n GJ Auto Sales: More to the story
GJ Auto Sales learned CDOT and the City of Grand Junction targeted their property without telling them.
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n Third Bowl Ice Cream opens in GJ
Third Bowl will have its grand opening Saturday, June 28, from 1 to 5 p.m.
5
n Young Entrepreneurs graduate
Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce’s Young Entrepreneurs graduate with big ideas, personal stories.
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Corkscrews galore and so much more will be displayed in a private collection at Colterris Collections, beginning June 23 — See story, Page 2
n Letter to the Editor
Medicaid Is Mental Health: What Colorado Stands to Lose.
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n Craig Hall Column
The ICE riots should send a chill down every American’s spine.
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This display case filled with corkscrews is part of Colterris Collections co-owner Scott High’s private collection of wine memorabilia that the public can pay to see, starting June 23. Over the course of 54 years, High has collected more than 18,000 corkscrews. Photo by Tim Harty.
Scott High, co-owner of Colterris Collections stands in front of a few of the many display cases that the public will be able to view on June 23. TO THE RIGHT: This corkscrew that Scott High bought in 1971 when he was 16 years old was the start of it all for his private collection of wine memorabilia.
hen you learn that Colterris Collections has 4,000 corkscrews on display and think, “Holy cow! That’s a lot of corkscrews,” know this: That isn’t the half of them.
It’s not even a quarter of them.
That’s just what made the cut.
Scott and Theresa High have 14,000 more corkscrews that aren’t on display in the private collection that will open for public view on June 23 at Colterris Collections, 3708 G Road (or U.S. Highway 6) in Palisade.
There’s much more to see than corkscrews as Scott High said he and Theresa met through the wine business and have gathered all sorts of wine-related memorabilia during their 30-plus years together.
For Scott, the collecting goes back further. He was 16 years old when he bought his first corkscrew, which was made by Budweiser, in 1971. He’s 70 now, so that’s 54 years of finding and buying cool, wine-related items. The collection also has items related to beer and spirits, but wine is the large majority.
“You know how when you get your first car, you’re looking for any excuse to go driving around, you know, go to the grocery store for your mom or anything,” Scott said. “I just had my first car, turned 16 for about a month, and I went down to some antique stores on South Broadway in Denver and bought my first corkscrew, and that kind of started it.”
That corkscrew is in one of the many Colterris Collections display cases and is in its own small cube with a card next to it that reads: “First Corkscrew in The Colterris Collections 1971.”
The explanatory cards, by the way, are plentiful in the display cases, providing details
and stories. If you read all of the cards as you go from one display to the next, Scott doubts you can get through the private collection in one day.
Most likely, people will save the intensive reading for displays that interest them the most.
“I think there’s something in here for almost everybody,” Scott said. “They’ve just got to find what their interests are.”
One of the reasons for displaying and opening the private collection to the public, Scott said, is “a lot more people are interested in history now, and I’m kind of surprised. Twenty years ago, I couldn’t find anybody who cared about history, and now it seems like there’s a resurgence in interest, which is good.”
Scott’s interest in history is obvious when he walks among the displays and points out items he finds particularly interesting.
Among those items were:
• A bottle from 300 A.D.
• Corkscrews made from antlers and tusks.
• Colored wine glasses, including three blue glasses that “were gilded by James Giles himself in London,” Scott said. “And he did those about 1765, but he actually painted all that gold on each one of those glasses.”
See COLTERRIS on page 6
Brandon Leuallen The Business Times
For 22 years, Mike and Amber Martinez had operated GJ Auto Sales from a downtown Grand Junction corner, building up their small family business and planning to add value to the property and keep it growing for years to come.
But in the spring of 2021, behind the scenes, the City of Grand Junction, the Colorado Department of Transportation and Mesa County’s Regional Transportation Planning Office (RTPO) already were making plans for a transit project that would ultimately result in the couple’s unwilling departure.
When the couple found out, they also discovered CDOT had used their business address in a federal grant application.
The couple says they were never told about that.
They first learned about the project while being interviewed for the July 11, 2021, edition of The Daily Sentinel, which included a map with their property circled and labeled “Proposed Mobility Hub.”
“We were blindsided,” Amber Martinez said.
At the time, Mike Martinez spoke to a reporter from the Sentinel, expressing disbelief and an unwillingness to walk away from the business they had built over two decades.
“It’s hard to say anything right now. We’ve got a successful business here,” Martinez said in the article. “So, we’re not planning on going anywhere.”
In one of their first meetings with CDOT representatives, the couple shared how their children had written their names in the concrete at the entrance of their business — a symbol of their deep personal and family investment.
“We don’t pay for sentimental value,” Amber recalled CDOT saying.
The Governor Came to Town
Amber said the situation became more surreal during a major political event. On Feb. 17, 2022, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis traveled to Grand Junction to deliver his State of the State address at Two Rivers Convention Center. At the same time, in the convention center lobby, their property appeared on a large whiteboard titled “Mobility Hub – Concept Plan” for all to see — while the Martinez family still owned and operated the site.
“They put up those signs while we were still running our business,” Amber said.
They Had Plans of Their Own
Before learning of the project’s intentions, the couple had been actively investing in the future of the property, renovating part of the site to expand operations.
