5 days ago
Fruita businesses reflect on Mike the Headless Chicken Festival
FRUITA, Colo. (KREX) – On Saturday, Fruita was the place to be with 'Mike, the Headless Chicken Festival.' And as a result for the local businesses in the area, there was a positive impact.
Tori Miner, the general manager at Bestslope Coffee Company, states, 'You get a lot of people. […] We get a lot of tourists or mountain bikers, and then kind of going to summer it goes back to like the festivals and then a lot of locals.
But not too far down the street is Reckless Brewery, which just opened its doors back in December.
Russell Klase, the owner of Reckless Brewery, states, 'It being our first one, we didn't really know what to expect. So it was great. We were sold, selling out of things by Friday night. Saturday night we were already halfway out of brisket.'
As any other business owner, Klase believes that's one of the best feelings from a customer is the return and joy of coming back to that one spot that makes you smile. Even if it is the first impression, being exposed to the festival for the first time.
'I think they're happy to see a new place coming in and seem to like what we're doing,' Klase said.
Miner states, 'But we've had people come back a lot. they come through like once for like a festival, whether it's like Mike the Headless or Fat Tire. They're here to mountain bike and then they'll end up coming back later in the year, because they came because of that special event.'
Klase explains, 'Yeah, can't wait for the next one now. I mean, we're already gearing up for Fruita Fall Fest. Whatever we can do to prepare for that one, as that's for this next really kind of big festival. But yeah, we're excited.'
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