All Local, All The Time
All Local, All The Time
Sorted by date Results 51 - 97 of 97
Following the huge success of last year's inaugural Around the World Day, the event will return for a second year on May 14th. The day was created based on an idea from Fly Away Home store owner Kathy Trauner during COVID when everyone was missing traveling abroad. She was inspired by the idea of brining international experiences to Niwot when travel away from other countries to Niwot was restricted. All businesses in downtown Niwot on 2nd Avenue and in Cottonwood Square are invited to "dress up...
Cimmini's was packed last Tuesday for the monthly Niwot Business Association meeting. It might have had something to do with the refreshments provided by the popular Italian restaurant, and it might have had something to do with the speaker for the evening. NBA president Eric Bergeson began by welcoming new NBA members, including Lisa Nesper with Cross Country Mortgage in Niwot Square and Kristin Dura with Una Vida in Cottonwood Square. Bergeson then shifted to announcements and a number of...
Top of the mornin' to ya, laddies. I hope you're excited for Saint Patrick's Day, because a festival is coming up, known as Lucky Niwot Day. It will take place on March 12, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on 2nd Avenue and in Cottonwood Square. Among the lively festivi include live music, Irish dancing (outside of Blessings Day Spa at Cottonwood Square), a magic show and brunch at the Niwot Wheel Works, an Irish poetry reading and green tea service at Inkberry Books, free carriage rides (wait on second...
On Feb. 26, the Italian restaurant Ciminini's (300 2nd Ave.) hosted a fundraising event for the Marshall Fire victims. Customers paid $25 per ticket to enjoy a lovely Saturday morning, while listening to a live cello performance. All food and drinks came with the ticket, which included the choice of pancakes, French toast, cottage cheese parfait with avocado toast, scrambled eggs, sausages and hams, a pastry basket, specialty coffee, and of course, hot cocoa. A silent auction was held at the...
The popular weekly concert series Rock & Rails is returning to Niwot's Whistle Stop Park for 13 shows in 2022, and organizers are gearing up for another great summer of live music and family fun on Thursday nights. "We're looking forward to another successful season," co-manager Bruce Warren of the Niwot Cultural Arts Association said. "We're adding some new local talent for opening acts along with the return of popular favorites." Along with Warren, Dan Hawk of Edward Jones and Vicki Maurer of...
On Jan. 29, from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. the Niwot Business Association is hosting the second annual Après-Ski Pop-Up Celebration. Come to Downtown Niwot with your family and friends to enjoy all the frigid festivities, such as hot meals, horse-drawn carriage rides and live music performances. Restaurants and businesses will be serving special meals and selling merchandise for the occasion: Niwot Tavern will be serving chili; there will be a mulled wine tasting at Inkberry Books; other vendors will...
We're in the home stretch of the holiday shopping season, and for those of you with a few names left to check off your gift list, be sure to consider one of the dozens of unique items from the artists, growers and crafters that call Niwot and Gunbarrel home. Gas up and grab a gift When you fill 'er up at the Niwot Conoco in the Cottonwood Shopping Center, don't just drive off - go inside where you'll find a treasure trove of charming gifts for your loved ones. You'll be stunned by the corner of...
Thank you to all who participated in this year's Holiday Window Display Competition! All of the beautiful displays helped to usher in an abundance of holiday cheer! Walking the streets of this little town was made that much more magical with all of the twinkling, festive décor. The votes have been tallied (and the list has been checked twice!) and the winners are: - 1st Place: Few of a Kind Vintage + Mercantile - 2nd Place: Belle Terre Floral - 3rd: Fly Away Home Decor And let's not forget...
When it's time to purchase holiday gifts this year, you can always pull out your keyboard and order gifts from Amazon or purchase something from a chain retailer at the mall. But local stores here have a lot to offer. When you buy from area retailers you'll find gifts you can't get anywhere else in the world, and the money you spend stays in the community, something that's needed by many as they recover from the lingering impacts of the pandemic. Local food restaurants and purveyors Niwot and...
