(COLORADO SPRINGS) — The streets of Old Colorado City are adorned with businesses and shops, and the area’s character and charm remain a testament to the distinctive ambiance of southern Colorado. The First City Hall of Colorado City, one of the historic treasures still left in the area, is being repurposed as a hub for the evolving culinary world.
“Pop, is that little moment, the frisson of joy when you think I would love to do this,” Owner of Pop Kitchen and Events, Amy Kunstle, said. “It’s the inspiration that you sit with and say, ‘if I just had a place I could do this,’ and we would like for people to think that way.”
Pop Kitchen and Events opened their doors on December 27, transforming the City Hall building into a vibrant space filled with the scents of freshly baked pastries and flavorful lunch dishes, available for order upon stepping foot inside.
“We do have a breakfast and lunch menu so you can sit throughout the house with the goal being a seated lunch, Tuesday through Saturday in the future,” said Kunstle.
Upon entering the historic building, the vibrant atmosphere along with the letters POP will immediately greet customers.
The charm of this venue is further enhanced by Kunstle’s commitment to preserving its historical roots. When first entering the building, a framed photo of the First City Hall of Colorado City hangs on one of the walls.
“It is a historic building, it was built in 1888,” Kunstle said. “A lot of planning, it is on the national registry, and it took four years.”
Four years of hard work and dedication, but Kunstle’s vision extended far beyond simply introducing new bites and drinks to customers; it also encompassed the idea of providing a platform for aspiring culinary talents to bring their creations to fruition.
“I think the real highlight is what we can do for small culinary businesses, as a shared kitchen and culinary incubator,” Kunstle said. “We have a kitchen that’s designed to be ergonomic, and sustainable, and a small business can come in and cook with us. Then tell us what they would love: would they like to do a pop-up, would they like to scale with a small dinner, would they like to just cook their food and leave? They can do all kinds of things here.”
Inside the kitchen on Tuesday morning, one chef was preparing croutons and seasoning them to perfection.
The communal kitchen space provides a platform for culinary enthusiasts to explore their passions, whether it’s hosting a dinner party or even experimenting with innovative menu items. Not only is there the opportunity to use the kitchen space, but customers can sit both on the first and second floor with many dining areas including a private room.
“Starting a food truck can cost $100,000,” Kunstle said. “So having a place that you can start, and scale is really important to a small business. I’ve been a small business my whole life and incubated other businesses out of each of my businesses.”
Customers can choose from many pastries available for purchase all made from scratch including these items.
One of the chefs who is experiencing firsthand the positive influence of Kunstle’s vision is Katie Fisco, the chef at Baon Supper Club. Fisco was determined to bring Filipino cuisine to Colorado Springs in a contemporary and innovative manner.
“Amy and her team have really thought out a lot of the details about what it means to kind of start out in the industry and did their best to remove a lot of the barriers, so a lot of that means the location is perfect,” Fisco said. “It’s part of our city, it’s in the heart of our city, so that’s part of it that makes it really special to me.”
Pop Kitchen and Events not only offered Fisco the kitchen room she needed but also facilitated the expansion of her business, providing ongoing support and the exterior door space to do so.
“Then also the opportunities to sell outside of the window and start my branding out there is amazing as well,” Fisco said. “The support that really isn’t tangible, but things like consulting for nutrition and things like that and other kinds of mentorship, you don’t really get that in other commissary kitchens because it’s maybe for people who are further along in their journey, which is great. So, a place like this is great for people just new to the scene on their own.”
Getting to this point in time is one which took years for Fisco, gaining experience from working in the fine dining industry both in the Pikes Peak region and on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Fisco said, “I love hospitality and serving people, but I stumbled into it out of daydreaming. I used to be a bank teller, so I would dream about traveling and dreaming about food and different places to go.”
On Wednesday and Thursday, customers can order from the outside window of the building and try a bite of her creations. Fisco said there will be a Chicken Tocino with garlic fried rice and to follow along on Facebook for updates on her culinary business.
“I’ve noticed here in the Springs is that as a community we go further together,” Fisco said. “So I’m really excited that the space isn’t just about me and what I can do, but what our community can do together.”
Besides coffee and tea available to order, the business also offers both cocktails and mocktails.
While this business is only just beginning, the profound passion of those inside is unmistakable, including the woman behind it all.
“It’s my life’s dream,” Kunstle said. “I started out as a little takeout window in my backyard at seven years old for my dolls and then to sit here is amazing. I’ve been working forward to this my whole life.”
