How startups rev up in Craig.
Two transitioning coal workers join together to become distillers. Two friends from Iowa relocate to form a company pre-finishing wood products. After working in and for communities across the U.S., a Craig native returns to start up multiple businesses including an antiques store and a wine bar.
There are many reasons why entrepreneurs come to Craig, come back to Craig, and remain in Craig, reasons like quality of life, some of Colorado’s lowest costs, and a chance to enjoy Colorado’s best lifestyle. Ultimately, however, the deciding factor is simple—opportunity.
We welcome new ideas and we help fund their realization.
Incentives are richer here, in a location where support includes:
- A Federal Opportunity Zone
- TIF (Tax Increment Financing) financing, available through the Craig Urban Renewal Authority (CURA), which is helping businesses in Downtown Craig flourish.
We back your business with resources for success.
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Startup Colorado. This 501c3 non-profit organization offers scholarships, event programming, and collaboration with local business in support of entrepreneurs; the Startup Colorado Entrepreneur Network is a particularly powerful support system, offering services like a job board for businesses in rural areas like Craig, expert advice, and peer-to-peer feedback. See more here.
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Northwest Colorado Small Business Development Center. The center offers a variety of no-cost consulting, low-cost training, and funding opportunities for small businesses at every stage of development. See more here.
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Colorado Northwestern Community College. The college offers entrepreneurial-focused certificates in its “Build a Business” program, such as Bookkeeping and Startup and Business Owner/Management. See more here.
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Craig-Moffat County Chamber of Commerce. Networking is just one of the advantages that the chamber provides new and small enterprise. Members know a lot about business and a lot about this region, and they’re ready to share that knowledge with startups and entrepreneurs. See more here
Meet some of Craig’s entrepreneurs:
Jacob Shirar and Ryan Hass, friends since childhood, knew they wanted a business in the Colorado mountains, but the prices were just too steep in areas like Steamboat Springs. In Craig, they found the space and affordability that enabled them to set up a facility ideal for pre-finishing lumber products including siding, flooring, and trim for the construction and consumer markets. Today, the business is thriving. Learn more here.
Working in economic development across the U.S., Kirstie McPherson developed a passion for placemaking, and the place that evoked the most passion for her was her hometown of Craig. In Craig, the downtown presented uniquely compelling opportunities for retail and hospitality. Today, The Find, with its carefully curated antiques, and the 518 Wine Bar, with its sleek interiors, are both flourishing in a vibrant downtown setting. Learn more here or see their menu here.
McPherson sees opportunity all across Craig, which is how she became an investor in Bad Alibi, the distillery started by Wade Gerber, a power plant supervisor, and Sean Hovorka, a mine production superintendent. Looking toward the future, the two partners dove in to learn the distillery business, and with the support of the Craig Urban Renewal Authority, their prospects look bright.
Rocky Mountain Finishes
Jacob Shirar and Ryan Hass, friends since childhood, knew they wanted a business in the Colorado mountains, but the prices were just too steep in areas like Steamboat Springs. In Craig, they found the space and affordability that enabled them to set up a facility ideal for pre-finishing lumber products including siding, flooring, and trim for the construction and consumer markets. Today, the business is thriving. Learn more here.
518 Wine Bar.
Working in economic development across the U.S., Kirstie McPherson developed a passion for placemaking, and the place that evoked the most passion for her was her hometown of Craig. In Craig, the downtown presented uniquely compelling opportunities for retail and hospitality. Today, The Find, with its carefully curated antiques, and the 518 Wine Bar, with its sleek interiors, are both flourishing in a vibrant downtown setting. Learn more here or see their menu here.
Bad Alibi Distillers
McPherson sees opportunity all across Craig, which is how she became an investor in Bad Alibi, the distillery started by Wade Gerber, a power plant supervisor, and Sean Hovorka, a mine production superintendent. Looking toward the future, the two partners dove in to learn the distillery business, and with the support of the Craig Urban Renewal Authority, their prospects look bright.