Many Niwotians know Keith Waters as the co-owner of Inkberry Books, along with longtime partner Gene Hayworth. But underneath that mild mannered exterior lies the syncopated heart of a jazz connoisseur, who brings more than his fandom to the form. Now Waters is bringing the versatile genre back to town with the Niwot Jazz Festival, an all-day showcase of local, regional, and national talent, slated for Sept. 4. "Gene and I have now been part of the community for about three years, and it just...
Like a lot of other well-loved community activities, last year Rock & Rails faced cancellation in the wake of pandemic health concerns. But 2021 is a new year, and things are beginning to reopen. That includes the beloved concert series. The series began on time on June 3, but organizers were concerned about what to expect. Would there need to be protocols put in place? Would audience members return? Would the concert feel the same way it always had? As of the July 8 reggae concert by Selasse an...
Niwot residents will soon have another reason to come together and celebrate. This September, the Niwot Cultural Arts Association (NCAA), through the efforts of Keith Waters and Gene Hayworth, will be launching its inaugural Niwot Jazz Festival. "There used to be a jazz festival and then it ended a couple years ago," said Hayworth. "My partner Keith [Waters] is a jazz piano player and he's always hoping to find venues... We thought, 'Why not bring [the festival] back?'" Hayworth explained that...
Niwot Around the World Day was on Saturday, May 15. Businesses throughout Cottonwood Square and along 2nd Avenue adopted a country for a day, with refreshments, costumes and decorations to reflect each business's country of choice. Musicians were on hand throughout the business district, including the Niwot Community Semi-Marching Free Grange Band and its travel-themed playlist at the Left Hand Corner parking lot....
Eli Buzas brought the idea of forming an education foundation to Niwot High School from Florida when he moved to Colorado in 1991. Buzas, who died earlier this year of COVID-19 complications, envisioned a foundation that did more than provide scholarships to students. Other school foundations in the school district raised money for scholarships, but Buzas had in mind a foundation that could fund current projects as well as develop a long-range funding program. Through his leadership while workin...
Mother's Day is just around the corner, and if you're considering how to show appreciation to someone special, there are plenty of options for local gifts. Better yet, dollars that are spent in the community stay in the community, supporting local retailers and their families. Below are several gift ideas that can be purchased in the area. Each of them centers around different approaches to celebrating the mother in your life. Surprise her with something unusual Sometimes the best gift is...
For months, Niwot has been the site of a string of events to give residents a reason to safely gather during the pandemic and keep them in front of local businesses. These events have offered something to appeal to a wide range of interests. There have been fun runs, events for every holiday including St. Patrick's Day, scavenger hunts, window decorating contests, a whole-lifestyle approach to fitness in January, concerts, and sidewalk sales. But an event coming up May 15 might be the most...
One of last year's favorite Niwot downtown events, the Sidewalk Sale on 2nd Avenue and at Cottonwood Square, is set to return. "We've got a better idea of what people like, what goes, what doesn't. It's starting to get a bit of a following and people are actually asking about it now," said the event's creator, Deborah Fowler of DRF Realty/Colorado Landmark Realtors. The Sidewalk Sale is not only coming back, but it is also getting bigger and better. Instead of three dates, there will be six:...
New events headed to Niwot this spring and summer, as the Local Improvement District advisory committee approved a full slate of funding requests at its monthly meeting on March 2. The LID members also welcomed a new face to the monthly Zoom call, as Heidi Storz officially began her five-year term as a residential representative. Treasurer's Report The LID's December 2020 revenue report has been released by the state of Colorado, and it raises a couple of "interesting" points, treasurer Bruce Ra...
For seven years the Bowhaus in Gunbarrel has provided furry family members with daycare and boarding. While the pooches are playing with friends and relaxing in a safe environment, they're likely to spend time with two long-time employees, Klare Black and Suzi Hendrix. We wanted to learn more about these two familiar faces in the community. Left hand Valley Courier (LHVC) - Where did you grow up, and how did Colorado become your home? Klare Black (KB) - I'm the middle child of seven siblings,...
