Spotlight on The Niwot Tavern

When you buy a business, you expect a reasonable number of "hiccups." But owners, Tara Shaheen and Stacy Szydlek, who were part of Niwot Tavern restaurant staff, got more than they bargained for.

"We bought the restaurant in January of 2020," said Shaheen. "In February, there was a fire in the kitchen and in March, well you know, everything shut down." But despite some tough going, the restaurant has not only survived, but thrived. Szydlek said that the former owners, Tony Santelli and Bob Russell "totally believed in us." But she admitted that buying a business right before the pandemic was a "sink or swim situation." She said, "We had no option to fail. We never really even thought of it that way."

During the pandemic, the restaurant owners employed a number of tactics and marketing efforts in order to stay on their feet. Being able to do takeout was a given. At the beginning of the pandemic, when toilet paper was in short supply, they even offered a free roll of TP with a bottle of wine.

But offerring takeout isn't the same as having a full house. "We found a stationary bike out by the dumpster in back," laughed Shaheen. "We'd ride that and watch movies during the day." After being so busy bartending and running a restaurant, "It felt like none of us had anything to do," said Shaheen.

To keep busy and to help ends meet, Shaheen and Szydlek had the idea of holiday baskets. They started with Christmas baskets which filled the entire dining room. The baskets, for sale to the public, were themed and included beverages, food items and related gifts. "It was really fun shopping for everything," Shaheen said.

The Tavern put up a tent in the parking lot and got heaters so that customers could get their takeout and still enjoy each other's company. They also regularly had bands play music on the patio. Shaheen said it was a "win-win" situation as it got more people to the restaurant but also helped the musicians by giving them somewhere to play. Shaheen said that it was actually good to get out from behind the bar during takeout service. She said, "There was this whole new group of people I never knew before." And, she added, "Takeout orders have really been steady. I don't think they've gone down much since the pandemic."

Shaheen said that the government programs at the time were a huge help as well. They received a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan that could only be used to pay staff. "We didn't have much staff then," (and as owners she and Szydlek weren't eligible) she said, "so we used the money to give bonuses to the kitchen staff. We wanted them to know how much we appreciated them."

Shaheen feels that one of the really important things she and Szydlek have been able to do is to have an owner in the restaurant six days a week. She feels it's important for any business. But she doesn't want the staff to feel like they work "for" her. "We're all working together to make it work."

Shaheen and Szydlek both feel like they are perfectly suited together as owners. "We really excel in two different areas," Shaheen said. Szydlek handles the back of the house, marketing and all the paperwork. She always loves decorating and even did all the Halloween decorations for Cottonwood Square. Shaheen, on the other hand, handles all of the ordering and staffing. "We're never fighting over who has to do what because we both like different parts of the business." Szydlek said, "We're really yin and yang when it comes to what we do."

Regardless of the ups and downs of the last few years, the one thing that has remained absolutely vital to both Szydlek and Shaheen is their commitment to the community as a whole. When the restaurant first shut down, they turned the hostess stand into a local "food bank." When people came to pick up their takeout, they could drop off canned goods, pasta, cash and even clothing. The two made sure people in the neighborhood were aware that they could come in and get whatever they might need.

Although they don't like to publicize it, they've also spent the last few years providing meals and clothing to the homeless at Easter and Christmas. Before the holidays the pair advertise the need for appropriate clothing. Then the Tavern staff cooks the meals and packages them for delivery.

Last Easter, Shaheen and Szydlek provided 40 meals in Longmont and for Christmas 2021, they delivered 100 meals to the homeless. "We load everything up into Bert's (Bert Steele, owner of Niwot Market) van and drive all over Longmont," Shaheen said. "We swing open the van door with food and clothes and say, 'What do you need?'"

Although at Easter only Shaheen and Szydlek manned the effort, for Christmas, Shaheen said, "There are about four carloads of people who join us to help." For the last two years, the Tavern has received a donation from a customer to help defray the cost of the food. When asked why these efforts were so important, Szydlek stated, "We've both (Shaheen and Szydlek) been in positions where we've struggled. Sometimes one act of kindness can change somebody's life."

Shaheen said that at the end of the day, building a community, both in and outside of the restaurant, has been so important. "You'd think you'd get tired of the same people and the same stuff every day," she said. "But when the regulars aren't around, I think, 'What are they doing? Where are they?'"

She feels that both she and Szydlek have made the Tavern a place where neighbors connect. "Sometimes people will come in and talk about the fact they are looking for a roofer or a plumber." And because so many locals frequent the Tavern, "We can usually connect them with someone who does that." It's a bit of a family there. In fact, while at the Tavern, a customer opined, "The bartenders here are like family. Actually they are better than family. They care."

When asked if she regretted moving from staff to owner, Shaheen said, "It's just the way it was supposed to happen. It felt like it always should have been mine."

The Niwot Tavern recently won Best Restaurant in Niwot from the Longmont Daily Times Call for the third time. For more information on The Niwot Tavern, menus and more, you can find them online at https://www.niwottavern.com/.