Barbara Lawlor, Gilpin County.     Binx Rugg didn't even drink.

But Brady and Stephanie Kutcher wanted their liquor store in mid-Gilpin County to reflect the mining heritage that Binx handed down to his daughter Cindy McCollum and grandchildren, Steve and Stephanie.

Binx was one of the last hard rock miners in Eldora, where he worked and then owned the Mogul Mine. He was a colorful character, a part of Eldora's mining history; in fact, for many years, Cindy  hosted a Binxfest, a musical afternoon in a meadow in Eldora in his honor. He was an underground miner from 1935 to 2003.

Cindy and her ex-husband Harvey McCollum began McCollum Excavating, which was centered in Gilpin County next to the Ameristar warehouse, just down the highway from Taggerts. Cindy and her son Steve ran the business out of the two-story building, which was zoned commercial.

When Stephanie attended Nederland High School, she and Brady Kutcher became teenage sweethearts. He graduated in 1997 and she graduated in 1998. While she attended CSU the couple ran Cindy's ranch in Wellington, where she kept 60 horses, part of her Sundance Stable string.

Brady went to work with McCollum Excavating and Stephanie helped with the stables while studying equine science. Stephanie also helped in the office, which took up little space in the two-story building.

But she and Brady wanted something of their own, wanted to run their own business. With two daughters attending Nederland Elementary School, she had the time and the desire to begin building a future.

About two years ago, her brother Steve and she were discussing how to make better use of the building that was used as the excavating business office. "The space wasn't really being used," says Stephanie. They nixed the idea of a bar and then a rental store and decided a liquor store would be be the most viable option.

It was a family decision.

Two months ago, after a major renovation of the downstairs, the shelves were stocked. It is a neat, well organized space with walls created by local contractor Jack Kennedy. They are a muddy brown and dusty grey mix with a glazed sheen reminiscent of a miner's lantern making them glow as if they are streaked with gold ore. Thus, the name Underground.

A picture of Binx rests on a shelf above specialty liquors, overlooking the cash register area.

Every now and then Cindy drops in to fill her tanker with water for the Sundance horses and walks through the shop, restocking and organizing shelves, seeing how everything was going. On Saturday afternoon she was bustling around the store when a couple stopped and told her they used to own the building 12 years ago and they were glad to have gotten rid of it.

As they looked around, they were amazed at the changes; they admired the remodel.

Long-time friend Angie Leto helps out with running the store, but Stephanie says she is waiting to see how everything goes before hiring more employees. "I want to make sure that things are running smoothly. Right now it feels good and I am happy with it."

Campers from all over the country pull up to the drive-up window for some craft beer, one of the more popular items. On a weekend day, there is a steady stream of customers.

"Binx would be proud," says Stephanie. "He would be happy that Brady and I are making things happen for our future. But even though he didn't drink, I think he would have loved to hang out here and talk to all the people that stop in, strike up a conversation and tell a few stories about the old mining days."