Biz Buzz:
OCC retail store ends 32-year run
 Donna and Jim Heikes stand behind the counter of their long-time Thunder Mountain store. Westside Pioneer photo
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Jim Heikes, who was born in Texas, and his wife Donna will only be selling their wares at a popular first-Monday flea market in the eastern part of the state.
The market, in the town of Canton, “is open only four days a month,” Jim said, adding with a grin, “I think I can handle that for semi-retirement.”
The couple won't be complete strangers to this area. Jim pointed out that they are keeping their home in the Springs, and they also own rental properties.
Thunder Mountain was born 32 years ago when Jim, working in a garage in Divide, created his own style of antler chandeliers. The first retail-store location was Woodland Park.
The move to the 2508 W. Colorado Ave. address happened five years later, after Jim decided that OCC was “more of a destination” than Woodland, where a lot of the traffic is on its way to other places.
For about 10 years while the store was here, Jim served as either chair of the Old Colorado City Associates (OCCA) business group or the Old Colorado City Special Improvement Maintenance District (SIMD).
“I tried to bring the store owners together,” he said, pointing out that instead of looking for disagreements - as sometimes happens - the owners should keep in mind that “we're all down here for the same thing - to make a living.”
But nowadays, the Heikes are looking to the future. They have put out signs letting people know they're retiring Thunder Mountain and “everything must go.”
 The Templeton's stairway is believed to date back to when the house was built in 1891. Westside Pioneer photo
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New restaurant in historic house
A historic Old Colorado City building is now called Templeton's Restaurant, at 2 S. 25th St.
Started by the couple that created Dat's Italian in Old Colorado City eight years ago - JoAnn and Dennis Trujillo - the eatery takes advantage of the 127-year-old building's two floors. Fondue is the specialty on the first floor, with steak and seafood on the second. In nice weather, a patio allows outside dining.
Templeton's is open daily, for dinner only. Some parking is available on-site; a free city parking lot is just to the west.
When Dat's opened in 2010, JoAnn described it as offering “comfort food.” Templeton's, featuring Broadmoor-trained chefs, is geared for “high-end” diners, she explained.
In a 2009 article for the Old Colorado City Historical Society newsletter West Word, historian Dave Hughes wrote that the house was built in 1891 by Henry Templeton, who had moved here by covered wagon in 1862.
The three-story Templeton Building at the northwest corner of Colorado Avenue and 25th Street bears his name as well.
Previous owners of the house have taken pains to preserve the building's historical aspects - particularly the crafted woodworking - and the new owners said they are doing the same.
The business phone is 635-0261; the website is templetonsrestaurant.com.
Effort to reduce use of plastic
Jewels Burdick, owner of SuperFine Designs and Simple Body Products, 2616 W. Colorado Ave. #5, recently launched a Zero Waste body products refill station.
Her goal is to “fulfill consumer demand for reducing the use of plastic. The bulk-refill station offers glass jars for purchase that can be refilled or customers can bring their own sanitized container for refill.”
For more information, call Burdick at 917-607-0935.
OCC boutique adds art gallery
Febra's - a Boutique and Gallery in Old Colorado City, recently opened an upstairs gallery, named the SideDoor.
Febra's is at the northeast corner of Colorado Avenue and 26th Street. The gallery name comes from its access being through a “side door” off 26th, separate from the main entrance to the Febra's boutique at 2532 W. Colorado Ave.
According to a press release, the recently opened gallery features oil paintings, acrylics, watercolors, drawings, photography, furniture and jewelry by more than 40 local and regional artists.
Owned by Febra and Dave Pope, the business opened in 2015. Since then, the couple have more than doubled the number of local artists whose works are displayed, according to store information.
 The former Thirsty's Tavern, is shown at the northeast corner of 21st Street and Sheldon Avenue in September, when Thirsty's signs were still present on the exterior walls. Westside Pioneer photo
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Growing brewery moves to Westside
A family-owned brewery/ tap room is relocating from the Cheyenne-area to a building that formerly housed a bar at South 21st Street and Sheldon Avenue.
This will be the third location for the Smiling Toad, which started small on the east side five years ago and increased in size after moving to its current location at 1757 S. Eighth St.
It will grow again when it finishes relocating to - and implementing renovations on - the former site of Thirsty's Tavern at 2028 Sheldon, potentially as early as December.
Initially a home brewer, Biff Morehead originated and runs the business with his wife Patti and head brewer Fred Davis.
In a recent interview, Morehead said the Sheldon site was picked because “we like Old Colorado City, and it's a bigger building. There's not a lot of buildings available right now. The marijuana growers got everything else.”
The Eighth Street site has about 2,700 square feet, while Sheldon offers close to 6,000 square feet, he pointed out.
He believes this will give his business the capacity to eventually move to a 10-barrel brewing operation. Right now it has three.
“We're selling all the beer we can make, so we're going to make more,” Morehead cheerfully summarized his plan. “We're hoping it works.”
He envisions the Sheldon tap room having 50 to 60 seats. People will be able to order various Smiling Toad brews, and he also hopes to have a “tiny kitchen” to cook up “comfort food.” At the Cheyenne locale, food trucks handle such cravings, he noted.
Thirsty's had operated at 2028 Sheldon for a number of years, but closed several months ago.
Westside Pioneer article