“We were remodeling that building. We had plans for it,” Amber said. “If we had known, we never would have started those renovations.”
There were three rental units on the property: a commercial photo shop on the Second Street side; an upstairs unit the couple was remodeling into an Airbnb; and a third unit.
After discovering their property was targeted for the mobility hub, the Martinezes stopped renovations on the Airbnb, which remained unfinished and unrented for nearly three and a half years. The photo-shop tenant moved out in 2022, and the couple couldn’t find new renters, because the property had been publicly identified as the future site of a government project. Combined, these vacancies resulted in years of significant lost rental income that was of no consequence in the appraisal CDOT used to make its initial offer.
The couple came to believe the city had long sought to push them out after meeting with city planners to inquire about making improvements to the property.
The Martinezes said they asked about building a new office next to the building on Second Street. They said they were told if they did, they would not be able to have outdoor sales again as that would require a change of use, and they
would lose their grandfathered status that allowed them to operate the car lot in the downtown area.
During that meeting with city planners, the Martinezes said they were also told the vision the city had for downtown didn’t include a car dealership.
Shocked by the newspaper revelation, the couple reached out to Grand Junction Public Works Director Trent Prall. In an email dated July 16, 2021, Prall apologized for his “tardy response,” but offered no apology for including their property in months of coordinated planning with CDOT without notifying them.
“He said, ‘Sorry for the delay in replying,’ not sorry for taking our land or not telling us they were planning to,” Amber said. “We told him, ‘You should have come to us a long time ago.’”
“It wasn’t just a lack of communication,” Mike added. “It was calculated silence.”
Out of Options, They Listed It High Uncertain about their options and hoping the bold pricing would persuade officials to choose another location, the couple listed their property for sale for $4.9 million in August 2022.
“We priced it high, hoping they’d just leave us alone,” Amber said.
The Martinezes never expected a buyer from the open market, knowing the property had already been publicly identified as the future site of the mobility hub. As reality set in and it became clear the project was moving forward regardless, they began gradually lowering the price, determined to fight until the end, but realizing there likely was no way to keep their property.
Eminent Domain and the Consent Agenda
In October 2023, Grand Junction City Council voted unanimously in favor of a resolution authorizing the use of eminent domain if negotiations for the property were unsuccessful. The resolution was placed on the consent agenda and passed without public discussion.
Then–Mayor Anna Stout signed the resolution. Current Mayor Cody Kennedy, who voted in favor at the time, now says he wants to improve the process:
Looking back, Kennedy said, “I wish this had not been passed in the consent agenda.”
He said he wished council had spoken directly with the family to get more context.
In the future, Kennedy said, he believes any matter involving eminent domain should appear on the regular agenda to allow for meaningful public and council engagement.
“That’s not what a consent agenda should be used for,” Kennedy said. “It’s for normal administrative processes that are just kind of day-to-day stuff, not anything that’s this heavy.
“When we’re talking about eminent domain, if we have to use it – which I hope we don’t – I think it should be a regular agenda item.”
On Jan. 24, 2024, CDOT issued a Notice of Intent to Acquire, a step that initiates a process forcing the property owner into negotiations to sell, regardless of their willingness to do so. If the negotiations fail, then property condemnation and court proceedings for eminent domain begin.
On Aug. 19, 2024, City Council held an executive session to seek legal counsel about CDOT’s request to possibly join a condemnation action by the State of Colorado
This article is a follow-up to “CDOT Sells Used Car Dealer a Lemon,” published June 4 in The Business Times. In that story, we reported about CDOT acquiring the GJ Auto Sales property through the threat of eminent domain for a planned mobility hub.
On Aug. 21, 2024, during its regular meeting, CIty Council voted in favor of a resolution to support CDOT’s request to condemn the property and move forward with eminent domain proceedings.
The city staff recommendation reads, in part, “Adopt and approve the resolution determining the necessity of and authorizing the acquisition of certain property and property interests by condemnation.”
The Next Steps in the city staff report, reads, “CDOT is seeking support from the City Council for the acquisition of the site by eminent domain. Design and acquisition of property for the mobility hub can then begin in earnest by CDOT. An intergovernmental agreement will be needed in the future to capture responsibilities for operations and maintenance of the mobility hub.”
Mayor Abe Herman noted: “The consent agenda includes items that are considered routine and will be approved by a single motion. Items on the consent agenda will not be discussed by City Council unless an item is removed for individual consideration.”
No items were pulled for discussion. The resolution passed 6-0. Council member Anna Stout was absent. Other Options Were Available
The couple said they were told by CDOT that other properties, including the one the county offered and the property at 261 Ute Ave. — right next door — were also considered for the mobility hub. The City of Grand Junction already owns that parcel, which totals 1.15 acres, nearly twice the size of the GJ Auto Sales site (0.564 acres).
According to the city, only a narrow strip of the 261 Ute Ave. property is being used for regional and interstate bus operations right next to the alley. The couple was told the remaining land may be preserved for a future subsidized housing development.
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The city also owns a 0.64-acre piece of property directly to the north of the site, where Mesa Pawn and Loan used to be.
When asked:
• What other properties owned by the city were considered?
• Why did the city not offer other city-owned locations?
• What is the city planning for the resource center site if not the mobility hub?
The city responded:
• The Mobility Hub is a CDOT-led project. CDOT purchased the property for the use and benefit of the project.
