Giving 5 Years of Thanks
It seems too soon for Thanksgiving to be tomorrow.
That means that Christmas is right around the corner, and then New Year’s Eve will be here in no time. At the beginning of the year 2020, our calendars had never been more full, our staff was ready for a record-setting year. And in an instant, everything stopped. Businesses across the valley felt a shared moment of heartbreak as we learned that we would have to close our doors for a while. For us, that meant delaying the event that usually kicks off our season with a bang which was uncharted territory. Though, as the months have passed we have come to see a silver lining, a proverbial light at the end of the tunnel. We had planned for a huge celebration in honor of our five year anniversary on November 9th, but with the surge in cases, we felt it best to wait for a safer time. So instead, we thought that we would share five of the things that we are grateful for as a business, and as members of this community.
- Five Years of Community Bonding
We opened our doors in 2015 and we have been so fortunate to keep them open ever since. The support from this community is mindblowing, and we are honored to be a part of it. During this time we have forged sincere and memorable relationships with so many fellow business owners, and have had the opportunity to host many events that have become regular staples of weekly programming. We have had the pleasure of hanging art from local artists on our walls, and featuring only local products on our menu. Without the artisans, business owners, craftsmen, and the like our bar wouldn’t be the same.
2. Staff is the wrong word… Family? That’s the one.
Anyone who has ever opened a business can speak to the importance of the staff. We are proud of our associates and the skills they bring to their work here. From our cider maker, Joel Goodwillie who is an absolute master of his craft to our retail associates and servers who run the show each week; we are grateful to have a crew that feels like family. The vision for Mountain West Hard Cider existed on a foundation of collaboration and respect, and we hope to continue that for another five years, and another five or ten after that.
3. Utah
Where would we be if not for the inspiration of this beautiful state and landscape? Our founders fell so in love with Utah that they decided to make it their home, and the more time that they spent taking in the beauty of this place and the surrounding regions the more inspired they became to incorporate it into their business. Up to this year, each of our products was named after actual places in the state of Utah, and moving forward we will continue to pay homage to our home.
4. The Industry
No matter what anyone says about Utah and our liquor laws, one thing cannot be denied. We have an incredible food and beverage industry, propelled by brilliant chefs, entrepreneurs, bartenders, and more. We are grateful to have opened at a time when we could watch the scene flourish and grow, and we love seeing the innovation and creativity put to work every single day.
5. You, reading this.
At the end of the day, we make cider for the people who drink it. And we are so grateful for you. We are grateful for our regulars who light up our weeks with the updates on their lives, for the folks who stop by to see what we’re all about. We are grateful for the one-time buyers, the intermittent shoppers, the try-it-but-don’t-like-it sippers, but most importantly we are grateful for you. To any and everyone who has ever taken the time to try our cider, or stop in and say “hey”, we are grateful beyond measure.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours, please celebrate safely and remember that we are all in this together.