for nearly 200 guests. Blackjack and Texas Hold-‘em were among the exciting games guests enjoyed. Mission accomplished, as the event raised nearly $7,000 for OpenStage Theatre to continue its mission of transforming our community through exceptional theatre. Photos courtesy of Harper Point Photography.
Ann Foorman, Robert Hau
Jeremy & Shonna Kempter
Lori Rosedahl, Julie Sutter, Ryan Keiffer, Gretchen Gaede
Bruce & Denise Freestone
TA K E A V O YA G E T O I N D I A April 2 :: Hilton :: Fort Collins More than 300 friends, supporters and volunteers of Fort Collins Habitat for Humanity had a great evening at the 8th Annual Hard Hat Gala, Take a Voyage to India. Guests learned about and dined on authentic Indian cuisine, were entertained by Indian dancers and music, and bid at both a bustling silent auction tent and spirited live auction. The exciting evening netted more than $45,000 for Fort Collins Habitat for Humanity to help build a home in Fort Collins and build a home in partnership with Habitat India. Photos courtesy of Heidi Muller Photography.
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Back: Scott Sinn, Rod Arndt, Steve Taylor Front: Rex Smithgall, John Terpstra, Mackenzie Daley, Rick Griggs, Jeanette Meyer
Sadie & Scott from Big Country, Kim & Alan Strope, winners of the Big Country BBQ
Lydia’s STYLE Magazine
FOOTHILLS FOOD AND WINE EXPERIENCE April 7 :: Embassy Suites Hotel, Spa & Conference Center :: Loveland A delicious evening of sweet and savory foods greeted more than 900 guests at Foothills Service League’s 6th annual Food and Wine Experience. Restaurants and beverage distributors from the Front Range showcased their best wines and epicurean delights as guests mingled at the event, formally the Taste of Loveland. Nearly $20,000 was raised to benefit Foothills Gateway and their programs to serve the developmentally disabled in Larimer County and the Namaqua Center whose programs serve abused and neglected children in Colorado.
Laurie Huffsmith, Carol Ward, Jeannie Kochen, Carol Moser, Jill Leichliter, Apryl Lagunas, Stacey Libel
Liz Damasso, Nancy Patterson
T H E TA S T E April 14 :: Hilton :: Fort Collins Over 50 of the finest local restaurants and beverage purveyors provided more than 700 guests a tantalizing culinary evening at this popular benefit, which celebrated its 18th year. Live jazz added to the ambience as guests viewed and bid on the extensive silent auction items as well as on the one-of-a-kind Palette of Plates and Nests for Neighbor Birdhouse art pieces. The more than $110,000 raised will benefit both Food Bank of Larimer County and Neighbor to Neighbor and their missions to help end hunger and homelessness in Larimer County.
Kathleen Kearney, Bonnie Kearney, Wendie Robinson
Chris & Holly Osborn, Doug Dohn
Steven Pickelner, Willy Rowand Tracy Tostowaryk
John & Heather Buoniconti
2ND ANNUAL PROJECT HOMELESS CONNECT April 15 :: Northside Aztlan Community Center :: Fort Collins Co-hosted by Homeward 2020 and CSU SLICE office, and sponsored by the Bohemian Foundation and United Way of Larimer County, 40 agencies and organizations and 300 volunteers offered support services to more than 400 homeless or near homeless people at this one-day, one-stop-shop event. Services included dental exams, health screenings, eye exams, haircuts, housing information, employment assistance, pet services and much more to those in need at this community event.
Darin Attebury, Diane Jones
Style 2011
Leah Johnson, Gordan Thibedeau, Zach Penland, Sister Mary Alice Murphy
Marcia Davis, Bruce & Muriel Hach
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B lack T ie B ingo April 16 :: The Rio Agave Room :: Fort Collins More than 200 guests enjoyed a rousing evening of bingo at the 9th annual Black Tie Bingo. The evening provided players with delicious hors d’oeuvres and cocktails, a silent auction and music entertainment. Six lively games of bingo were played and the winners who called out ‘bingo’ won superb prizes. The nearly $30,000 raised will benefit the individual missions and local and global projects for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Larimer County, Rotary After Work Club and Idea Wild. Photos courtesy of Capturesque Photography.
Wally & Joni Van Sickle
Mimi Champ, Shannon Miller
Ashley Hairgrove, Patrick McGaughran
Alicia & Neil Reinhardt
Valery Feavel, Marji Trinen
G arden - to - table dinner April 22 :: The High Plains Environmental Center :: Loveland This invitation-only fundraiser welcomed 50 community members in the Loveland area to enjoy an intimate four-course dinner, local brews and spirits, and a silent auction in an effort to spread the mission and message surrounding the Giving Garden. The Giving Garden will be a four-acre garden in Loveland, near the McWhinney buildings, that plans to donate over 60,000 pounds of fresh produce in 2011 to the Food Bank of Larimer County and the House of Neighborly Services.