• The best contacts for your questions would be Rob Beck, program manager (rob.beck@state.co.us) or Charles Marsh, CDOT public information officer (charles.marsh@state.co.us).
• The city, county and CDOT contributed financially, and the owner sold the property after extensive negotiations. There was discussion of eminent domain with the Council, but no action was filed.
• The city-owned property at 261 Ute Ave. — only a long linear strip adjacent to the alley — will be used for a portion of the mobility hub, specifically for regional and interstate buses County Said No Eminent Domain
Mesa County Commissioner Cody Davis said the county had offered 105 West Main St. in front of the Central Services building off the corner of First and Main as an option in the planning process. See CDOT on Page 8
Tim Harty The Business Times
As of its June 9 soft opening, Third Bowl Homemade Ice Cream is serving super premium ice cream – 16 flavors, including four dairy-free – in Grand Junction at 1059 North Ave.
That likely begs the question: What is super premium? Third Bowl owner and self-professed food-science nerd Kendall Phillips can explain.
Third Bowl Homemade Ice Cream is located at 1059 North Ave. in Grand Junction.
Third Bowl will have its grand opening Saturday, June 28, from 1 to 5 p.m.
Half pints of Third Bowl Homemade Ice Cream can be purchased at the Third Bowl store on North Avenue or found at Fisher’s Market, 625 24 1/2 Road, or either of the Golden Gate convenience stores in Grand Junction: 2395 G Road or 399 29 Road.
Jason and Kendall Phillips stand behind the counter at Third Bowl Homemade Ice Cream. Kendall owns the business, while Jason, her husband, “is super involved,” which was evident during the several months of work that had to be done to prepare the store to open. Photo by Tim Harty.
“The USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) regulates ice cream, because it’s a dairy product, and there are different categories,” she said. “There’s what’s called ice cream, and then there’s premium ice cream, and then what we make is super premium ice cream.”
When ice cream is whipped and churned, air is introduced into it, and while premium ice cream is allowed to be up to two-thirds air, super premium tends to fall between 20 and 50 percent air. Phillips said Third Bowl’s percentage of air ranges from 30 to 40 percent.
So, super premium ice cream is more dense and more creamy, because it has more of the things other than air in it.
In Third Bowl’s case, that starts with making its ice cream from scratch. And Phillips said she means everything.
“A lot of places that call themselves homemade ice cream buy a pre-made ice cream base and add their own stuff to it,” she said, then emphatically added, “We make our base.
“So, we start with milk, cream, sugar, all the ingredients. We’re a fully licensed dairy plant because we make our own ice cream. … And so we pasteurize all of our own bases. We have multiple base recipes, depending on what
we’re adding to it, so that we get the texture and everything to be right on everything.
“And basically, we make everything that goes into the ice cream from scratch as well. If it has cookies, we make those. If it has caramel swirl, we make those.”
Phillips makes a small exception for a few mix-ins, such as Fruity Pebbles cereal or rainbow sprinkles. Otherwise,
Third Bowl makes its mix-ins.
“In our birthday cake (ice cream), there are rainbow sprinkles, but we bake the cake,” Phillips said. “We make our own frosting, buttercream frosting. We frost the cakes, chop them into little pieces.”
When it comes to fruit that’s mixed in, it’s from whole fruit.
“We don’t buy any pre-made fruit purees,” she said.
Third Bowl also tries to buy as much as it can from North Fork Valley producers, because its ice-cream factory is in Hotchkiss, and Phillips and her husband, Jason, live in Cedaredge. See ICE CREAM on Page 10
This mirror, which was supposed to hang in San Francisco’s Fairmont Hotel, was never seen by the public there, because the 1906 San Francisco earthquake happened during the day that the mirror was supposed to be unveiled to the public. The mirror was rescued from the hotel and had smoke damage that Scott and Theresa High had professionally cleaned.
Continued from Page 2
• Georgian stemmed glasses that have extremely thick bottoms, because in the 1700s, you would bang them on the table. “Instead of clapping,” Scott said, “you’d bang – ‘Here, here,’ you know – to a toast or something, so they were thick, so you could bang on the table. And then in 1745, the British changed the tax laws on glass blowers, and so they stopped making them so thick, because they had to pay higher duty.”
• A deception glass, which Scott said, “If you look at the bottom, it’s really thick. So, a toastmaster that was presenting for an evening in Britain, they’d do a toast to the king, a toast to the prince regent, a toast to the lord mayor. They have all these toasts, and so if the toastmaster was drinking the same amount as everybody else, he would not be able to do the toast after a while. So he drank about half as much as everybody else, because the glass is so thick. So that’s a real rarity there. To have that in that condition is really beautiful.”
• Corkscrews from the Black Forest that are “probably close to 100 years old.”
• A bottle of wine that was recommended by Duncan Hines. Yes, that’s the same Duncan Hines better known for cake mixes.
• A variety of jugs from Colorado, of which Scott said, “They’re very rare. Leadville, Walsenburg, Florence, Denver,
Glenwood Springs, Montrose, Trinidad, Salida. They all tell a story, but they’re about 110 and 120 years old.”
• A beer can from the first company to put beer and ale in cans: the Gottfried Krueger Brewing Company in Newark, N.J.
