Western Colorado trip

Most of you just returned from a trip to the western part of the state. This included stops in Glenwood Springs, Hotchkiss, Paonia, and Georgetown.  Please share 1) what you liked most about the trip, 2) what you learned on the trip, and 3) what businesses you visited might work in Eads, CO. 

Comments

[Jordan Barnett]

I liked most about the trip just getting to see a different part of the state and seeing how different kinds of businesses worked there. I learned a ton of valuable information about the historical aspect of what our community could do with all the historical places we have right here under our belt.

I felt a few businesses could work here as well as some improvements our community could take to better their own businesses. Going to all these different towns made me realize the ones that i remembered were the ones that were very unique and different from your average store. To me, eads just feels original with nothing really unique about the businesses other than Thursday's on Maine and Cinnomon Joes. Seeing this, i think a gift shop/book store would work really well here. However, i think for a bookstore to reach its potential in the town of Eads, there would have to be something about it that is not already here in Eads. For example, having cute gifts and free gift wrapping along with a wild shop environment.

This is only an idea, but i honestly do believe it would work here.

[Sanket Merchant]

What I would say I liked most about the trip was the experience outside of Eads. We as a group had the opportunity to expand our horizons and acquire knowledge that would be valuable for our community. It was great being able to go to the World Trade Center. It felt as if we were valuable business colleagues and that was pretty cool. Also, making the trip out to communities in the same population platform as us, and seeing how they revitilized their communities was very valuable. It gave us some ideas and visions of what could be in our town.

On this trip what I learned most is not to underestimate anything. These towns at one time looked like Eads, and look at where they are now. If you have an optimistic outlook in life, revitilization of Eads is an achievable goal.

After making this trip, I feel that there are a few businesses that would thrive in our community. One of those businesses for sure would be a steakhouse. This business would be using one of the most abundant resources we have in our area. Also, a "Cyber Cafe" I thought would be a smash hit. I think we have some great ideas and the crew to get it done. With some hard work I believe we can make this dream a reality.

Sanket

[Chandni Merchant]

What I enjoyed most about this trip was that we got to travel and tour a beautiful part of Colorado, while also gaining information and experinces to better our town. I learned from the trip that even if these towns, in geographic aspects, were the total opposite of Eads, they were in many ways alike. They had used their area's history and historical buildings, to make themselves very successful, unique, and memorable towns. I learned that Eads isn't just a little town in southeast Colorado. We can just as easily use our history to our advantage.

One business that I think would be successful in Eads would have to be a steakhouse. As far as I know there aren't too many steakhouses in our area, and the people in our region would enjoy eating at a resturant that serves more than just burgers. By creating this business we would be using our local resources, and we would be satisfying the majority of our region, causing more money to be spent locally in our community.

[Charlie Philpy]

What i liked most about the trip was all of the good food that we ate over the course of those three days. Something that i learnd on the trip is that just beacuse a town is small doesn't mean that it can't develop some sort of tourism for itself. A business that i sam that might work for Eads was the cyber cafe on the main street in Glenwood Springs. I think this would work because it would give kids a place that they could go and work on things while hangings out having a coffee or muffin.

[Levi Hallman]

1) What you liked most about the trip
What I liked most about the trip was being in a new place and getting to learn about the businesses in smaller towns.
2) What you learned on the trip
I learned that small towns can thrive if they take advantage of their historical buildings and land marks. Also, those small towns often have unique businesses not found anywhere else.
3) What businesses you visited might work in Eads, CO?
In my personal opinion I think that a video game shop where you can play Xbox, play station, ext. games and then after you know what a game is like you can purchase it.

[Drew]

The trip to Western Colorado was a really great experience. My favorite part was probable a tie between the hot springs in Glenwood and many of the buildings in Georgetown. I thought the hot springs were a natural thing that Glenwood has really taken advantage of and made it a big part of their town. In Georgetown, all the historic buildings that they've turned into businesses as well as keeping historic was really cool and kind of amaazing.

I learned that only if businesses are UNIQUE and work with OTHER businesses will they truely have success. To feed off each other and to work together is the best thing new businesses can do.

I think quite a few businesses could actually work here in Eads like they have worked in Paonia and the other towns. I believe that they have really taken advantage of the natural resources and the things they have around them. Eads does not seem to have anything like orchards or things of that nature, but I think we could really come up with some great things. For istance, a book store type shop or something of that nature. But like we learned on our trip, whatever the new business is, it has to be UNIQUE. Only if a business catches people's attention and makes them really want to go it, will it really become a place that grows and takes a role in the town with the community and any tourists we have.