Business Beat: Coffeehouse, bookstore to open in historic building
Three friends with deep ties to Boulder City have joined forces to create DAM Roast House &Browder Bookstore, a new business that will be housed in the town’s oldest commercial building.
Amber Stephens, Misty Magruder and Travis Wallgren conceptualized the idea about a year and a half ago.
“We love coffee and reading,” Stephens said. “It’s something we’ve always wanted to do.”
Stephens said they always liked the location of the former Mel’s Diner in the old Browder building on Nevada Way but it wasn’t available for awhile.
When it became available, the three of them went to work to create the coffeehouse and bookstore.
“That building has such great character,” Wallgren said.
The three friends are trying to keep the business as local as possible by working with Boulder City-based coffee roaster Colorado River Coffee Roasters to provide their coffee. They’re also planning to feature works by local authors at the bookstore.
“I’ve always thought of it as a community hub, just a nice family place,” Wallgren said.
He said the atmosphere will be created so that patrons won’t feel rushed and there will be comfortable seating. They also plan to have a small food menu.
Since the Browder building is historic, Stephens, Magruder and Wallgren are planning to keep as many of its historical aspects as possible, including the arches and original bricks.
“We’re trying to preserve as much as we can,” Magruder said.
Additionally, they are working with the city’s Historic Preservation Committee to obtain funding through its new grant program.
They said they hope to start construction in July and open for business by November. Once operational, the plan is to be open from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.
Stephens and Wallgren grew up in Boulder City and went to high school in town. Magruder works in town.
Gallery gets new name, focus
Kevin and Darcy Cory, owners of Square 1 Gallery, 1638 Boulder City Parkway, are changing the name of their business to Boulder Made Gifts and are working with artists to bring locally made products to the area.
The Corys are artists who specialize in photography, acrylic painting, custom design, digital ceramics and tile art. They relocated to Boulder City in 2019 and opened their business.
Now they want to provide gifts and souvenirs that are made locally for their customers.
“We’re looking to build a collection of all things Boulder,” said Darcy Cory. “We want it to be the place people come to get Boulder City gifts.”
She said they are looking for other local artists to help build that collection so they can provide a variety of things and bring more customers into their store.
“We don’t get a lot of traffic in this corner,” she added. “We’re hoping artists will share about it … (and) bring more traffic in there.”
The Corys will continue offering their ceramics, tile art and paintings in addition to the new collection.
Boulder City Hotel to reopen
The Boulder City Hotel, 1305 Arizona St., will be open Monday.
“The hotel is opening guest rooms on June 1 with new health and safety procedures in place,” said Tiane Marie, manager of the Boulder City-Hoover Dam Museum and its collections. “The museum hopes to open soon after the hotel, but the actual date depends on the specific guidelines from the government and health agencies.”
Marie said since the museum is hands-on, they want to have all the recommended procedures in place so it can open safely for everyone.
The hotel and museum have been closed since March 17.
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