• A beer-tasting cup that Adolphus Busch gave to his son, Carl, on his 21st birthday. “See the initials, CLB, St. Louis, Missouri,” Scott said. “So, that goes back to about 1912, I think.”
• A display case devoted to Napoleon Bonaparte, and Scott pointed to a glass bottle with a clean break near the top of the neck and said, “Napoleon Bonaparte was obviously a big champagne guy, and when his troops won a battle, they were given bottles of champagne when they came back into Paris. And the cavalry, in particular, would take those cavalry sabers, smack the tops of the bottles off to look like that.” That technique, by the way, is called sabrage.
• A corkscrew recovered from the Battle of Waterloo, and Scott said it “might be the only one in existence.”
At one point, Scott said, “I think I’m probably telling you more than you’d care to know about.”
His assumption was incorrect. The collection is filled with fascinating items, and there isn’t a better guide for it than the man who spent 54 years putting it together.
Colterris Collections’ private collection, 3708 G Road (also U.S. 6), will open to the public on June 23, co-owner Scott High said.
High said in early June he thinks admission will be $20, and Colterris wine club members will get a reduced rate of $15.
Scott High knows people will call Colterris Collections a museum, but he doesn’t.
“We just call it a private collection,” he said. “You come experience a private collection of objects.
“And the museum, for my generation it connotates that I was going somewhere in a yellow school bus, and the teacher made me get off and stand in a single file and be quiet until I went into the museum, and I couldn’t ask any questions or anything, just had to look and listen.
“I guess technically it’s a museum, but it’s a private collection.”
High said the thing people ask about the most in the private collection is the giant mirror, and while his wife, Theresa High, didn’t want to be part of the interview Scott gave to The Business Times, she provided the story behind the mirror.
She said it originally was hanging in the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco, and the hotel was scheduled to open for business with a ribbon cutting during the morning of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. However, the earthquake occurred a few hours before the opening could take place, and the resulting fires in San Francisco damaged the Fairmont Hotel.
“This particular mirror was rescued from the fire, and right now, if you go into the Fairmont Hotel, you’ll see a replica of this,” Theresa said.
The Highs purchased the mirror more than 10 years ago, she said, and all of the carvings around it were smoke damaged. They decided to get it professionally cleaned a few months ago in anticipation of displaying it in the private collection, and that brought a nice surprise.
“They found by cleaning it, this is the original gold, gilding on the artwork there, the carvings around it, and that’s burlwood, and they cleaned it all up,” she said.
Continued from Page 4
The county made clear in an August 2024 letter to CDOT that its support for the purchase of the GJ auto sales property for the Downtown Grand Junction Mobility Hub was contingent on eminent domain not being used.
The formal letter, signed by County Administrator Peter Baier, reaffirmed the county’s commitment to the project, including a $100,000 contribution toward property acquisition, but emphasized that support was conditional.
“We didn’t believe that was the proper use of eminent domain,” Davis said. “It should only be used if there is no other option.”
Davis said the county also doubled its original financial commitment to help CDOT increase its offer and secure an agreement.
According to background materials presented during the Grand Junction City Council’s Aug. 21, 2024, regular session, several potential locations were evaluated, but downtown Grand Junction ranked highest based on proximity to existing development and infrastructure.
Key reasons cited included:
• Proximity to destinations such as the Amtrak station, Main Street, the Mesa County Justice Center and the proposed pedestrian bridge to Dos Rios.
• Ability to expand the current transfer facility.
• Increased visibility compared to the current site.
• Strong multimodal and vehicle connectivity.
CDOT Clarifies Hub’s Purpose
While CDOT is the lead agency, it confirmed the mobility hub was always intended to be a joint initiative, funded and planned in partnership with the City of Grand Junction, Mesa County and Grand Valley Transit. Funding came through a 2022 RAISE grant.
“This isn’t about fixing a single malfunctioning element,” CDOT said. “It’s about unifying and coordinating the Grand Valley’s transportation system.”
The existing transfer facility on Fifth Street will remain in use for other county functions.
CDOT made an initial offer of $963,850 for the GJ Auto Sales property in May 2024, just above the lowest appraised value, based on its own appraisal. The couple commissioned their own appraisal paid for by CDOT, submitted multiple counteroffers and ultimately accepted $1,417,000 in January 2025, just before condemnation proceedings were set to begin.
“They kept trying to get us to take their first offer,” Amber said. “This wasn’t a willing sale — we couldn’t afford a court battle.”
During this time, CDOT also attempted to block multiple access points to the property – the move would have choked their business out and drained them financially even more – until a court forced CDOT to keep them open.
A property close to American Furniture Warehouse was discussed as part of the compensation to the Martinezes, and the couple said it could have worked, but CDOT pulled that property from the discussion after it originally was brought up to them.
In addition to the used-car business, the Martinezes’ property included three rental units. It was more than just a small business; it was an investment. The family lost not only its primary source of income, but multiple other revenue streams and its one-of-a-kind location.
Colorado law requires “just compensation” in the form of fair market value for takings under eminent domain. But the fair market value does not cover lost rental income, business viability, emotional distress, or future earnings — all issues the Martinezes faced.
According to the couple, the saga also brought legal fees, lost sales from road construction on Ute and Pitkin avenues, compounded by impacts from the Homeward Bound of the Grand Valley Resource Center next door, and outstanding mortgage debt, which had to be paid off from the proceeds before funds could be released.
