Indy Picks

When most of us think of mushrooms, we picture those small blue plastic boxes in the grocery store that contain whole or sliced white or baby bella mushrooms, often not-so-fresh looking. There is such a large world of mushrooms beyond that choice, it’s astounding.

As summer temperatures soar, the residents of Eads, Colorado now have a refreshing new resource to keep cool and hydrated: The Ice Box. Located at 101 E 15th Street, at the intersection of Maine Street and Highways 287, The Ice Box offers 24-hour access to reverse osmosis water and bagged ice.

In the vast expanses of Southeastern Colorado, where agriculture and oil fields dominate the landscape, the need for reliable and immediate welding services is crucial. Enter Wild Horse Welding (WHW), a new mobile welding business founded by Trevor Randel.

Cheyenne Wells welcomes a new addition to its landscape with the opening of Sunset Trailer Court and Sunset Suds, a venture by SKLM LLC, including the dynamic trio of Laine Mitchek, Mari Mitchek, and Jason Hall. Nestled at 1330 S 2nd Street North, this business promises not just a place to park your RV or do your laundry, but a community hub designed for convenience and comfort.

It’s been a dream of Chad Bell’s for a long time. The newly opened fitness center, located in the old Demitasse exercise space on Maine Street in Eads, is officially available for anyone who would like to get in shape, or at the very least, get healthier.

As the sun rises over the small town of Kit Carson, a new beacon of community support and entrepreneurship is ready to greet its patrons. Introducing Katie’s Korner, a grocery store located at 103 East Highway 287 Unit C, Kit Carson, Colorado, where locals can find more than just groceries – they’ll find a warm, inviting space built upon values of community, respect, and collaboration.

Faith Johnson is the third of the four Johnson sisters who have lived in Kit Carson since they were born to Richard and Sammie Johnson. The girls all attended school at Kit Carson School District and were contributors to the many sports teams and extra-curricular activities that the Wildcats competed in.

Remington Brandt and Cory Miller, two young men who grew up in Eads during the same time frame, have now returned to their hometown, coming together to form the first professional electrician company in Eads for at least many decades.

Cheyenne County Sheriff, Michael Buchanan along with his wife Kayla have joined the movement for progress in Kit Carson and have established Buchanan Invest, LLC. Buchanan Invest is working through the final stages of purchasing a large building which encompasses most of one side of Main Street there where former businesses, Trails End Liquor, Backdoor Hardware, Singing Grass Trading Post, a salon, and the current Kit Carson Post Office were housed.

“So many people.” That is the way Claire Lane described her opening day for Café Bean LLC, the new coffee shop in town, which opened Monday, April 3 located in the Maine Scoop on Maine Street in Eads.

The Wishing Windmill originally opened for business in April of 2022 as an online boutique. The owner, Breanna Echols who our readers may recognize as one of Kiowa County Independent’s outstanding lifestyles authors, has recently made a leap of faith and ventured from a webspace to a physical space located at the Wildcat Corner 120 US Highway 40 Kit Carson, Colorado.

Crow’s Stop and Shop grocery store first opened in 1937, it has since been handed down three generations to the current owners, Keith and Jennifer Crow who have owned and operated the store for 12 years.

In an interview with Karl and Sarah Eikenberg the Kiowa County Independent learned that the fate of Haswell Propane, a generational business and the only brick and mortar business left in the town would be in their hands as they have purchased Haswell Propane from Paul and Glenda Stoker.

Spirit Dance, a dance studio located in Lamar, has been around for 10 years as they are currently celebrating their 10th anniversary, and currently growing at a tremendous rate thanks to the addition of competitive dance opportunities for the dozens of dancers who patronize the business.

On a sunny Saturday afternoon Paul Lucero spent a few hours detailing their family vehicle, just as he does every few weeks. Because Paul and his wife Raina have a blended family which includes 6 kids, mess is inevitable and if not cleaned every few weeks the back half of the vehicle may look more like a science experiment than seating.

Cory Alan Forgue graduated from Southern Illinois University in 1990 where he earned a bachelor’s degree in TV and radio broadcasting with an emphasis in public relations. Cory has been in radio and TV for 38 years, since he began working as a DJ in suburban southwest Chicago in 1985.