Greeley-based WeldWerks Brewing Company plans to open a 1,300-square- foot taproom in Colorado Springs, at 3043 W. Pikes Peak Ave. (formerly The Dive), by mid-summer. Jake Goodman, director of sales and marketing for WeldWerks, says “the name is to be decided but will be something that connects with that previous site,” with a vibe that’s “intimate as all get out.”
“We’re not trying to create Greeley times two,” he says. “Ideally we can assimilate into the Colorado Springs brewery space and join along with what all those great producers are already doing.”
Goodman says the focus is on the placement with “a rad view out to the foothills” courtesy of a four-season patio, “so no matter what time of year, you can have a beer and see the Range.”
For WeldWerks, opting to bypass Denver and choose a secondary location farther south is purposeful, as the brand sees “a great parallel between Greeley and Colorado Springs.”
“We’re not a big-city brewery at the end of the day,” says Goodman. “We pegged it somewhere we dug. It’s a really cool up-and-coming city that presents a better opportunity.”
On Monday, April 22, Earth Day, Ramen Chops Noodle Bar opens in Monument at 491 Hwy. 105, #104, with a fast-casual concept from co-owners Mike and Sarah Hoard that she refers to as “like Chipotle, but for ramen.”
Customers will be able to choose between “hot and brothy, chilled and saucy, or chopped and leafy, which are our salads,” she says, noting they all arrive in 30-ounce bowls for $10, regardless of the number of ingredients. “It’s whatever you want to put in them that fits. It’s about being able to customize it yourself at a price point that won’t kill the budget.”
Local suds in the form of canned wine and craft beer from nearby Pikes Peak Brewing Company as well as gluten-free brews from Holidaily Brewing Company out of Golden will be available. Expect soy-free miso, chicken, traditional dashi and pork tonkatsu slow-simmered broths. Additional gluten-free options include rice noodles or fresh zucchini noodles spun to order that individualize what she says is “the most wonderful comfort food. It’s like a big, warm hug.”
*Header image courtesy of Weldwerks Brewing Co.
Content published in the Colorado Springs Independent on April 17, 2019.