Spring 2021 – CDOT, the City of Grand Junction and the Mesa County Regional Transportation Office begin planning for a mobility hub and evaluating sites while preparing a federal RAISE grant application.
July 11, 2021 – The Daily Sentinel publishes an article about the proposed mobility hub. The property owned by Mike and Amber Martinez at 317 S. Second St., where they operated GJ Auto Sales, is pictured and labeled as the proposed site. The couple first learns of the plan.
July 13, 2021 – The Martinezes email Grand Junction Public Works Director Trent Prall. He replies on July, 16 with an apology for the delay but does not acknowledge the property was targeted without notice.
Feb. 17, 2022 – Gov. Jared Polis visits Grand Junction for his State of the State address. At the venue, a large “Mobility Hub – Concept Plan” board displays the Martinez property as the site for the hub.
Aug. 17, 2022 – The couple lists their property for sale with a $4.9 million price tag, hoping the price deters the state and city from proceeding.
Sept. 16, 2022 – The couple received a letter from CDOT, notifying them it is closing access to the property from Ute and Pitkin avenues.
Nov. 14, 2022 – Court appeal was filed to stop closure of access to the property by CDOT. During a subsequent meeting, CDOT said it will not close access to the property.
Mike and Amber Martinez said they were trusting in their faith in God to make it through.
Relocation Still Unresolved
CDOT closed on the sale of the property on April 3, 2025, and GJ Auto Sales vacated by May 23. While eligible for relocation assistance, the couple says the search for a new location has been difficult.
“They took the only income we had,” Amber said. “We’re still looking, but we’ve hit roadblocks — zoning, cost, location. It’s not easy to just start over after 22 years.”
Speaking
They describe themselves as private people, and the Martinezes never went public with complaints during the process. It wasn’t until May 2025, as they were leaving the property, that they decided to share their experience.
Amber said also that other businesses on Pitkin and Ute are probably going to face access issues.
“If we had known earlier, we could’ve done things differently,” Amber said.
Now, they say they’re speaking out to alert other small local businesses and property owners — especially those who have no idea their existence isn’t part of the city’s vision and may already be listed in government grant submissions or on proposed plans without ever knowing it.
Oct. 18, 2023 – City Council passes a resolution authorizing the use of eminent domain if negotiations fail. The resolution is approved on the consent agenda without public discussion.
Jan. 25, 2024 – CDOT sends a formal Notice of Intent to Acquire for the property.
May 16, 2024 – CDOT sends an initial offer based on its appraisal. The initial offer was for $963,850, which included a $46,850, 45-day incentive over the fair-market-value amount of $917,000. The appraisal provided on the owners behalf was $1,012,00. CDOT reimbursed the owners for their appraisal.
Aug. 21, 2024 – Two days after an executive session to receive legal advice about possibly joining a condemnation action by the State of Colorado, City Council voted 6-0 during its regular meeting on a resolution supporting CDOT’s official request to move to eminent domain. It was included on the consent agenda, which bundles items typically considered routine.
August 2024 – Mesa County sends a letter to CDOT stating its support is contingent on not using eminent domain. The county also had offered alternative land, and after sending the letter, the county increased its financial contribution.
January 2, 2025 – After multiple counter offers the couple accepts CDOT’s final offer of $1,417,000 just before formal condemnation proceedings were set to begin on Jan. 6. April 3, 2025 – CDOT closes on the sale of the property.
May 23, 2025 – GJ Auto Sales vacates its location after 22 years in business.
Continued from Page 5
All of that probably adds up to an expensive bowl or cone of ice cream, but Phillips isn’t driven by the almighty dollar when setting prices.
“I should be charging more,” she said. “Our product costs a lot more to produce, but I want it to be competitive, and I want – I’ve always wanted a little kid to be able to, like, do some chores and afford an ice cream. And so a kid scoop is $4. It probably should be more, but that’s the fine line.
“And to be honest ... it sounds corny, but for real, part of the reason to run a company for me is to try to run it a little different and try to have the people matter more than the profits. Of course, I make money, but I probably make less than I could.
“And so I guess with this pricing, it’s like, I hope to sell more scoops with a lower margin per scoop, than fewer scoops with a higher margin, because fewer scoops with the higher margin means that it’s like elite – it’s only accessible to some people – and I’d rather sell it to most people and make less per scoop.
“I don’t know. I’m not a very good capitalist, if I’m being honest. I’m a great chef, but I’m not a very good capitalist.”
Grand Valley residents can determine for themselves what they think of Third Bowl’s ice cream and pricing by frequenting the retail store, and besides thanking Phillips for the opportunity, they can thank Covid-19.
Yes, a worldwide pandemic played a part in bringing Third Bowl’s store to Grand Junction. That’s because the awful beginning of Covid-19 in Colorado in the spring of 2020 forced Phillips to close the Third Bowl Homemade Ice Cream store she operated in Crested Butte for eight years.
She did a savvy redirect, though, and kept the wholesale operation alive by moving it to Hotchkiss, where the ice-cream factory has been for five years. Business is doing well enough there that Phillips decided to try a retail store again, and Grand Junction was deemed a safer bet than some of the smaller, tourist-economy towns in Western Colorado.
