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If you’ve been watching the corner of 38th and Pierce, you have patiently witnessed the evolution of Mestizo Brew Cantina. What started nearly two and a half years ago, with a “Blue Bus” (aka: Mestizo food truck) parked in front of the former Quality Automotive as it was being converted to Mestizo Brew Cantina, is finally complete. And now that we are open, the brew house can be front and center, while the blue bus has found its permanent home out back.

Brewer-owned and operated, Mestizo Brew Cantina has a mission to provide the local community a unique brewpub experience in a vibrant, intimate setting, rooted in a passion for authentic Latin American cuisine, paired with the finest quality craft beer. The vision for Mestizo, pronounced: meˈstē zō, a Latin American term originally used to describe a person of both indigenous and European descent, is personal, reflecting owner/head brewer Ryan Piec’s Mexican & European heritage. Piec’s extensive brewing experience is grounded in the European brewing tradition. This, combined with a simple menu representing the bold flavors and ingredients of Mexican and Latin American cuisine, and you have Mestizo Brew Cantina. 

The community-feel and warm bienvenido you get walking into Mestizo pours out of our close-knit team. Mestizo’s amazing front of house staff, led by our Front of House Manager, Rachel Garofalo, is made up of familiar faces who already serve our local Wheat Ridge community in so many ways. And our seasoned, hard working, back of house team is committed to preparing each and every Mestizo menu item from scratch, con mucho corazon, as though they were cooking for family. We also ensure our back of house is receiving an extra 3% livable wage tip on every order. Taking care of our Mestizo familia will always be a core value of ours.

Mestizo Brew Cantina is deeply grateful to be opening its doors (and completing the official ribbon cutting as of Thursday!) in Wheat Ridge. Wheat Ridge is where we started raising our family nearly 10 years ago, bought our first home, and now, opened our first business. It is the supportive community of Wheat Ridge, including– fellow “Ridge” on 38th businesses & neighbors, WRBD, WR Chamber of Commerce, Localworks, Sustainabuilt, WR for Equity, Sustainable Wheat Ridge… just to name a few, that helped Mestizo get to this day. Muchisimas Gracias! 

XO Gift Co. is so excited to be a part of the Wheat Ridge area community at Gold’s Marketplace. Owner, Kat Furr, had a gift shop on Tennyson Street in Berkeley for over 9 years and closed that location just after last Christmas. Having moved twice already on the street, the one new location seemed to be the answer. The shop opened just before Thanksgiving and has received a warm welcome from the local neighborhood. The excitement should continue as more great tenants continue to open up at Gold’s!

XO strives to carry 99% Made in the USA products, with about half of that being made locally in Colorado. With an emphasis on unique, handmade and upcycled products, they aim to have something for everyone and every occasion. Some of the wide variety of items include jewelry, tshirts, baby clothes, hats, glassware, tea towels, oven mitts, doormats, hot sauce, art, mugs, journals, bath products and much more! Jewelry made from skis, birdhouses made from Colorado license plates and 3D painted landscape collages are a few of the things that stand out as being unique. Kat believes that staying true to her own personal style when merchandising the store is what keeps it different from other places.

Check out the new shop at 10071 W 26^th Ave if you haven’t already and see what XO Gift Co. has to offer for the loved ones in your life (that includes yourself!)! Afterall, Valentine’s Day is almost here!

Localworks Committee Applications Open

Looking to get more involved in the community? Localworks is re-opening applications for committee membership! Below is a comprehensive list of all the committees that are now open for registration. Whether you are interested in networking/educational programs or local events, there is a place for you here! Joining a committee is the best way to have to connect with your community and be able to be a part of Wheat Ridge’s positive progress.

Members of the community are able to join one or more committees if that is of interest to you. Here is a list of our committees:

Ready to sign up? Click here.

Partners in Progress Committee

The Partners in Progress Committee will steward community-based education and networking growth in Wheat Ridge. During these meetings it is intended that stakeholders lead discussions surrounding how we can further engage the Wheat Ridge community in the educational component of Localworks.  Localworks is searching for committee members who are keen to bring back events like Policy and Pints, business roundtable conversations and education and civic participation for community members.

