SILVERTON, Colo.—The barbecue joint on Greene Street is closed until spring. So is Romero’s, a popular Mexican restaurant a block away in Silverton.
Winter hits businesses hard in Silverton in southwest Colorado. It’s foreboding to some residents, a chance to recharge their batteries for others.
Diners can no longer grab a table at Handlebars Restaurant, which is boarded up for winter.
Want a cup of coffee? You’ll have to wait until the days get longer for Mobius Coffee to reopen.
Resident Darlene Watson was part of a group of business people who circulated a petition calling for the town of Silverton to hire an events coordinator to attract more business during the off-season. So far, the efforts have been unsuccessful.
Silverton does host a couple of popular winter events, including the Snowscape Winter Festival on Feb. 7-9 at Kendall Mountain and skijoring on Feb. 15-16 on Blair Street.
And, of course, there is Silverton Mountain. Residents credit the extreme-ski area with helping inject tourism dollars during an otherwise slow time of year.
“If the mountain wasn’t there, I don’t think we could make it year-round,” said Krissy Rhoades, whose family owns Hardrock Restaurant, one of the few establishments that remains open year-round.
As one of Colorado’s most isolated and forbidding high-elevation towns, Silverton has long had a seasonal economy. The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad stops ferrying tourists there from November to May, dramatically reducing the number of visitors. The railroad brings about 12,000 captive tourists to town during its season, the Durango Herald reported ().
Silverton’s businesses that remain open through winter tend to be family-run, allowing them to scrape by during the lean months. Locals frequent the Hardrock Restaurant for Denver Broncos game Sundays.
Many Silverton businesses close on certain weekdays. Some businesses close in November and April, common months to close for rest, relaxation and sometimes renovations.
“After a busy six months, it’s time to rest and rejuvenate,” said Rose Raab, director of the Silverton Chamber of Commerce.
Many residents are unemployed or under-employed during the winter, Raab said. They fill their time by cross-country skiing or snowmobiling. Nearly everyone in Silverton volunteers in some capacity.
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Information from: Durango Herald,