She also knew where she wanted to put the store in Grand Junction, and its proximity to Colorado Mesa University is no accident. Phillips said being near the university was a requirement for Third Bowl’s retail location.
“This just makes so much sense, because it’s a year-round population, and I’ve got the students and the brand name,” Phillips said. “I think this is a great location for what we’re doing. … This is more space than we need, but the location is too great to have passed it up.”
For anyone unfamiliar with Third Bowl Homemade Ice Cream, Phillips thinks they’re in for a pleasant surprise.
“I think when people try it, they can tell almost immediately how different a product it is from something that’s full of all sorts of chemicals to make the mixture hold more air,” she said. “We don’t use any artificial dyes or flavorings. Any flavoring we add, like our mint and our lavender, is all natural. So, I think people can tell right away it’s better.
“So my hope is that they’ll come back more, and we’ll still be profitable without having to gouge people on the price.”
Fifteen the Grand Academy, businesses.
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Brandon Leuallen The Business Times
Fifteen middle and high school students graduated June 10 from the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce’s Young Entrepreneurs Academy, completing a nine-month journey to build their own real businesses.
Among them were Xander Smith and Brielle Nye, two standout students whose business ideas were fueled by family legacy, creativity and personal growth.
The graduation ceremony, held at the Courtyard by Marriott in Grand Junction, honored the students’ work with plaque presentations, speeches and encouragement from local business leaders, family members and mentors.
A Spice Blend and a Story
Xander Smith launched Red Brick Seasoning, a unique allpurpose spice mix that began as a recipe created by his father.
“My dad made it when he was in his 30s,” Xander said. “He used it on everything: burgers; brisket; popcorn; vegetables. After he passed away, no one was making it anymore, so I thought, ‘Why not see what I can do with it?’”
Describing the flavor isn’t easy, he said.
“It’s got a sweet and spicy flavor,” Xander said. “There’s brown sugar, cumin, chili powder and other spices mixed in. It’s hard to describe exactly; it really depends on your taste.”
Xander said one of the most valuable lessons he learned was the importance of connecting with people.
“I’ve always been pretty shy,” he said. “But working on this business made me realize I had to step up and talk to people, explain what the seasoning is, how it works, and why they might want it. It definitely helped me open up more.”
He also found value in designing labels, packaging and learning how to brand his product.
“I’ve already started going to local food trucks and smoothie shops to see if they’d want to use it,” he said. “My goal is to build something people can use at home or even in commercial kitchens.”
Sewing Purpose Into Every Stitch
For Brielle Nye, her business Carry It On started with her grandmother’s passion for
sewing – and a desire to reduce waste.
“My grandma used to sew Teddy bears and donate them to people in need,” Brielle said. “I wanted to do something like that, give back, but also make something useful and fun.”
Her business takes old or discarded clothes and turns them into one-of-a-kind bags.
“We also donate 10 percent of profits to environmental charities,” she said. “It’s about creating something new out of something that would’ve been thrown away.”
Brielle’s concept didn’t just win her praise locally. She was selected earlier this month to represent Colorado at the National Young Entrepreneurs Association Saunders Scholars Competition, where she showcased her brand on a national stage.
She said the biggest takeaway from the program was learning to believe in herself.
“Starting a business can feel intimidating,” she said. “But if you have confidence in your idea and you stick with it, you can make it work.”
Through the program, Brielle also learned how to write a business plan, consider different parts of running a company and structure things in a way that sets a foundation for success.
“We had a trade show at the mall, and I made a few sales there,” she said. “I’ve also started a social media page to get more exposure.”
Young Entrepreneurs Academy is a national program that helps students aged 11 to 18 turn their ideas into actual businesses. The Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce hosts the only Young Entrepreneurs Academy program currently active in Colorado. Students spend the school year developing business plans, pitching to investors and launching fully formed ventures.
“This graduation represents more than a program milestone, it reflects the power of young people to create, solve problems and contribute meaningfully to our community’s future economy,” said Candace Carnahan, president and CEO of the Grand Junction Chamber. “These students didn’t just learn business principles, they applied them.”
To learn more about the Young Entrepreneurs Academy or how to support local student-run businesses, visit www.gjchamber.org/yea.
Dear Editor,
Colorado’s leading health foundations have worked in close partnership for more than a decade to expand access to equitable mental health care and strengthen the health care safety net for those too often left underserved or unserved in our health system. Together, we supported the implementation of the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid expansion – efforts that made it possible to fund innovative, community-rooted models of care across our state.
These weren’t abstract policy shifts. They were deliberate steps to ensure people in rural towns, communities of color, immigrant communities and people working low-wage jobs could access high-quality health and mental health care when and where they needed it, often for the first time.
As leaders of Colorado’s health-focused philanthropic foundations, we are deeply concerned by the proposed $625 billion in federal cuts to Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program over the next decade. These are not just budget adjustments – they represent a direct threat to the wellbeing of more than 1.3 million Coloradans, including children and young people, families, older adults, pregnant women and people with disabilities who rely on these programs for essential care.
The importance of continued investment comes into focus when we look at the data:
● In 2023, 26.2 percent of Coloradans, about 1.5 million people, reported poor mental health (Colorado Health Institute).