For those seeking a leadership role, early participants will meet on a temporarily ad hoc basis. Once committee membership and roles within the committee are established a more formal schedule and strategic plan will be put into place.

Please consider becoming a member of the Partners in Progress Committee and help Localworks and Wheat Ridge engage with and educate the next generation of involved members within our community.

Communications Committee

The Communications Committee has been formed from three previous committees as an opportunity for a more cohesive communication system: the Public Relations Committee, Communication Advisory Team and Marketing Committee.  The primary purpose of the Communications Committee is to have conversations around potential new campaigns via Localworks existing and upcoming channels. This committee will meet on an as needed basis, discussing ideas surrounding new campaigns for business corridors, like Ridge at 38, Localworks programs, Makerspace membership/programs and more!

If you are interested in contributing to the promotion of peer-to-peer communication for local events and putting on a strategic cap for the growth of Wheat Ridge through branding elements, this committee is for you! 

Live Local Committee

If you enjoy attending our community’s Live Local events, the Live Local Committee is a great opportunity to get involved and help plan fun, interactive events with Localworks in the future. Some of our events we have focused on this summer include a Coffee 101 with Stylus and Crate, an ice cream treat with Em’s, local beverages with Rickoli and an Adoption Day with Cosmos.

The Live Local Committee will meet quarterly. 

Events Committee

The Events Committee’s role will be similar to our Live Local Committee; however this group will be responsible for all events outside of the Live Local realm. You can expect to be working on things like Ridgefest, Localworks annual fundraiser, mid-modern home tour and urban farm tour. The Events Committee is a great way to further engage in the Wheat Ridge community and help behind the scenes of your favorite events. 

The Events Committee will meet on an ad hoc basis. 

Ready to sign up for one of these committees? Sign up here. If you are interested in the Makerspace Advisory Board, please use the link at the bottom of the page that says “register”. 

Makerspace Advisory Board

The Makerspace Advisory Board is the best way to take an active role in the development of the Localworks Makerspace program. Managed by the Program and Development Officer, the primary role of this committee is to provide recommendations, insight, and advice to the Localworks Board of Directors on matters relating to the development and operation of the Makerspace.

Please note that the Makerspace Advisory Board will work a little differently than the rest of the committees. Registration applications will be available on a different platform to allow for more in depth information and resume compatibility. However, if any of the other committees pique your interest, click here to register.

Social Media/Marketing Internship- Wheat Ridge, CO- REMOTE WORK AVAILABLE

Localworks is pleased to start a social media and marketing internship to help you grow your personal and professional skills.  

Are you creative? Can you tell a compelling story in text, image, and video formats that captures the audience’s attention? Localworks is looking for a creative and eager intern to help us enhance the Localworks brand while giving the right candidate the ability to build his/her real life marketing skills.

We are looking for motivated and talented individuals to join our team. The goal of this program is to help further develop your creative multi-media and social media skills in a professional work environment.

As a Social Media Intern, you will be working closely with the Executive Director and other appropriate staff members who will provide you with real hands-on projects that daily tasks that use social media platforms to promote, manage, and share the Localworks image and story.

Job Duties and Responsibilities:

• Create written, graphic, and video content for company owned or sponsored Facebook/YouTube/TikTok and other social media profiles
• Posts will include but are not limited to featuring Wheat Ridge businesses, events, Localworks events, Localworks fundraising efforts 
• Work in partnership with other community groups such as WR Creates to assist in their communication efforts 

• Build presence on new and developing social media platforms.
• Assist with social media analytics and reporting
• Other duties as assigned

Job Type: Part-time, 10-15 hours a week, UNPAID internship

* hours are flexible, and all work does not need to be conducted during normal 8:30-4:30 M-F business hours. Localworks will work with you on your schedule. Some hours may require you to work during normal business hours. 

Although this internship is unpaid, Localworks is happy to assist in work credit (if applicable and we qualify), reference letters (including letters from Board members) and facilitate connections for your future career opportunities) 

To apply, please submit a resume and brief cover letter to reception@wearelocalworks.org.

WHEAT RIDGE, CO- Localworks, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit advancing the City of Wheat Ridge as a vibrant and sustainable community announces Paige Piper, Wheat Ridge native, as the new Executive Director.

