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PHOTOGRAPH C o uJ ERE rt e s f Va i L V e PHOTOGRAPH BY MyY o CANTALA MtEeSrSaAn s p r o g r a m
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MATE OF THE UNION: Co-owner Dennis Dickey takes good care of his patrons and his people.
Rocking Castle Rock It’s home to some of Colorado’s best courses—of both the golf and gastronomic variety. By Gary James
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amed FOR the prominent butte near the center of town, Castle Rock remains a distinct community between Denver and Colorado Springs, with a burgeoning populace that savors golf at The Ridge at Castle Pines North, Red Hawk Ridge and Plum Creek, as well as shopping the outlets to the west. After a round, head downtown, an attractive area brimming with designer boutiques, coffeehouses—and worthy restaurants.
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UNION BISTRO The x-factor for any restaurant’s success is how well the operators balance aesthetics and economics. Union Bistro has it down. It’s owned by Dennis and Christina Dickey and chef Kim Heideman, all of whom previously worked for PB&J Restaurants in Kansas City. Dennis didn’t want to get lost in the shuffle of Denver restaurants, so he’s happy being the big fish in Castle Rock’s little pond. He’s “big into quality of life,” which is why Union
closes every Sunday and Monday (Dennis, an avid golfer, tries to play at Red Hawk or Bear Dance during the latter) as well as threeday holiday weekends. This results in a loyal staff. Every year, Union shuts down for a week around the Fourth of July, and employees are encouraged to vacation or assist in whatever renovation the owners have cooked up. Among this year’s projects: expanding the bar and adding two temperature-controlled wine storage units. Upon completion, the co-owners took six staffers August 2013 | Colorado AvidGolfer
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