We're in the home stretch of the holiday shopping season, and for those of you with a few names left to check off your gift list, be sure to consider one of the dozens of unique items from the artists, authors and crafters that call Niwot and Gunbarrel home. Niwot in watercolor Niwot's historic downtown is a frequent subject of resident and renowned artist Jane Langdon, whose graceful style evokes warmth and nostalgia. Recently, her wintry depiction of 2nd Avenue was featured on the Niwot...
On Friday, Nov. 6, Boulder County was moved to Level Orange, High Risk category. Barely two weeks later, Governor Jared Polis added a new color to the COVID dial and Boulder County was bumped up to Level Red, Severe Risk, which was redefined as somewhere between Level Orange and the new Extreme Risk-Stay at Home shut-down, known as Level Purple. "The numbers have been going up, so I can't say that I was super surprised," said Pastor Emily Kintzel of Niwot United Methodist Church. Perhaps the...
Jane Leland Langdon's art expresses what's in her heart - a genuine love for life and others. You've seen Langdon's oil and watercolor paintings in Niwot and Boulder County businesses and homes. She's the Niwotian you just can't help but notice because of her lovely large smile and easy laugh. I met Langdon years ago waiting in the check-out line at the grocery store where she struck up a conversation and I was thrilled that we continued to cross paths again and again. This Familiar Face column...
Luring new businesses to town has been an ongoing challenge for the Niwot Business Association, so they've decided to start growing their own. Last month, the group launched the Little Holiday Shops of Niwot, a new retail project to help fledgling entrepreneurs get off the ground. "We've been working on it for about a year," NBA member and project leader Leigh Suskin said about the initiative, which was set to debut in March 2020, but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. "Our intention was...
It's shaping up to be a busy, but socially distanced winter around Niwot, as the LID advisory committee members considered funding requests for upcoming holiday themed events at their virtual monthly meeting on Oct. 6. Treasurer's Report First, however, they heard from LID treasurer Bruce Rabeler, who led off with a concerning notice from the Boulder County finance office regarding the district's 2020 earnings. According to county analyst David Thayer, the state of Colorado believes the LID's hi...
In 2020, the public receives news from an enormous number of electronic as well as traditional sources. The information onslaught is relentless, can be frustratingly inaccurate, and isn't always able to portray what occurs in a localized area. Local journalists have an important role to fill in this kind of potentially confusing environment. Community newspapers such as the Left Hand Valley Courier tell stories about businesses, schools, parks, open spaces, neighborhoods, local infrastructure,...
In an eight-inning thriller east of I-25, Niwot softball upset the top-10 ranked Frederick Warriors 16-14 on its home turf on Thursday, Sept. 24. The Cougars moved to 6-8 on the season with two games remaining. Niwot played in its ninth game decided by two runs or less, but it was anything but close early on. Behind a two-run home run, Frederick scored three runs in the first inning off freshman pitcher Anne Booth before Niwot erupted for nine runs in the second. The Cougars were...
Though most traditional fall events had to be shelved in 2020, autumnal-themed fun is still on the agenda in Niwot, courtesy of two brand new offerings from the Niwot Business Association. "In COVID times, more than ever, we need to think of different ways to get Niwot residents and those from neighboring communities to frequent the businesses downtown," longtime realtor and NBA vice-president Deborah Read Fowler said. "We are having regular meetings to brainstorm and launch new events to get us...
After a summer of cancelations, on Saturday, Sept. 12, Niwot saw its second weekend of outdoor events with its second sidewalk sale. Merchants in Cottonwood Square and 2nd Avenue put up tents and welcomed customers into their shops, though with limited capacity. The weather even cooperated. Following the Friday, Sept. 4, first Art Walk of the year, the Sidewalk Sale was a smashing success, with most merchants giving the event a thumbs up. Liz Gould of Little Bird said that people were buying...