Russell Fruits, Kimberly & Kristian Naslund, Rick, Chuck Osborn
Greg Milner, Lisa & Todd Buckner, Scott & Bret Preston, Ray Tollison, Sarah Fox
kitchen kaper April 28 & 29 :: Six Area Homes :: Fort Collins, Timnath, Severance Nearly 500 community members braved cold winds to view the beautifully designed interiors of six area homes during the 32nd annual Kitchen Kaper event. Each home on the tour offered unique features created with space, texture, color and lighting. Some blended old with new, some offered great vistas and all were filled with mementos of family, travel and hobbies. Sponsored by the Fort Collins Service League, this event including the preview tour, dinner and silent auction, and benefits Foothills Gateway and their programs to empower and support citizens with cognitive disabilities and their families.
Mary O’Brien, Kerry Davis
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Rachel Peterson with Emma, Annie Sollenberger, Joey Waltz
Merrole Steinway, Billie Kastens
Ginny Banks, Teresa McElroy
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F C M O A M A S K S G A L A C E L E B R AT I O N & L I V E A U C T I O N April 30 :: Masonic Temple :: Fort Collins Fort Collins Museum of Art's (FCMOA) signature event had over 150 artists and non-artists tap into their imaginations and create unique and beautiful ceramic masks which were on display for the month of April. Fifteen of the most popular masks were auctioned off before a spirited crowd of 125 guests at the Gala Celebration. The more than $50,000 raised during the month long celebration will benefit FCMOA and their mission to promote awareness and appreciation of the visual arts and to bring Chihuly Venetians from the George R. Stroemple Collection to Fort Collins in December. Photos courtesy of Christina Gressianu.
Glenda & David Prosser
Gary Hixon, Melissa Katsimpalis
Miles & Vallene Kailburn
Sharyn & Larry Salmen
Scott & Jordan Prosser
R U N F O R T H E R O S E S K entuck y d erb y part y 2 0 1 1 May 7 :: The Drake Centre :: Fort Collins Four large flat screen televisions provided perfect coverage of the 137th Run for the Roses event during the 3rd annual Fort Collins Symphony Guild Kentucky Derby party. Nearly 200 guests, many dressed with fanciful hats, picked their favorite horse in hopes to win great prizes. Highlights included an auction of pies, homemade by Fort Collins Symphony Guild members, and a hat contest. Proceeds will benefit the Fort Collins Symphony and their mission to provide entertainment and education to Northern Colorado through the production of high quality orchestral music. Photos courtesy of Bob Willis.
Elizabeth Elliott, Annamarie Chenowith, Marilyn Cockburn, Carrie Newman
Wes Kenney, Jane Sullivan
Dianne Harper, Jim Anderson, Patti Newman, Tom Gorell
H o p e l I V es ! Pink B oa 5 K R un / Walk May 21 :: Front Range Village :: Fort Collins From survivors to supporters, all sported their pink boas and came to honor those touched with breast cancer and celebrate life and survivorship with family and friends. The event included a Kids Fun Run, awards for top finishers, a raffle, live music, marketplace and educational booths, and the best Pooches in Pink costume contest. The $17,000 raised will benefit Hope Lives! Breast Cancer Support Center and their programs offering services at no cost to women battling breast cancer.
Amanda Abbood, Drew Holmes Nicole Steinmetz
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Nancy Czaplewski Andrea Rozar
Janet Tiarks, Elizabeth Tiarks
Hallie Wasserman, Kathleen Sullivan Bailey, Ken Sargent Kerri Geary, Lydia Dody
Lydia’s STYLE Magazine
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Tickets: $75; on sale NOW! For tickets, please contact: 970.3 77.4181 or call Dawn for information 970.980.6399. Ticket price includes: Passport for 2 beauty services, 2 drink tickets, food, event entry, reduced room rates at Hilton night of event. There will be multiple shopping experiences available on an a Ia carte basis; cash and credit cards accepted. Personal and business checks accepted by select vendors.
