As Craig, Colorado transitions away from its roots as a coal town, local entrepreneurs like Kirstie McPherson are laying the groundwork for its next phase of life.
When TriState Generation and Transmission and Xcel Energy announced that both the coal mines and power plant would be shutdown by 2030, local residents of Craig, Colorado were left wondering, “what’s next?” For entrepreneur and economic behavioralist Kirstie McPherson, the answer is community building. In this first episode of the Startup Colorado Podcast, Season 4, we visited Kirstie’s business The Find & 518 Wine Bar to learn how the concept of “flipping houses” can be applied to whole towns.
"So our downtown used to be a place where after four o'clock, you didn't see a car. And now after five, there's no parking."
Kirstie McPherson, Founder of The Find & 518 Wine Bar
The Find & 518 Wine Bar in Craig, Co
Kirstie is the founder of The Find and 518 Wine Bar in Craig, Loveland, and Meeker, Colorado. She is also a Behavioral Economist who’s research has focused on economic development throughout her career. Kirstie’s primary focus is transitioning economies, such as coal reliant communities and other one industry communities, in working with their redevelopment strategies and communication programs.
