STEAMBOAT SPRINGS — An example of hope during economic booms and resilient entrepreneurship during economic busts sits atop a hill in southeast Hayden.
Francis and Ruth Abate are the owners of Create a Stir, a 1,000-square-foot facility that offers hourly rentals of a commercial-grade kitchen.
The land is part of the Yampa Valley View business park and cost about $80,000, he said. Construction of the 2,800-square-foot building cost about $300,000.
“It was a big leap,” Francis Abate said. “Like any business, it’s a risk.”
The garage houses a converted 1989 Chevy school bus that the Abates use for a second business, Buffalo Gal Ice Cream & Goodies.
Although Buffalo Gal has seen some seasonal success, they said business for Create a Stir has been “a little slow” so far. But Francis Abate sees reason for optimism.
“In a lot of ways, this economy facilitates somebody starting off on their own,” he said. “So I don’t know if it was bad timing, really — I believe there’s opportunity in a recession.”
The Abates hope that renting the commercial kitchen will be an attractive idea for self-starting caterers, culinary classes or anybody with a cherished recipe they’ve always thought about producing and selling on a large scale.
Renting the kitchen costs $15 an hour, plus a $150 security deposit and a $25 utility fee.
Renters also must have a retail food license from the Routt County Department of Environmental Health and liability insurance.