●After Colorado declared youth mental health an emergency in 2021, outcomes improved by 2023: persistent sadness fell from 40 percent to 26 percent, suicidal thoughts from 17 percent to 11 percent, and suicide attempts from 7 percent to 6 percent (Children’s Hospital Colorado; Healthy Kids Colorado, 2023). The proactive efforts of many have contributed to this progress, but too many young people are still struggling with their mental health. We don’t want to lose gains.
● In 2024, 59 percent of Coloradans reported mental health strain, and 41 percent of them delayed seeking care (Pulse Poll, The Colorado Health Foundation).
But beyond these numbers lies a quieter truth: Medicaid is the backbone of Colorado’s mental health system. It funds school-based mental health supports, substance-use treatment, mobile-crisis-response services, and therapy for children and families. It enables community providers to offer mental health care regardless of ability to pay. Health First Colorado, the state’s Medicaid program, covers preventive mental health screenings, case management, and inpatient and outpatient services that would otherwise be out of reach.
Cuts of this scale would force community mental health centers to reduce services or close altogether. It would leave young people without access to therapists, families without medication support, and schools without crisis intervention partners. It would undermine the very gains Colorado has made to improve access to mental health care and reduce stigma.
At a time when suicide remains a leading cause of death for young people in Colorado, and when demand for mental health services is rising, pulling away one of the few lifelines people trust and rely upon is unconscionable.
Our foundations are proud to invest in innovative, community-centered mental health solutions. But no matter how creative or committed our philanthropic efforts are, we cannot replace the scale or sustainability of public funding. Medicaid reaches every corner of our state, including rural communities where mental health services are already scarce. Without it, the gaps will widen, particularly for people of color, rural communities, young people and low-income families.
The proposed cuts are moving quickly as part of a federal budget bill now being debated in Congress. These decisions will have long-term consequences for access to mental health care across Colorado. We encourage Coloradans to stay informed, engage in conversations about what’s at stake and help elevate the importance of mental health in public life.
Signed by:
Linda Reiner, President & CEO, Caring for Colorado Foundation
Karen McNeil-Miller, President & CEO, The Colorado Health Foundation
Lorez Meinhold, Executive Director, Caring for Denver Foundation
Don Mares, President & CEO, The Colorado Trust
Michaelle Smith, Executive Director, Rocky Mountain Health Foundation
Lindy Eichenbaum Lent, President & CEO, Rose Community Foundation
down every American’s spine
Because the riots we’re seeing in California, and if I can predict the future (as this column’s deadline comes before the scheduled Saturday, June 14th, 2025, riots), coming to a town near you, are but a symptom (and warning) about our limited form of government that no longer knows any limits. It’s like these folks get elected and think they can do whatever they want with the power and money that comes with their new position to force their agenda down the throats of the citizenry and not have any consequences for doing so.
And this may come as a shock to you, I don’t mean President Donald Trump. Ironically, it’s not about power and money for him, as he came into office (again) with plenty of the latter, and his election gave him all the former any man could ever ask for.
Whether you see it or not, he’s losing plenty of money while on the job and exercising very little power over the citizens he’s sworn to protect and defend. Go ahead, outside of the left’s talking points, lawfare and projection, tell me where I’m wrong. But you don’t get to use talking points, lawfare or projection in doing so.
Mind you, I am not saying Donald Trump is some angel. I’ve written columns warning about the dangers of electing him in 2016 and again in 2024. On the first run my warnings were about giving a narcissist the most powerful position in the free world. To my surprise, he governed conservatively and constitutionally for the majority of his first term.
Was I wrong? To paraphrase the latest leftist phrase, I was mostly wrong.
Then came Covid-19.
And my fears about Donald Trump came to life as he fell into the trap of unlimited power during a crisis (no matter how manmade and self-induced it was), which can be turned on the people. It came in two ways: 15 days to slow the spread and we can’t get back to normal until we get the vaccine.
Both of these took control out of the hands of the citizens and put the people’s very life and liberty even more under the iron fist (and whims) of government. And even though they didn’t “make a law” on either mandate, they put all the power and control solely (and don’t forget cash flow) in the hands of government. And as always happens, the collectivists jumped on the opportunity. Because absolute control, which is the power over life and death, is their ultimate goal.
And while I could write a hundred columns about the abuses of power over the Covid “pandemic,” this column is about the control Covid gave leftist (and more than a few conservative players, see: Kuhr, Jeff for a local example) governors, commissioners and mayors through “emergency powers” and how they are still being abused on the citizens to this day. If you’d like another local, “emergency” example, have a look-see on the success of our fair city in managing the homeless crisis.
Because that’s all this whole “immigration” thing is about: Who controls it.
And government lust for control knows no bounds. Just look at how it runs the pot, booze, gambling, tobacco and petroleum industry across the country. Yes, those “businesses” are all run by the government. Now you may argue without government “oversight” these “vices would run amok in society. I’d argue, amok they indeed run because that’s how government wants it. I mean, outside of petroleum, our founders loved to partake in all of them at the nation’s founding. But they used them freely, not for control as government has “progressed” to doing.
After all, “Give them bread and circuses” is an adage for a reason. And while we can’t necessarily apply it directly to illegal immigration, there is a connection related to who runs the business – along with the bread and circuses we call “protests,” which we now apparently organize across the country instead of passing out flyers to come to the Colosseum. Then again, this isn’t exactly Maximus Decimus Meridius as the headliner in your program; it’s more like Minimus Maxipadius Manipulatus. And sadly, “they” are legion.
