Mom and Pop Businesses in North Park
March 29th is coming up and if you haven’t already, you should mark your calendar for Mom and Pop Business Owner Day. The community of North Park might be small, but it has no shortage of cottage industry, mom and pop businesses, or other outlets for a wide range of talented people who each bring their creativity to the table.
With a population of under 2,000 people living in the North Park area, including Walden, CO, and outlying towns, ranches, and homesteads, you might be surprised at all the ways these creatives have filled the niches of self-reliance and creativity.
A Tradition of Self-Sufficiency and Creativity in North Park
Cottage businesses have a long tradition in North Park. From the days of early pioneers to modern day, when isolation and hard to get items have meant locals have had to rely on themselves to make what is difficult, if not impossible to find. The settlers of North Park had to wait weeks, if not months, to get anything ordered from outside the county.
During the Great Depression, locals continued this tradition of self-reliance while the rest of the country struggled. Even today as concerns about the economy have caused people to rely more on cheap, foreign products, yet mom and pop shops still hold a place in getting the job done with quality items at an affordable price–made by hand, with care and attention to detail.
Using what they have on hand or provided by the land is a tradition that goes way back, especially for women-owned businesses.. These cottage business owners infuse a bit of themselves as well a bit of home into everything they create.
List of Mom and Pop Businesses in North Park
Here are just a few of the small businesses that people are running from their homes that you need to check out.
Jamie Lynn Custom Designs
Jamie Sykes works with metal and semi-precious stones to create jewelry that is rugged yet elegant all at once. Her use of copper, silver, turquoise, and agate evokes notes of the Southwest traditions carried on from the likes of Georgia O’Keefe as well as other artists of the Santa Fe style.
Her jewelry wouldn’t be out of place at a fancy dinner party, or just part of your everyday accouterments for going into town or sending someone as a gift for a birthday or just because. Check out her Facebook for a gallery of her latest creations, and her online shop to order directly at jamielynncustomdesigns.com. Email [email protected] or call 970-290-5299 to find out more.
Colorado Peach Creations
Nothing completes an outfit quite like the perfect hat. And nothing comes close to making that hat fit your aesthetic and personality like a custom burn! Mackenna Allard creates custom burned felt hats that make a statement while keeping the spirit of the West alive. Choose from animal patterns, floral, mountains, or just about any other combination of things you want to show off as part of your look.
To learn more about what you will find with Colorado Peach Creations, check out Mackenna's online store at www.coloradopeachcreations.com or call (970) 631-7693. You'll find Colorado Peach Creations on Facebook and Instagram too! Email [email protected] for more info.
Heather Elze Creations
From elk ivory to silversmith created custom jewelry, Heather Elze Creations can make the perfect gift for a loved one…or just you. Indulge yourself in a beautifully-wrought piece of custom jewelry that evokes the spirit of life in the high plains of the Colorado mountains. Locals love to support the local team and the North Park Wildcats jewelry Heather Elze makes are a classy way to show your team spirit.
From bear claws to silver and turquoise rings and chains, you’ll find something you love in her collection, or work with her to commission something you won’t find anywhere else. Check out what she has to offer at her Facebook page or email [email protected] Or call 970-846-8941 for an estimate.
Calamity Pass Trading Company
If you haven’t already seen Amy Symonds’s work on her Instagram page, you are missing out. Her creations are the definition of rugged beauty. From necklaces, knuckle rings, and finger armor to knives and handbags, Amy has been bringing these creations to life for years from her workshop in the mountains near the Wyoming border. Each piece is beyond jewelry, but a work of art. You can find her creations at her website at www.calamitytrading.com or on Facebook. Call 970-819-4050 or email [email protected]
Kathi Manville Art LLC
With playful paintings, and compelling original art and graphic design, Kathi is a local artist who not only works in watercolor, pen and ink, and mixed media, but also teaches art. You can find a gallery of her work on her Instagram, or her website www.kathimanvilleart.com, which ranges from whimsical line drawings to vibrant photography. She also illustrates books! Contact Kathi to book private parties (bachelorette parties, birthdays, you name it), Paint and Sip events, or kids classes.
She also hosts classes at the Senior Center the 3rd Monday of each month (check out her Facebook for details). Check out her shop on Etsy to find something you will love! Her original art, prints, and cards are also available at Walden Candle Company.
Wild Out West Photography
To truly capture the spirit of the Colorado mountains, you have to know it at such a deeper level than most will experience. Niki Yost Morgan is the owner of Wild Out West Photography. In her gallery, you can find images of a Colorado experience most people might have heard about, but might never believe. She has documented her life on a working ranch for years.
Check out her gallery on Instagram! Niki has captured North Park through the lens of someone who has experienced the soul of a place. Wild Out West Photography not only works in landscapes, but also photo sessions for engagements, graduations, and portraits. Call (970) 819-7128 to learn more, or email [email protected]
Ms. Verna’s Cleanery
Do you belong to one of those soap subscriptions where a couple tiny bars arrive in the mail every few weeks? Or have you found yourself unable to resist smelling the bars of artisan created soaps at gift shops? Verna Harris has been making handcrafted soaps made with a variety of ingredients such as olive oil, avocado and hemp oils, and scented with essential oils for years.
Her inventory is constantly changing with different scents, recipes, and patterns. Check out her Facebook for what is currently available in these curated, handcrafted soaps, bath bombs, and much more! If you are shopping in town, you can find her soaps at Walden Candle Company.
Always Something Out of the Ordinary and Off the Beaten Path
Being so far from large towns and cities has always meant that North Parkers have had to be very self-reliant and work with what they have on hand. The limits of creativity, talent, and expression shine the brightest against a backdrop of isolation and difficulty in finding access to commercial outlets and ways of promoting their wares.
For the most part, locals rely on word of mouth with a very limited customer base. This can lead to a lot of creativity and individual expression that would normally be lost with anything mass-produced. If you buy from these craftsmen, artisans, and creatives, you are guaranteed something you will find nowhere else. Something made with imagination, and most of all love. These talented people put their hearts into their work. Please check out their websites and social media to see what they have to offer. This sort of work is slowly disappearing, with many creators outsourcing to cheaper, lesser-quality products from other countries that just look like they came from a cottage industry.
Support your local Mom and Pop business, not only on March 29th, but throughout the year for all of your gift-giving and personal needs!
Contact Us About Someone You Know!
Have we missed anyone? It’s entirely likely. So many talented people in North Park are running cottage industries and businesses from home. If you know of someone whose work needs to be seen by more people, contact us!
