Local

Natalie Mielke, the new owner of Mill Outlet Fabric Store, always saw her store, even before she bought it, as her happy place. But in that way, she wanted to make it a beacon for others like her while still building a camaraderie with similar stores around town. It helps that with the 15,000-foot space, she can carry every material under the sun.

The essence of food as an experience and indicator of community has always been part of Walter's Bistro in Colorado Springs. General Manager Tim Wuestneck knows the key is familiarity, a sense of place but also consistency of quality that incorporates everything from their famous steaks and salmon dishes to their wild mushroom ravioli.

Food has always been on James Lavelle's mind. Whether he was working in the financial sector or for Dell Computers, living in Cleveland or Austin or traveling overseas, the importance and craft of food and drink had never been far from his mind.

Before the 2021 elections started, many across the country predicted that a red wave would sweep school boards across the nation. School boards used to be sleepy elections that sparked little interest. But after the pandemic struck the nation, those times are over.

The colliding of worlds always creates some interesting mixtures and ideas. Adam Stepan, owner/operator of the Colorado Springs speakeasy The Fifty-Niner, has had many lives as the owner of a urban planning firm, a designer, a purveyor of historical real estate and an established card game player.

Demetra Seriki knows there is no better catwalk than the hospital. Staff and visitors encounter her eye-catching, fashionable T-shirt: Breastfeeding Sucks. She is not a model. Seriki is a professional certified midwife, who uses all avenues to support black women breastfeeding.

At Rocky Mountain Insight Meditation Center, Sarah Pont teaches Dharma Kids, a class for kids ages 5-10. Pont believes it’s important for kids to have tools to deal with difficult situations and uncomfortable feelings. “The earlier we help develop these tools, the better prepared they are for those tumultuous teenage years. Even the youngest of children are not immune from the stress and uncertainties of life.”

Nikki Rainey has always loved sewing. Throughout moving with her husband, from military base to military base, she funneled her love into the art of long arming (quilt finishing).

Understanding the differences in notes and textures within whiskies is a learned science. Greg Huesgen, owner of Downtown Fine Spirits & Wine in Colorado Springs, has honed his craft of selection and taste over many years while also understanding the dynamics and economics of the spirits industry. In this way, he is also able to account for the importance of artisan spirit creation, distribution hurdles and generational shifts in palette.

Creating a community space in the Springs requires aesthetics, a focused idea, a sense of style and an endgame. Russ Ware, co-founder of Wild Goose Meeting House, who also opened Good Neighbors and, most recently Epiphany, understands every venue serves a certain vibe but it is also about making the brands work together in lifting the downtown identity through food, the space and, ultimately, the customers who populate it.