MUNCHIES Meet the vendors Inside the Commons

Steamboat’s newest cool-to-hang-out-in food court is The Commons in the former Ghost Ranch building at 56 Seventh St. Showing that teamwork is thriving in the eatery world, it houses food vendors, a full bar, large deck over Butcherknife Creek, and more. “It’s an awesome space with a great bar and food options,” says co-owner Cam Boyd. “It’s a cool place to hang out with your friends.” Here’s a look at the vendors inside. steamboatcommons.com

Justin Keys, The Common Bar

Steamboat props: I love all the outdoor things here. But my main draw will always be its sense of community, which is like no other place. People here care about Steamboat and each other. It’s truly an amazing community.

Favorite activities: Shredding the gnar, “trying” to catch fish, and pedaling to a cold brew somewhere.

Unknown info nugget: I like Taylor Swift (more than I’d like to admit).

The Common Bar is arguably the pulse of the court. No matter what people choose to eat, they congregate here or have drinks brought to their tables. Specializing in craft cocktails (you should see their bartenders shake), and beer and wine on tap, it’s run by The Barley’s Justin Keys, meaning it’s easy to borrow a keg from next door.thecommonbar.com

Steamboat move: I moved here in 2017 to buy The Barley. I grew up in Colorado and when my best friend moved here I visited as often as I could. Eventually, I had my “existential crisis,” ditched my old career, and started a brewery. Fate plopped me right where I wanted to be.

What’s your bar/restaurant background? I worked restaurants in college a bit, but mostly delivering late night calzones. Otherwise, my expertise was in construction management. I worked a brewery in Denver for six months, but most of my bar experience has been at The Barley.

Uniqueness: We wanted to provide two relatively opposing concepts: highquality cocktails, but casually and efficiently. Instead of trying to define what we want, it’s easier to define what we don’t want to be. You know when you’re in a big city cocktail bar and you have no idea what half the words on the menu are, the cocktail is $20, and you order another one as soon as your first arrives because they take so long? That’s not us. We provide delicious, unique, consistent and approachable cocktails. We take the “nose in the air” out of the cocktail bar.

Best seller: Tied between our super simple, clean and delicious house marg (I like it with a mezcal floater and tajin rim), and the cocktail named after our GM, the Tallahassee, which is fluffy, floral and delicious.

Commons atmosphere: I love it. We tried to keep little bits of the Ghost Ranch and Off the Beaten Path, its former tenants, while updating the feel and brightening it up. We tried to elevate everything, and then turn it back down a notch. It’s fast casual, but nicer than that. Casual, communal, and unique.

Dane Findley, Sizzlin’ Jamaican Cuisines

Owned by Monique Baker and Dane Findley, Sizzlin’ Jamaican Cuisines serves up authentic, fast casual Jamaican cuisine, from curry goat to Jamaican patties and more. Its best-sellers, says Findley, are its jerk chicken and slow braised oxtail. Want to make your own at home? They have a store, M&D Jamaican Delights, at 440 S. Lincoln. Below, we catch up with Findley. sizzlinjamaica.com

Steamboat move: Most of my family members are from New York and New Jersey but I had a cousin living here and she convinced me to visit. I fell in love with it and moved here in 2015. This town offers tremendous opportunities if you’re willing to work hard. I’m actually on my third business, along with my Jamaican grocery store and cleaning business.

Restaurant background: I come from a long family history of restaurateurs. My cousin owns two restaurants in the Bronx, and my stepdad owns a Jamaican restaurant in New Jersey. Several family members in Jamaica have also owned restaurants and I’ve seen how they operate. A restaurant is more than just food. It’s about the customer service, the experience and how you make people feel.

Uniqueness: We carry a wide range of authentic Jamaican dishes cooked traditionally, all using natural herbs and spices. While the meats are hard to source, our curry goat and oxtails are the best around. Our Jamaican beef patties are great, as well as our Sizzlin’ Jerk Chicken, Jerk Pork and Jerk Wings. But we’re so much more than our food—we try to bring people together through our culture, which also includes our music and history.

Commons atmosphere: It’s truly one of a kind, with such a diverse selection of vendors and food options all under the same roof. There’s an option for everyone.

Steamboat props: There’s so much to love about this community,