A woman who’s opening an arts and crafts supply store across the street from the Silverthorne Recreation Center knows starting a new business in Summit County can be hard.
As the owner and operator, Rachel Sachs expects to open in the next few weeks, and she recently found out she’ll be getting a $2,500 business grant through the town’s latest round of handouts to help get her up and running.
“In the beginning, expenses can be overwhelming, so anything that helps offset the cost is greatly appreciated,” Sachs said after being revealed as one of this year’s grant recipients.
And the new arts supply store, Summit Arts & Crafts Headquarters, isn’t the only business to benefit from the town’s Business Improvement Grant Program, which has doled out grants worth $55,100 combined this year.
Eight years into the program, the town has now awarded these grants to 26 local businesses. The grants all run on one of two tracks, either helping a business undertake capital investments that produce economic developments in town, like the creation of new jobs, or going to businesses looking to make site enhancements, thus improving Silverthorne’s sense of place.
Naturally, the grants also give locals a small window into some of the coming business developments across town, such as the soon-to-be arts and crafts supply store at 421 Rainbow Drive, Unit C.
Another grant winner, Timberline Craft Kitchen & Cocktails, is going to be a new restaurant in Silverthorne. With plans to open in a 2,500-square-foot space at the outlets sometime this summer, the owners, Tanecia and Joe Spagnolia, have been awarded a $10,000 grant by the town.
Currently under renovations, the space that will house the restaurant is at 246 Rainbow Drive, next door to the Colorado Welcome Center inside the Silverthorne outlets. The Spagnolias have a third business partner, a chef, in on the endeavor, and once open, they’ll offer a daily brunch service with a dinner menu featuring some shared-plate options, said Tanecia, who added they plan to emphasize Colorado ingredients.
Another of the town’s business grants went to another restaurant. However, this one is designed to help an existing restaurant expand, rather than a new one open. Over the last eight months, the Raven Golf Club’s bar and grill has been transformed from “a pretty small operation” into a year-round restaurant with brunch, lunch and dinner services, said Ryan Parr, the general manager.
To pull it all off, the restaurant had to hire a new chef and add a number of other jobs to its staff. But the work’s not done, Parr continued, saying the expanded restaurant also has a great outdoor patio area that will soon see new lighting, fire pits and furniture, among other improvements.
This work will not only heighten the ambiance of the restaurant, Parr said, but will allow the Raven to do more events as a nicer venue.
“We are really, really excited to be able to offer north Silverthorne another dining experience and another place to enjoy happy hour or whatever it maybe,” Parr said as he thanked the town for the business grant, also in the amount of $10,000.
Ten thousand dollars was the highest amount awarded, and another top-dollar grant went to Axis Sports Medicine.
Ami Doyle is a physical therapist, clinic director and one of 12 owners of the therapist-owned company, which does business at six locations, including at the Silverthorne Town Center.
She said Axis is trying to move into a 3,000-square-foot space next to Murdoch’s Ranch & Home Supply, not too far down the road from its location, and the additional space would allow Axis to immediately hire another physical therapist, perhaps more once they’re able to get settled in, Doyle said.
The couple that owns the Blue Moon Bakery — Ben and Kim Reil — didn’t get a grant for their bakery this year. However, they’ll be taking over ownership of Murphy’s Food and Spirits at 501 Blue River Parkway later this month and were awarded a $10,000 grant to help tackle projects at the Irish pub, like replacing the existing fencing, putting in a new gas fireplace and some work inside.
Introduced in 2012, the program awards grants via a competitive application process. In January, the town sought applications from local businesses, either proposing site improvements or planning capital investments that would bring new jobs or other economic developments to the community.
Town council has tasked the Economic Development Advisory Committee’s executive committee with reviewing the applications before offering funding recommendations. Council has final approval.
Other business grants this year went to High Rocky’s Auto Detailing, Summit Automotive Group, Summit Express and High Country Artisans, a gallery that displays the artwork of 19 Summit County artists, along with a handful of high school students through a partnership with the school’s art department.
The money the gallery’s receiving from the town will help with the purchase of a new illuminated sign, thus giving the business added visibility in it’s current location across from the Columbia store at the outlet mall, said Len Spurlow and Gail Shears, two of the gallery’s artists, who are eagerly anticipating the opening of Sachs’ arts supply store, as well.