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Style 2011
73
The Freestones A Passion for the Stage
“T
he play’s the thing,” proclaimed William Shakespeare. Fort Collins’ Bruce and Denise Freestone agree and share the Bard of Avon’s passion for that magnificent theatrical thing. Denver native Denise and Iowa-born Bruce (transplanted to Fort Collins at age 5) met in 1968 in the Colorado State University (CSU) Theater Department. They’d both become enamored of the performance arts while in high school and shared a common goal: a career path to the theater. In 1970, the couple veered off-course long enough for a walk down the aisle together. Then, call it an unconventional, extended honeymoon or simply dropping out, the Freestones headed out on a hippie adventure in the Northwest, living in a homemade camper strapped to the back of a Dodge pickup. Eventually, grease paint called louder than did the freedom of the open road, and by 1972, they’d returned to Fort Collins and CSU. Bruce graduated in 1974, Denise in 1975. Besides B.A. degrees in Theater Arts, the Freestones also acquired the title “parents” in the spring of 1972 with the birth of first daughter, Jessica. Talk about a budding thespian, at the tender age of five days, the infant accompanied Mom to a theater production rehearsal session. Second child, Brenna, joined the family troupe in 1978. Perhaps the girls didn’t actually sleep in trunks, but they grew up following in their parents’ footsteps to the stage.
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Both now have successful careers in the arts and arts management and have children of their own. The Freestones strongly value family and community. And it seemed absurd, particularly to Bruce, for struggling artists to leave behind established lives in order to wait tables in New York or Chicago while awaiting some elusive, big break. So, in 1973, he acted upon an idea, providing a way for them to earn income in their own community: he opened the OpenStage Theatre Company. Would the fledgling concept survive and thrive? Denise had immediately voiced her opinion. “You’re insane!” she’d declared to Bruce. “And, time has proven me right!” she now quips. But, through the years, many factors contributed to the dream company’s success. Although financial compensation for performances is, as Bruce calls it, a pittance, it allows talent to remain locally resided. Presently, about 150 actors work at OpenStage productions annually. “An ensemble of 150 is pretty phenomenal,” Denise proudly says. During its 25th anniversary season, OpenStage Theatre received the Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts for its commitment to Northern Colorado artists. The Freestones labored hard from its inception to promote OpenStage. Bruce says one key to success is involvement in the Chamber of Commerce, Convention and Visitors Bureau, and city government to give a voice to arts and culture. In 1977, Bruce organized a coalition of 3540 performing artists who convinced the City of Fort Collins to back a small venue in a building that previously housed Lincoln Junior High School. That rudimentary effort grew into today’s Lincoln Center complex. And projects like Beet Street (Bruce is on its Board of Directors) help make Fort Collins an arts and culture destination, a key part of the city’s economic plan. Bruce admits he feels fortunate and privileged to be able to earn an income in the arts. He’s held various positions in acting, theater management and technical support. And, he adds, the modest sums OpenStage Theatre is able to pay artists, its business expertise and professional-level creative team and cast allow other locals to likewise subsist.
By Marty Metzger
OpenStage continues to produce quality theatrical productions despite the country’s current economic woes “with great perseverance and stubbornness,” says Denise. The company has sacrificed the size of plays. Two years ago, they appealed to their audience for help and just one letter generated approximately $36,000 – double their goal. The same year, the late John McLean, DDS, left a substantial portion of his estate to many local non-profits, including OpenStage. When grants and other usual funding sources dry up, it becomes a struggle to reinvent annual revenue, she affirms. Nevertheless, in what Denise calls “the worst economic downturn in OpenStage’s history,” the theatre is holding its own. Denise is highly optimistic about the future. In 2012, following the Lincoln Center’s remodel, some OpenStage works will return there. All seven 2011 productions were held in found locations. Its 40th anniversary season will “get a big buzz,” says Denise. And, the local attitude should assure brighter times ahead. Denise says that it’s a challenge to gauge the nature of live theatrical events in this digital age and determine how to best deliver them. Bruce mentions pricing and the changing nature of audiences. “It’s a whole new landscape,” he remarks. The Freestones are zeroing in on solutions, including “big plans in the works for the 40th anniversary and beyond,” Denise promises. The devoted founders’ fervent hope is for OpenStage Theatre to thrive and grow, even long after their demise, she says. “The whole experience has been incredibly rewarding,” Denise proclaims. Bruce is likewise adamant. “I would absolutely do it all again.” Shakespeare said, “all the world’s a stage.” Well, at least the stage means the world to Denise and Bruce Freestone. And Fort Collins is all the better for it.
Marty Metzger, who lives in Fort Collins, has worked as a freelance writer for 23 years.
in•no•vate – v. 1. to introduce something new; make changes in anything established, 2. to alter.
Style invites you to nominate your Community Innovator. Send suggestions to angie@stylemedia. com for consideration.
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