Arthur DeVitalis, Nederland. The Caribou Room, previously shuttered due to Covid-19, recently reopened with a soft launch and new approach to business. The business also has a special plan for area high school seniors to end the year on a strong note. According to staff, “The soft opening Friday, May 8, went better than we could have possibly hoped.”
Owner Peter Fiori says that the location is shifting to a dinner theatre venue as opposed to a live music host. Six staff members have returned to work to their relief, with the business receiving a Personal Paycheck Program loan from the Small Business Administration.
“It’s a to-go, takeout service of our regular restaurant offerings. In the future, we’re going to bring in some tables and set up a dinner theatre,” Fiori said. “Right now, I’m just trying to keep six employees with paychecks. So I said, ‘Let’s see if people want cocktails delivered to their house.’ Apparently, they do.”
The hospitality team has started to work again, providing takeout meals and menu items Friday and Saturday from 4 to 8:30 p.m. at 55 Indian Peaks Drive in Nederland. The bar and kitchen menu have been tweaked to enhance the dining experience for take-out and delivery. Chef Lauran’s “Sweet Chili Bison Meatloaf” and a 16 oz. to-go “Bocce Ball” cocktail makes for a delicious dinner either way.
“We are practicing all safety guidelines recommended by the CDC and state. For example, every employee is wearing personal protective equipment in the building. Once the food is cooked or a cocktail made or a drink poured it is never touched. Every position is in its own separate room within the building,” said Christina Serieno, an employee. “Lauran is in the kitchen, Carrie is behind our main bar, the manager is in her office and Kimba stays fully decked out in PPE through the entire delivery. There is little to no contact between employees.”
In addition to other front-range venues, Fiori says that a special celebration is planned for area high school seniors. The Caribou Room will host a Nederland Senior Party for the students. A stereo signal will broadcast a movie or selected show in drive-in fashion, complete with the FM signal. A parking lot celebration including parking for more than 70 cars and the possibility of live bands is also in the works.
“We’re going to fight hard to get people together and get people to enjoy live music together. “In the meantime, call me ‘Mr. Compliant,’” Fiori said, speaking of current regulations with alcohol delivery and the prevention of Covid-19’s spread.
Before the venue transitions, more festivities are planned. Partnering with the Gold Hill Inn, The Caribou Room will host live performances with synced streams, helping musicians in the process.
“When you have a live stream [at the end of the song], it gets weird,” said Fiori, speaking of the lack of applause or any reaction at a song’s end. He has some ideas on how to counter that, in addition to making a band’s performance more intimate, despite the distance of a livestream. Fiori wants to link the Facebook audience reaction directly to the band, allowing for a more direct connection.
“We really encourage people to help musicians out right now,” he said. “They are in dire need of support. You’re not just saying thanks for that song, you’re saying thanks for keeping our music alive.”
Fiori has a soft spot for musicians he watches on the internet, stating that they’re essentially “busking online.” He acknowledged that musicians and the venues that host them have been changed indefinitely as a result of Covid-19.
“We are no longer a music venue that serves food,” Fiori said. “For the foreseeable future, we are a dinner theatre.”
To contact the business for takeout or delivery, call 303-258-3637.
