The Flagstaff House, arguably Boulder’s best-known restaurant, may turn the Big 4-0 this year, but its technical savvy is far from middle-aged.
The restaurant with the breathtaking view above Boulder is the first and only eatery in Colorado to replace its printed Wine Spectator Grand Award-winning wine list with Tiare Technology’s Wireless WineList system using Apple iPad tablets to display the 2,500-plus wines.
“When I saw the iPads come out, I thought it would be great to have our wine list on them,” said Flagstaff House general manager and partner Scott Monette. “The size of our list can be a little bit daunting.”
Instead of bringing a bound copy of the thick wine list reminiscent of “War and Peace,” the server drops off the covered iPad wine list, and diners start clicking around selecting a wine by price, region or varietal.
A diner also can create a “consideration list” for discussion with the sommelier.
Monette, who launched the system in the restaurant three weeks ago, said the customer response so far has been enthusiastic. Some tables ask to keep the iPad so they can play around with it throughout dinner.
“I was a little concerned that we should keep some paper lists around if people don’t want the iPad,” Monette said. “But we haven’t had that happen yet.”
The Flagstaff House purchased 13 iPads with the Tiare Technology system for what Monette called “thousands of dollars.”
Dealin’ dealer.
Dealin’ Doug Moreland — president of Moreland Dealerships, which owns 11 car dealerships in Colorado and five in Arizona — has been named the 2011 Colorado Dealer of the Year by the Colorado Automobile Dealers Association.
He competed with 51 other car dealers across the country as the Colorado candidate for the national Time magazine Dealer of the Year Award, which was ultimately won by a Florida auto dealer.
“To be selected as the Colorado candidate by my fellow dealers is extraordinary,” said Moreland, who represents brands including Buick, Chrysler, Dodge, GMC, Hyundai, Jeep, Kia and Mitsubishi.
Bumper-sticker biz.
When Joel Anderson of Killam Gas Burner Co. in Denver entered the Denver Metro Small Business Development Center’s contest to find the best quote that shows support for small business, he took a cue from his grandfather.
“He had a lot of little sayings, and ‘small business is big business’ was one of them,” Anderson said. “So I just added ‘in Colorado’ on the end.”
Anderson’s phrase, “Small business IS big business in Colorado,” beat out four other phrases to win the contest.
The winning bumper sticker will be distributed throughout the community beginning March 9.
“I’m hoping that once we have our finished product and we distribute them to all of our elected officials, that they will show their support by displaying the sticker as well,” said Tameka Montgomery, executive director of the Denver Metro Small Business Development Center.
For his winning slogan, Anderson will receive one round-trip airline ticket to anywhere in the continental United States and a free three- hour SBDC business training seminar this year.
Eavesdropping
on a man during a family bowling party: “My 2011 New Year’s resolution is to golf my age and bowl my weight.”
Penny Parker’s column appears Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday. Hear her on “Caplis & Silverman” between 4 and 5 p.m. Fridays on KHOW-AM (630). Call her at 303-954-5224 or e-mail pparker@denverpost.com.
