The Kwik Mart on 30520 Highway 72, Golden, has been in business for more than 50 years. It is a full convenience store and grocery. The manager is Joy Lewis. They are open every day from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. The phone number is 303-642-3061.The store has gasoline, but no diesel. Customers come in for candy and hot food including pizza, hot dogs, corn dogs, and egg rolls.
The Wondervu Café has been in business for 47 years. Current owner Kathy Ott bought the business in October, 2021. They specialize in Mexican food, featuring homemade pork green chile and homemade salsa, both 
delicious. They also have homemade sopapillas and chiles rellenos. They are located at 33492 Coal Creek Canyon Road, Golden; phone number 303-642-7197. Ott says it’s a lovely restaurant with a warm and inviting atmosphere. “We like people feeling better when they leave than when they came in.”
Canyon Liquors at 30550 Highway 72, Golden, is owned by Dave Warha who bought the place on May 31 of 2023. The phone is 303-642-3200. He is not sure how long the 
business has existed, but was affected by the 2013 flood. They feature beer (mainly Coors products), wine, and spirits, including a whole gamut of whiskeys. They will have some specials for the holidays.
United Power has an office in Coal Creek Canyon at 5 Gross Dam Road, Golden. Business hours are Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
United Power occupies the smallest geographic footprint of any Colorado cooperative. It serves more than 106,000 meters across 17 communities in six counties, including two historic mountain canyons.
Since powering Colorado’s first community solar project in 2010, United Power has developed a reputation for adopting innovative technology to deliver reliable and beneficial power to its members.
United Power was founded in 1938 to provide electric service to Colorado’s growing northern front range. A few short years after United Power lines started delivering power along the Front Range, it began the long process of developing and building an electrical infrastructure to serve the Coal Creek and Golden Gate Canyons for the first time. In serving these two canyons, the cooperative also inherited a large piece of state and American history, one that helped lead to the initial surge in population growth along the Front Range.
When town promoters, storekeepers and farmers began to spin stories of gold in the western part of the Kansas territory in the mid-1850s, many suspected the claim to be a hoax. John Gregory heard the story of gold discovered in Cherry Creek, and started on a prospecting tour.
In the summer of 1859, Gregory discovered an odd colored rock – burnt orange quartz – often associated with gold. He used his discovery to convince a group of men to follow him up the mountains hunting for gold.
In May of that year, two days after beginning his trek up the mountains, Gregory and his team found what they were looking for, putting an end to the rumors that the goldfields were a hoax. The gold rush was on.
When news spread of Gregory’s discovery, Tom Golden laid out a town at the base of his trail into the mountains. He called the new town Gate City, but travelers would call it Golden’s Gate City. This new town was not to be confused with the present day City of Golden, however. That was founded later as Golden City and advertised a bigger and better supply town, which proved to be true. “City” was dropped from the name in 1871.
The canyon Tom Golden’s new city fed into eventually became the region now known as Golden Gate Canyon. Golden Gate provided the most direct route to Gregory’s goldfields. Later, Coal Creek Canyon was also trekked as a path to the goldfields.
By the time United Power began providing power to the two canyons, the goldfields had already played out, leaving behind a lasting legacy and stories of American ingenuity. Though the goldfields are gone, they are not forgotten. People will always be fascinated by the stories of hardworking men and women seeking riches in the gold rushes of American history. The glory may have faded, but the tales never will.
The Coal Creek Canyon Improvement Association is a non-profit community organization established in 1947. The Coal Creek Canyon Community Center represents more than a half a century of warmth and tradition. The great room provides spectacular views with a lovely spacious floor for dancing, activities, meetings or dining. The hall hosts events including a pancake breakfast, parades, and the annual Mountain Fest. They are located 8.5 miles west from the intersection of Highway 93 and Highway 72. The phone number is 303-642-1540; website is www.coalcreekcanyon.org, and email is cccia80403@gmail.com.