The First Friday Art Walk returned to Niwot on Friday, Sept. 4, after a five-month hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic. The town was bustling with perhaps the largest crowd out and about since the pandemic shut down much of the social life in Niwot and everywhere else in March. Moods were high, masks were worn, people were friendly, but socially distanced, and Niwot seemed to be returning to its usual community-oriented nature. Anne Postle, vice president of the Niwot Cultural Arts Associatio...
After taking a short summer break in July, the Niwot LID advisory committee was back in action on Aug. 4 with a full agenda. Treasurer's Report LID Treasurer Bruce Rabeler opened the meeting with a financial update, starting with the latest revenue reports from the Colorado Department of Revenue. For now, revenue collections are holding steady in Niwot, despite ongoing restrictions on large events and indoor dining. The Niwot LID earned a combined $29,968 in April ($15,560) and May ($14,408),...
In April, the Niwot Business Association had record attendance for its first ever Zoom meeting, due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. Amongst the lively discussions, Josh Morin from We Love Trees asked how we could help businesses circulate gift cards. NBA Vice President Deborah Read Fowler suggested a central location in Niwot Market, and owner Bert Steele instantly agreed. There, the idea was born, and Fowler volunteered to lead the project and bring the idea to life. "This is a...
A big part of Niwot's charm lies in its unique retail and dining options, which consistently deliver an experience unlike any other in Boulder County. An oasis amidst the large neighboring cities of Boulder and Longmont, Niwot provides a tranquil haven for visitors who want to slow down and enjoy some retail or gourmet therapy at a relaxed pace. To help spread the word about the town's special offerings, and just in time for spring, the Niwot Business Association has launched the Shop Niwot...
The guest of honor was a no-show, but that didn't deter the hundreds of thirsty shoppers who descended on Niwot on Feb. 22 for the 6th annual Let's Wine About Winter store-to-store tasting event and fundraiser. Mild temperatures and melting snow were the order of the day, as ticket holders made their way through three dozen local businesses offering food and beverages, as well as some sweet deals. That included the "Seesters," seen here on 2nd Avenue taking a much needed time...
Niwot's annual window decorating contest, sponsored by Left Hand Animal Hospital, drew an unprecedented number of participants at Enchanted Evening on Nov. 29. With 23 businesses included in Old Town and Cottonwood Square, those attending the festival saw a wide array of themes: Santa's welcome home living room, gnomes welcoming visitors to Gniwot, even miniature superheroes celebrating a tiny terrarium version of Hanukkah. New participants in the contest this year, Classic Looks and Abo's...
The conditions were decidedly seasonal at Niwot's annual Enchanted Evening celebration, held Nov. 29 from 6 to 9 p.m. Hearty locals braved frigid temperatures and snowy sidewalks to enjoy musical performances, the holiday tree lighting, shopping deals, and a visit from the big man himself....
Fly Away Home is a cozy little shop tucked away in Niwot's Cottonwood Square. Its owner Kathy Trauner has high hopes for the home décor and gift boutique, and those hopes have to do with celebrating local artists. "It was one of my goals at the very beginning...I want this to feel like a place of community and give them [local artists] the space to share their work!" she said. So far, Trauner has recognized a few local artists, mostly painters, but hopes to expand past that medium to include...
According to the 2019 Colorado Business Economic Outlook, published annually by the CU Leeds School of Business, Boulder County’s economy is robust and growing, outpacing state and national statistics. This fact reaffirms the tenor of upbeat local leasing experts. The Niwot and Gunbarrel commercial leasing environment continues to be very strong. Being on the fringe of high-end Boulder proper, available office spaces don’t sit unoccupied for long, while the restaurant scene is experiencing spa...
Fly Away Home is celebrating two big happenings - the home décor business has landed in its permanent home at Cottonwood Square Shopping Center and will be offering the talent of another local business, Zone913. Kathy Trauner, owner of Fly Away Home, has signed a two year lease for the corner space that started out at first as a pop-up holiday season shop. A steady flow of customers getting hooked on the unique home accents proved to Trauner that there’s demand for the reasonably priced de...