Localworks, founded by Wheat Ridge City Officials in 2005, advances Wheat Ridge as a vibrant and sustainable community through connection, volunteerism and creation. Localworks continues to impact the community through inventive programming, events, volunteer opportunities, economic development, and most recently, establishment of a makerspace. The organization announced on Monday, June 13th that Paige Piper, Wheat Ridge native, has been named the next Executive Director to continue the organizations’ mission and vision. 

Paige Piper (formerly Brophy) was born and raised in Wheat Ridge, CO, and has even been spotted as the Wheat Ridge High School mascot on several occasions.  Piper graduated from Wheat Ridge High School and completed her undergraduate degree in Journalism and Media Communication with a minor in Business Administration from Colorado State University. Piper will complete her Master in Business Administration from Metropolitan State University in December 2022. Piper has diverse nonprofit management experience, including serving as the Executive Director for the Outdoor Lab Foundation and Northern Colorado Medical Society. 

“I am honored to have the opportunity to serve the community that grew me. Localworks is a steward to economic development, connection and creativity in Wheat Ridge, and I look forward to working with our (Localworks) Board of Directors and staff to continue and grow our impact in partnership with the City of Wheat Ridge. This is an exciting time in the organization’s history to lean into the strategic priorities of our community to grow our impact, making Wheat Ridge a better place to live and work” said Piper. 

About Localworks

Localworks is a partner with the City of Wheat Ridge. Localworks serves local businesses and residents to advance Wheat Ridge as a vibrant and sustainable community. Localworks offers programs and events to help people connect, volunteer, and create. To learn more, please visit www.wearelocalworks.org 

Figuring out how to spend your free time while living in Wheat Ridge, CO can be a tough task. You may be spending more time inside, especially since the pandemic, and figuring out how to use that time productively can be challenging when there are so many online distractions. By keeping an open mind and exploring your artistic, athletic, and cultural interests, you can find a great new hobby or develop a useful new skill.

Start Something Artistic

One way to decrease boredom and stimulate your mind is to start a new hobby in the arts. You might enjoy the visual arts if you think drawing or painting might be appealing to you, and these activities can be great outlets if you have a vivid imagination. Or if you want to try something that’s both expressive and physically engaging, dance might be a path you enjoy, especially if you’ve found yourself less active while spending time indoors.

Explore Crafts

Crafting things is both a creative hobby and a practical skill. Perhaps you want to try woodworking and building furniture you can use around the house. If you learn to sew, you can design your own clothes or create things to give to friends and family members as gifts. If you don’t mind something challenging, sculpting can be a fun way to make statues or pottery which can double as artistic conversation pieces.

Stay Active and Clear Your Mind

If you need hobbies that can ease tension and yield emotional benefits, yoga and exercise might be great answers. There are many online programs for at-home workouts and guidance for attempting challenging yoga poses. Meditation can be a great way to improve discipline and sharpen your mind.

Cook Something

One way to eat healthier, build valuable skills, and potentially save money is by cooking. There are a wide variety of dishes you can learn to prepare, and doing so can expand your cultural awareness. Plus, if you have family members or roommates living with you, they’ll likely appreciate your newfound skills.

Try a New Language

Languages connect humanity and provide windows into the cultures of others. Consider learning a new language if you want to expand your horizons and potentially make new friends. Besides, adding another language to your resume grants professional benefits.

Turn Your Hobby Into a Business 

We’d all like to have interesting hobbies, and it’s a good idea to take advantage of the business opportunities that yours could present; if you’d appreciate the additional income. If you do move forward with this idea, it’s best to create a Limited Liability Company (LLC) to operate under. LLCs deliver benefits, such as tax advantages, limited individual liability, less paperwork, and flexibility. It’s a good idea to read about how to start an LLC in Colorado to make sure you stay within state guidelines.

Being Adventurous Can Be Rewarding

Whether you’re learning a language, expressing yourself through art, or building something you can use for years to come, there are many productive and rewarding ways to spend your free time. If you think your efforts might be worth charging for, consider starting an LLC.

For business support services or information about available workspaces, contact Local Works in Wheat Ridge, CO.

Image via Pexels

View our April newsletter here.