One of Conifer’s most popular eateries and night spots is moving to a larger, more central location.
Snowpack Taproom, which owner Mike Thompson opened in Green Valley Ranch in early 2017, will move to the Conifer Town Center later this year.
The two-story, 9,700-square-foot space is almost twice the size of the current Taproom. Even better, Thompson will no longer be a tenant as he is at the Green Valley Center location. He bought the new building.
“We’ve way outgrown that space,” Thompson said. “This place is almost three times the size. It’s a great building, and a big upgrade for us. We have a lot of big plans.”
The building, most recently home to Mountain Spas, has historically been a restaurant and still has bars upstairs and downstairs. It served as the original home of Brook’s Place Tavern, and later as Lucille’s of Jersey, Up the Mountain Steakhouse and Sushi Hai.
Still, it requires repairs, a redesign and some construction to accommodate Thompson’s vision.
“Snowpack has always been Conifer’s meeting place, and we want that to continue here,” he said. “When I started Snowpack, it was a craft beer bar, and we evolved into food. I don’t look at it as a restaurant. I don’t like the idea of people feeling like we’re just turning tables over as quickly as possible.
“We want it to remain a taproom where people can stay as long as they want, where they feel like they can spend hours with their friends.”
Opening in phases
With that in mind, the move to the new site isn’t happening overnight.
Thompson aims to open a pizzeria and a 16-tap bar on the building’s lower level in August, and open the upper level of the building by late fall or early winter. The upper floor will include another set of 16 taps and a separate menu. Together, that’s double the taps of the current Snowpack.
Both levels have outdoor patio space, and Thompson plans to level a grassy area outside for a band shell. Live music has also been a key part of the Taproom’s identity with the Snowpack Underground. That will also continue at the town center site, along with comedy nights, trivia, music bingo and Snowpack’s other popular events.
His business’s success is something Thompson couldn’t have imagined when he left IT several years ago. The Florida native moved to the Conifer area in 2008, answering a personal call to live in the mountains. While he lived where he wanted — even working from his mountain home — the career wasn’t what he wanted.
A visit to the Northwest, well known for its craft beer scene, inspired him to change course.
“I got super burnt out with IT,” he said. “I went to the Pacific Northwest with some friends and thought, ‘I can do this better than most places’. I had no experience in restaurants. I just knew I liked beer, and there was a need up here.
“That’s always been our thing — trying to bring in the highest quality craft beer you can find in Colorado.”
Thompson is known not only for the Snowpack but as a dedicated community volunteer. He served on the Conifer Area Chamber of Commerce board for three years, and works closely with them on the annual Elevation Celebration. He helps several organizations in town with IT work.
“It’s a phenomenal community,” he said. “Everybody supports the local businesses up here. It’s a great place to call home.
“I’m extremely excited about this change. We have solidified our roots in this town.”