It was a busy month for the Niwot LID advisory committee, with a host of summer events on the funding docket, and some new business regarding liability. Things got rolling with Bruce Rabeler and the monthly treasurer’s report. On the revenue side, the county reported that LID businesses collected $25,585 in revenue during the first two months of 2019, down from 2017 ($27,290), but up from 2018, though the latter total is still not finalized due to what appears to be an erroneous credit that t...
Springtime brings out the sun, the flowers, and the artists in town. Now in its eighth year, the annual Why Not Niwot? Juried Art Show is guaranteed to draw a talented collection of painters and other artists, each basing their piece on what’s special about Niwot. More than 30 artists will display their entries beginning Friday, April 5 in conjunction with April’s First Friday Art Walk and continuing through Sunday, May 31. The event is sponsored by the Niwot Cultural Arts Association (NC...
Cottonwood Square Shopping Center under new ownership, same management Bridge Commercial Partners Fund III LLC has sold Cottonwood Square Shopping Center to MAC Management Cottonwood, LLC. MAC is owned by mother and son partners Maria Biernat and Alex Chlebek. Bridge Commercial Partners, owner of the shopping center since 2005, is comprised of a group of investors represented by Managing Partner Harris Faberman. Faberman was very active in the Niwot community, most recently as a member of the...
Toney Preston Brown, age 93, of Niwot, Colorado, passed away on January 24, 2019. Toney was born July 23, 1925 to Eugene Spurgeon Brown and Rose Lee Brown on a sharecropper farm west of Pampa, TX. Toney was the third of five children. His older brothers, Eugene Spurgeon Brown, Jr. and Rex Nelson Brown have previously gone on to be with our Maker. His youngest brother Perry Dale resides in Hubbard, TX with his wife Katy Brown and his only and younger sister, Mary Jane, who was born after the...
Sponsored by Fabulous Finds The work of a few who quietly and reliably give from their hearts becomes the powerful way in which people’s lives are touched and forever changed for the better. Jim Jones is one of those people - a humble, caring man who has joyfully provided Niwot with his energy and positivity in a whole host of ways for more than 25 years. Jim and his wife Pat, both originally from Michigan, moved to Minnesota after college where Jim began his professional career as a software e...
When Niwotians Linda Vehrenkamp and Kathy Trauner met professionally, they instantly bonded as friends. For nearly 30 years they’ve continued their friendship as their lives unfolded; they met and married their husbands, changed careers, added children, and gave time to the community. Now they’ve decided to combine their talents and their kinship in a new business - Fly Away Home Decor. Last fall while driving home from an unsatisfying home décor-shopping trip, Vehrenkamp and Trauner brai...
Born in the age of rumble seats, ice boxes, and boys’ knickers, Bill Yoh has seen and experienced an enormous number of changes in the world over the past 100 years. Yoh will officially become a centenarian on Dec. 19, 2017. Born in rural Pennsylvania, and residing in Philadelphia for most of the first two-thirds of his life, Yoh has called Niwot his home since 1984 - over 33 years ago. It was a snowy winter day in Eureka, PA, when Yoh’s mother went into labor. As if the urgency of the situation...
Although the Cougars didn’t come away with a win in their home opener against the Summit Tigers last Friday night, Niwot head coach Jeremy Lanter has no doubt his team is headed in the right direction. After reviewing game film of Niwot’s 27-15 loss to the Tigers, the coach said he saw improvement across the board. “We did so much better. We grew in just about every area of what we were doing.” Led by sophomore quarterback Noah Peña, the Cougars’ offense generated 213 total yards, nearly dou...
Sitting in fourth place with four events left, the Silver Creek High School boys swimming team needed a great performance from its 200 free relay team to catapult into third place in the state championships. What they got was an outstanding performance, finishing in second place in the race, just .5 seconds behind the winner Air Academy. The elation of that performance was quickly deflated, however, as the swimmers were informed they were disqualified for a hand-off error. The frustration was palpable, as multiple members of the relay team...
