On Saturday, May 7, 2022, the patio outside of Salto and Tin Shed was bustling with people celebrating the business’ 10 year anniversary. Customers young and old enjoyed raffles, games, and great food and drink while live bluegrass music filled the air. Children and adults pedaled furiously in Big Wheel races, then sat and cheered as Tin Shed’s staff, all donned in their signature blue mechanic overalls, gave out prizes to the crowd.
Located at 112 East 2nd Street, Salto and Tin Shed don’t just coexist together in the prominent clock tower building, but were envisioned as part of a single entity. Owner Karina Luscher spoke with The Mountain-Ear about how she and her husband Marcus were inspired to combine the atmosphere of a coffee bar with the vibe of a bicycle repair shop; a marriage of interests and hobbies perfect for a mountain town like Nederland.
“My husband and I saw this empty lot and we drove by it so many times, and I really wanted to roast coffee and he really wanted a bike shop in town,” Luscher said. “It came from a place of just wanting to create a community hub where folks who enjoy the outdoors could come.”
Tin Shed operates as a bicycle repair shop as well as a gear and equipment retail space, which also offers snow sports equipment. You can rent or buy equipment, get repairs or advice, shop for gear, or get valuable information about the local trails. The knowledgeable staff are not just trained to offer their expertise, but are passionate hobbyists who actively bike the regional trails.
“We really are a service oriented shop, but you can jump on a bike and be on trail right from the door of the shop,” Luscher mentioned
Tin Shed can accommodate avid riders as well as the curious, or those who are just starting to learn, as the shop also focuses on facilitating interest in outdoor sports by providing several educational services.
“We’ve done biking skill clinics with Alison Powers and we do group rides, just teaching how to balance on a bike and have fun and get out into the outdoors,” Luscher explained.
“Kids from SMBA (Singletrack Mountain Biking Adventures) and the EMSC (Eldora Mountain Ski & Snowboard Club) ski racers, they’ve grown up on this patio. All the road cyclists, all the mountain bikers, all the hikers and snowshoers…it really became what we envisioned it to become.”
Salto was originally born from Luscher’s appreciation for the ritual, the art, and the science of the entire process for crafting quality coffee and lattes.
“I’ve always had this love of coffee. My grandmother was probably the one who instilled it in me,” Luscher mentioned. “I grew up going to Switzerland in the summers to visit her, and it was there that we would have a ritual together with coffee. As a kid it was so special, like ‘oh my gosh, I get to have a shot of espresso. This is the coolest thing ever!’”
Though Salto began conceptually as a coffee bar, it quickly evolved to serve pastries, beer, and a masterfully executed menu by Chef Sean Boutot, reinforcing them as a communal hub.
“Of course it’s great coffee, but it’s also the service, the environment, the vibe,” Luscher said.
Those who come into Tin Shed looking to grab some essential gear or ask about trail conditions, could waltz into Salto for some much needed caffeine or a breakfast burrito to fuel their day’s outing. Or, those returning from a long day of cycling could stop into Salto for a beer and a sandwich, and then wander into Tin Shed to ask about a weird noise their bike was making.
Over the last 10 years, Luscher and her husband have created an environment that’s integral to the community’s interests by fostering education and growth. With the Nederland Area Trail Organization (NATO), Luscher and her husband, along with Josh Harrod, extended their passion for cycling beyond a retail space and into a volunteer- run program. NATO supports, sustains, and improves Nederland’s trail system by creating projects meaningful to trail creation as well as preservation, and to expanding recreational activities throughout the area.
“The Forest Service, NATO and PROSAB (Parks, Recreation and Open Space Advisory Board) have been working together on a Master Trail Plan,” Luscher mentioned. “People want connectivity on those trails and to figure out a way to do it where it makes sense for everyone would be great.”
Apart from communal outreach, the welcoming atmosphere of Salto and Tin Shed also encourages a healthy work environment for their staff, bolstering knowledge and creativity.
“I love seeing my staff get so into it and so interested in what we’re doing in the roastery and then carrying it forward and ensuring that we’re brewing to the standards that we need to brew to,” Luscher said. “I can’t say enough about my staff. I’m genuinely so blessed to have the people that I work with here. I could not have done any of this without the crew that has helped all along the way.”
Luscher assures that Salto and Tin Shed representatives know the product and the process, while also having a voice to try new things and expand on ideas.
“It needs to be collaborative and it needs to be supportive of others, that’s at the very core of what we do,” Luscher added. “And every person that has come through this building has contributed in one way or another to what we do.”
This dedication to an open and mindful workplace has helped create many successful events, such as First Fridays (returning June to September this year), as well as helped launch the incredibly popular Crosscut Pizzeria and Taphouse.
“It’s great to have an idea and have a mission and execute on it, but it’s only going to go as far as you can take it. You have to make sure that everybody feels empowered to come to the table with ideas and to execute, and also to shine.”
Salto and Tin Shed are located at 112 East 2nd Street. Tin Shed is open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Sunday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Salto is open Monday to Thursday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Friday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information about Salto, call 303-258-3537, or go to: https://www.saltocoffee.com, or to: https://m.facebook.com/ saltocoffeenederland/.
For more information about Tin Shed call 303-258-3509, or go to: https://www.tinshedsports.com, or to: https://www.instagram.com/ tinshedsports/?hl=en.
For more information on the Nederland Area Trails Organization (NATO) go to: https:// nederlandareatrails.org.
Sponsored by the Town of Nederland, with funds from the American Rescue Plan Act.
