SILVERTHORNE — With indoor seating capacities limited, outdoor seating was a game-changer for restaurants this summer.

As businesses were still struggling to poke their heads out of the shutdown, buying additional tables wasn’t in the cards for everyone. In a show of teamwork and community, the town of Silverthorne arranged for picnic tables that weren’t being used over the summer at Arapahoe Basin Ski Area to be moved by Peak to Peak Movers for use at Silverthorne businesses.

Silverthorne Arts and Culture Manager Sydney Schwab, who took on the role of business recovery liaison when the pandemic began, said a Silverthorne business owner reached out explaining that they wanted to create outdoor seating but didn’t have the resources to buy tables. Schwab brainstormed with other town staff members, who called A-Basin.

The ski area, which uses picnic tables for the Beach during ski season but doesn’t use them in the summer, was enthusiastic about supporting local businesses, Schwab said. A-Basin loaned the tables to town businesses at no cost, so the next piece was figuring out how to move the tables from A-Basin to Silverthorne.

The town reached out to Peak to Peak Movers, which volunteered the moving trucks and staff needed to move the tables. Owner Mike Worl said the town asked him to put an invoice together for the project. 

“Since we eat at these places every day, we’d rather do it for free, so we essentially just jumped on board to get the tables moved as quick as we could,” Worl said. “Just glad to be able to help, especially in tough times like we’re going through.”

Peak to Peak Movers moved about 20 tables, which Worl said was a semitrailer’s worth. Schwab said the businesses that used the tables over the summer have expressed a lot of gratitude and a few have even said the outdoor seating helped tremendously with summer sales. 

“It was a great (show of) different community members coming together and supporting each other,” Schwab said.

Blue Moon Bakery received three tables, which manager Samantha Flores said it put on the sidewalk and in the parking area for customers. Flores said the tables have helped with capacity limits, and have been convenient for and popular with customers. 

“They’re always pretty full on the weekends (with) families social distancing,” Flores said. “They have been very helpful.”

Erin Young, owner of Red Buffalo Coffee & Tea, said the tables have allowed people to come to the cafe and enjoy the community atmosphere. Red Buffalo kept indoor seating closed for most of the summer and didn’t open up indoor tables until recently, so Young said the outdoor seating has catered well to groups.

“People still love to have their meetings at cafes and to be able to have some sort of seating,” Young said.

Red Buffalo kept its typical patio seating, adding a few indoor tables to the mix, and put two tables from A-Basin in the parking area.

The tables are being brought back to A-Basin by Peak to Peak Movers on Monday, Sept. 21.

After that, Young is hoping the town will put out guidance for tents and heaters this winter because she hopes to continue to use outdoor seating.

Schwab said the Silverthorne planning department is looking into ways to support businesses throughout the winter and is reviewing guidance from other towns about outdoor tent and heater use.