Summit Express is expanding beyond its familiar airport shuttle services with a larger vehicle aimed at transporting group outings including wedding parties, birthday celebrations and corporate gatherings. 

The transportation company recently added a 34-passenger mini coach bus to its fleet, allowing it to accommodate larger groups and expand transportation offerings in Colorado’s major ski areas and into the Denver metro area. 

The previous Denver Airport shuttle has a maximum capacity of 14 passengers, while the new bus can seat up to 20 more. 

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While Summit Express has long offered private transportation beyond airport service, Roppel said the larger vehicle allows the company to handle requests that previously exceeded its capacity. 

“It just accommodates for larger group outings and events, things such as transportation for your wedding day, birthdays,” said Jackie Roppel, vice president and chief financial officer of Summit Express.

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The addition comes as Summit Express has seen growing demand for group outings extending beyond traditional transportation needs. 

“We transport everybody so they can all ride together, have fun together, so nobody has to worry about driving or finding parking and instead just enjoy the day,” Roppel said. “So, that’s where the mini coach buses are coming into play. … We take you wherever you want to go.” 

Summit Express also operates a location in Avon, offering identical services throughout Eagle County. The company employs roughly 40 drivers between Summit and Eagle counties, including 15 licensed to operate the new mini coach bus. Across both counties, Summit Express maintains a fleet of seven buses, six SUVs and 25 vans. 

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Company phones are staffed from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m., though dispatch and transportation services operate around the clock. For example, Roppel said, the company recently chartered a large bachelor party from Summit County to Black Hawk and brought them home around 3 a.m. 

Transportation requests can be made online or by contacting Summit Express directly at 970-668-6000. Information on group reservations and transportation options is available at SummitExpress.com. 

Rates can vary seasonally and during holidays, but typically, airport shuttle trips begin around $65 per passenger one-way, while private Summit County charters begin around $599 to $899, depending on the vehicle size. 

Group rides can be booked at SummitExpress.com/Group-Transportation/. 

New community thrift store helps make Sol Center a one-stop resource hub

Hundreds of donated clothing items now line the racks of a new community thrift store inside the Family & Intercultural Resource Center’s recently opened headquarters at the Sol Center in Breckenridge.

The thrift store is one of the newest offerings available at the Sol Center, a facility designed to bring together multiple nonprofits and services in a single location. Since moving into the building this spring, the resource center has continued expanding resources available to residents, with services ranging from food assistance and clothing to healthcare navigation, mental health support through the nonprofit Building Hope, financial assistance, family programs and more. 

“We’re becoming a one-stop shop,” said Carla Decker, Family & Intercultural Resource Center’s deputy director of operations and impact. 

Decker said the Sol Center project aimed to create a place where Summit County residents can access a variety of services without needing to travel to multiple locations across the county, like in the past when the resource center’s programs were split between multiple towns in the county. She said in discussions with Breckenridge town officials over the last year, the building was envisioned as the beginning of a nonprofit campus where organizations could collaborate and connect clients with additional resources. So far, the Sol Center is the only building on-site, though two other plots of land remain vacant and ready for development. It sits next to the Vista Verde affordable housing complex. 

The new thrift store fits naturally into the Family & Intercultural Resource Center’s mission, Decker said, by providing affordable clothing while creating another point of connection for residents seeking assistance. Unlike many large thrift stores that resemble warehouse spaces, Decker said resource center staff and volunteers intentionally designed the store to feel more welcoming and easy to navigate.

“We wanted to design this space to not look like an angular warehouse but to have some elements of design to make it flow like a retail space,” Decker said. 

To help achieve that vision, the Family & Intercultural Resource Center purchased round clothing racks and wall shelving from the former Eddie Bauer store in Silverthorne after the retailer went out of business. The space features neat displays and clearly marked sections for items such as men’s dress clothes, children’s shoes and women’s blouses, all organized by size. The store also offers accessories, including scarves, hats and bags, and shoppers have access to two private fitting rooms. 

“We want people that shop here to feel like they come in with dignity, not like they’re walking into their grandma’s attic and it takes them forever,” Decker said. “Our clients don’t have time to dig through piles and piles of garbage.”

