Signals of Success Coffeehouses and breweries — if there were ever two greater signals of success, I’ve yet to see them. Like jobs and unemployment are to growth, coffeehouses and breweries are to quality of life. The two often cluster together. And they are seen by many as a proxy for the number of young (and old) professionals in your community. Coffeehouses and breweries are the modern equivalent of the community center for Generation X, millennials, and Generation Z. Throw in a few dogs and mountain bikes and you’ve got yourself a quadrilateral of the creative class. The Rapid City area is no exception. As the number of coffeehouses and breweries have grown over the years, so has Rapid City’s quality of life in the eyes of companies, workers, retirees and tourists. And since the area is expected to grow by twenty-to-thirty thousand people in the next decade, we’ll no doubt see more. How many coffeehouses and breweries are enough? Right now, it seems like the Black Hills sky is the limit. Welcome to this issue of Elevate, where we explore beans and brews and more. There’s the story of the local brewery and coffeehouse scene, along with our take on some other amenities like Rapid City’s newest gaming attraction, Game On. There’s also the story of the new Buffalo Hunt coaster at Ft. Hays. Finally, we mix in a few stories about a South Dakota Mines professor and the Alex Johnson’s Mercantile to give you what we hope is an issue you'll want to sit down and read over a cup of joe. Or a cold one. We'll let you decide. Stay safe and God-speed.
Tom Johnson
President & CEO, Elevate Rapid City
Tom Johnson, President & CEO Dana Borowski, Finance & Operations Director Matt Brunner, Economic Development Director Shiloh Francis, Marketing & Communications Director Anna Hays, Public Policy Director Brandis Knudsen, Small Business Development & Investor Relations Director Mitch Nachtigall, Innovation & Entrepreneurship Director Rachel Day, Events & Training Manager Andy Greenman, Creative Services Manager Liz Highland, HR Coordinator/Office Manager Becky Knox, Executive Assistant Debbie Leber, Finance Manager & Investor Coordinator Samantha McGrath, Workforce Development & Talent Attraction Manager Loni Reichert, Data Analyst & Program Support Coordinator Dan Logan, DoD SkillBridge Intern Design and layout: Andy Greenman Published by the Rapid City Journal Bill Masterson, Publisher, bill.masterson@bhmginc.com Advertising: Eddie Hebron, ehebron@amplifieddigitalagency.com, 605.394.8354 Printed by Simpsons Printing Elevate is a monthly publication produced by Elevate Rapid City. It is the premier business magazine for the Black Hills region telling the stories that make our area unique and vibrant. PO Box 747, Rapid City, SD 57709 605.343.1744 // elevaterapidcity.com
On the cover Cohort Craft Brewery opened its doors in late April. Photo by Shiloh Francis
6 ELEVATE • MAY 2021