Simply put, the illegal immigration “emergency” is government created and controlled. After all, who are the promoters of both the influx of illegals and the “protests” we are all about to witness across the country? The folks who are truly in control of the progressive left either through power, position or the almighty dollar.
And what does the left need most in order to declare its emergency related to illegal immigration? That’s right. Illegal immigrants. And nothing attracts illegal immigrants more than the benefits wasted through tax dollars in “sanctuary” cities and states while placing both illegals and those in power above the law.
And where is this all located? In democrat city and state strongholds. Strongholds that are paid for by billionaire benefactors on the left.
Ironically, the only person trying to put a stop to it is another billionaire who came to power, but through the vote of the people: Donald Trump. And all he’s trying to do is enforce the law. You know, the laws those on the left keep breaking.
And we’re gonna see a lot more lawbreaking as the summer heats up and the circus comes to town.
In Christ and Freedom.
Craig Hall is owner and publisher of The Business Times. Reach him at 424-5133 or publisher@thebusinesstimes.com
Toni Heiden, owner of Heiden Homes Realty, was recognized for her contributions to the Realtor Political Action Committee at the recent National Association of Realtors convention in Washington, D.C.
Heiden was honored for donating $25,000 during her real estate career. RPAC lobbies for legislation designed to protect private property rights and to make housing more affordable.
Heiden has contributed to RPAC during her 47 years as a Realtor in Mesa County.
Heiden is a California native who moved to the Grand Valley and later earned her real estate license in 1978. She worked for several real estate companies before starting her own firm in 2003.
The City of Grand Junction is accepting photograph submissions for its annual printed calendar for 2026. Photographers are encouraged to submit photos that celebrate the beauty of the community, including scenes, special events and other snapshots of life in Grand Junction.
Other photo options can include landmarks, parks, public spaces or everyday moments from Grand Junction. The deadline for submission is July 11 at 5 p.m. Photograph submissions must be completed online. Emailed photos will not be accepted. Photographs are submitted electronically and then undergo an initial assessment for quality before moving on to the final process of review and selection by the Commission on Arts and Culture. Photographs must be a minimum of 300 dpi in file formats that include jpg, tif, and png. Horizontal photos are encouraged. Photographers are recognized with their name and website URL (if applicable), which are printed with their photo.
Local nonprofit Foundation for Cultural Exchange will make cultural delegation trips Aug. 1-9 and Dec. 4-9 to Grand Junction’s sister city in El Salvador, El Espino.
The focus of the August trip is promoting cultural understanding and building relationships between Western Slope travelers and residents of El Espino and is geared for a more adventurous traveler. The December trip is geared for travelers who are looking for a shorter and less rugged experience .
“These trips are not what you think of when you think of service or mission trips,” said Anna Stout, president of the FCE and trip
leader. “It’s about understanding each other’s ways of life, not going there to fix or change things. On these trips, we practice ‘service through humility,’ understanding that we have a lot more to learn than we have to give. Our mission is to build relationships, not houses or schools. We want to empower the sister city community and be a partner in their development.”
The trip itinerary, information about travel within El Salvador, a brief history of the Foundation for Cultural Exchange and Grand Junction’s sister city relationship can be viewed in a virtual session. For a link to the virtual session, email info@fceelsalvador.org or call 970-433-2897. To sign up, visit fceelsalvador.org/delegations.
Estimated all-inclusive cost for the trip is $2,000-2,500, dependent on airfare and number of travelers, and the deadline to register is Friday, June 20. All ages and backgrounds are welcome. No Spanish experience is required. Space is limited.
For more information about the FCE or the summer trip, contact Stout at 970-4332897 or anna@FCEelsalvador.org.
Colorado National Monument Association announced a new collaboration with Denver-based distillery Leopold Bros. The distillery has crafted a special whiskey called “Monument Canyon Trail,” with 10 percent of every bottle sold benefiting CNMA and its work supporting Colorado National Monument.
Monument Canyon Trail whiskey will soon be available in stores across Colorado and for online purchase at www.leopoldbros.com/us-delivery. Leopold Bros., is an independently owned and operated distillery founded by brothers Todd and Scott Leopold.
“Our father Bob Leopold worked at the Bureau of Land Management for his entire career, while Scott did his MS in environmental engineering at Stanford, becoming a pioneer in sustainable factory design. Everything we do is in concert with nature,” distiller Todd Leopold said.
To celebrate the launch, the public is invited to a release party June 25, 6-7:30 p.m., at Talbott Farms Farm Market and Tap Room, 3801 F 1/4 Road in Palisade. The Leopold Bros. team sources fruit from Talbott Farms for several of its products.
Tickets cost $50 and are available at www.leopoldbros.com/visit-us.
“CNMA is tremendously lucky to have this partnership with Leopold Bros.,” CNMA Executive Director Johanna van Waveren said. “Their whiskey is something special, and their commitment to supporting Colorado’s public lands is inspiring. This collaboration will help introduce more people to CNMA while raising important funds to support the CNMA’s programs and preservation.”
For more information about the partnership and CNMA’s work, visit www.coloradonma.org.