All of the clothing in the store has been donated by community members. While Summit County already has several thrift and consignment stores, Decker said the resource center still saw a need for a more affordable option. 

“A lot of thrift stores in Summit County are really turning into more consignment shops, so there are some quite expensive things there,” Decker said. “We really wanted this to have a balance of being high-quality clothing but affordable and attainable to our community.” 

Revenue generated at the thrift store stays within the nonprofit and helps support programs many residents have come to rely on, Decker said. 

“Every single dollar that’s earned here goes back into FIRC and back to the community,” Decker said. 

The thrift store also reflects the center’s longstanding philosophy of complementing — rather than duplicating — services already offered by other nonprofits in the county. For that reason, the store focuses on clothing and accessories and does not accept furniture, housewares or other miscellaneous items. Instead, the center works closely with partner organizations that specialize in those needs. 

Through its relationship with Habitat ReStore in Silverthorne, the Family & Intercultural Resource Center can provide referrals and vouchers for clients looking for furniture or household goods. The organization also partners with Marisol Family Dillon, formerly known as Casa Gabriel, which offers diapers, formula, baby clothing and nursing supplies for families with young children.

Another longtime partner, the Bag Ladies, helps ensure clothing that cannot be sold still benefits the community. The group transforms old or damaged fabric into products such as purses, tote bags, dog leashes, dog waste bag holders and gift bags. Over the years, the Bag Ladies have raised more than $500,000 for Family & Intercultural Resource Center programs and continue to contribute items to the thrift store.

Keystone restaurant and bar closes less than 2 years after launching

Groovy’s Mac n’ Cheesy and The Hideaway Bar in Keystone have closed after roughly a year and a half in business, according to a social media announcement from owner Jeff Davis. 

In a Facebook post, Davis said the decision resulted from unsuccessful lease negotiations with the property’s owner. The restaurant and bar was located at 140 Ida Belle Drive inside the Silver Mill Condos complex owned by Summit County Mountain Retreats. The complex houses highly sought-after vacation rentals at the heart of River Run Village at Keystone Resort. 

“It was a difficult decision, as we never wanted to leave the community, but we could not come to an agreement with the property owner on a new lease (to) make it economically viable for the long term,” Davis wrote. 

The restaurant and bar opened in Keystone in December 2024, bringing a menu centered around gourmet macaroni and cheese dishes, sandwiches and comfort food to the resort community. 

Davis thanked customers for their support over the life of the business and said a possible future return to Summit County isn’t completely off the table. 

“We will never rule out that if we can find the opportunity, we will return to Summit County some time in the future,” Davis wrote. 

In the meantime, Davis said he plans to open a new location of Groovy’s Mac n’ Cheesy and The Hideaway Bar as part of a new development in Castle Rock, though the opening date hasn’t been announced.

Backcountry Chiropractic accepting patients at new Frisco practice

A new chiropractic clinic has opened in Frisco.

Backcountry Chiropractic celebrated its grand opening on April 16 at 323 W. Main St., Suite 202. Drs. Danny Otis and Alex Paul founded the clinic. 

The practice offers chiropractic care for patients of all ages, including preconception and pregnancy care, pediatric services and treatment for teens and adults. Patients come to the clinic for a range of concerns, including back and neck pain, headaches, sciatica and injuries, as well as general sleep issues, digestion, mobility and overall wellness. 

The clinic also focuses on family care, with services aimed at supporting pregnancy, newborn development, growing children and healthy aging. Providers say many patients use chiropractic care not only to address pain or injury but also to improve posture, mobility, stress resilience and overall quality of life, according to the clinic’s website. 

Initial appointments typically last around 30 minutes, allowing providers to review a patient’s health history and perform a comprehensive assessment. Follow-up visits are generally shorter and designed to fit more easily into patients’ schedules. 

Backcountry Chiropractic operates outside the traditional insurance model and doesn’t directly accept insurance. However, patients may submit claims independently for possible reimbursement. 

The clinic is now accepting new patients. More information can be found at BackcountryChiroCO.com.