Local businesses host pop-up in Roger's Grove

More than a dozen businesses from Longmont and adjacent communities met in Roger’s Grove Park to host a pop-up event on June 26. A little afternoon rumbling of thunder and some light rain showers didn’t deter the businesses or residents from visiting the park.

Organized by Jen Wence, owner of the Longmont bakery GG Designs, the pop-up had screen printers, local makeup and skincare vendors, food trucks and more.

“The community has been awesome today,” Wence said. “We were packed!”

Wence brought an assortment of her baked goods to the event, managing to sell out of cake pops and tres leches cakes before the day ended.

“I wish that someone else had done something like this when I started my business,” Wence said. “I’ve been pretty successful since I started in the last five years, I thought this would be good to give the opportunity to other businesses in the community.”

Among the vendors was Longmont’s Shinkyu-No Food. Owner Edison Parker was selling his frozen dumplings by the dozen all day.

“It was great getting some exposure to a whole different crowd than what I’d see when I bring the cart out to distilleries and breweries,” Parker said.

The event brought an opportunity for new businesses to show off their services and wares. Alison Schnitzler brought her mobile bar, The Beverage Box, out to serve lemonade and coffee and network with the Longmont community.

Schnitzler started the mobile bar after getting laid off from her job in February. The business is a family affair, according to Schnitzler. She works with her son to serve and create unique cocktails, while her husband did the fabrication to retrofit the old horse trailer the bar is built out of.

“Today I was just hoping to get the word out, so it’s great. I’ve made a few connections,” Schnitzler said. “It was steady until the rain came in, it’s been such a great event.”

Fleetline Sanitizing was at the event as well, with their sanitizing truck. Fleetline specializes in disinfecting and cleaning trash and recycling bins. Owner Oscar Aranday started the business after seeing similar operations. A welder in the oil industry, Fleetline is his backup plan as the oil and gas industry shifts.

“A lot of people are curious, they haven’t seen this equipment before,” Aranday said. “It’s important to clean and sanitize your trash bins and kill all that bacteria.”

Regan Sample of St Vrain Realty spoke on the value of networking opportunities at the pop-up.

“It’s been really cool to see all these businesses meeting new people,” Sample said. “The world’s getting bigger, their circles are getting bigger. There’s something organic about supporting local here.”

Wence has plans for a follow-up event in August at Roosevelt Park, with almost fifty businesses already signed up for it.