Meet Tadd Overstreet | Entrepreneur

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tadd Overstreet and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tadd, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I was at a reflection point in my career that allowed me to really explore what was truly important to me. It was clear to me that I needed to make a lifestyle change and focus on something that would enable me to follow a passion, utilize my experience and skill set in a new way and feed my desire to be part of community that would allow me to give back in multiple ways.

I felt strongly that gathering place such as a coffee shop would be the perfect fit. Connecting over food and beverage is something that is an integral part of life and I felt that bridging it that with music would enable people to learn and connect with each other in a different way. I based the entire concept around vinyl records, which is the most intentional way to enjoy music through the ritual of enjoying the cover art, the tactile process of placing the record on the turntable and in about 20 minutes you would get to do it all over again with a new album, genre, or artist. The shop would-be ever-changing background, learning a new song or remembering that song that was important to you that you may have forgotten

A coffee shop would also allow me to focus on my commitment to natural and organic, local, and ethically sourced ingredients. Having the ability to share the story behind the ingredients has always been important to me.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Bringing my business, Stylus & Crate, was over a two-year process, much longer that I expected it would be. But that time enabled me to build, change and fine tune a business plan and to create a brand that would resonate with people. Beginning with a strong foundational plan, I was able to build a team of professionals, lawyers, designers, architects, and a very supportive team of advisors.

Opening a business has a tremendous number of hurdles that can stop you in your tracks, but having the world shut down right in the middle of construction, changed a dream to a nightmare.

I was fortunate to have a 35 year in the grocery industry, that would take me from a grocery bagger, to store, category, and product management positions. During that time, I was part of industry consolidations, a changing competitive landscape, and an evolution of companies as they adapted to these environments. While the numbers may have been bigger than my coffee shop those skills and experience helped me as I navigated opening a business at one could argue the most challenging time, a worldwide pandemic, where businesses were challenged in ways one could never imagine, some successfully and some forced to close after years of success.

But I strongly believe our core value and mission statement was the foundation that helped more than anything. Staying true to your values and missions as you are forced to evolve will keep you well-grounded and reminder of what you are doing this for. “Be The Sunshine” is something I and our team strive to do every day.

Be Sure to Laugh When the Sun is Out.
Create an environment that is inviting and comfortable, which brings people together to work, play, relax and enjoy.

Feel Good, Every Day
Commit to ensuring we only use the highest quality ingredients, ethical sourcing and focus on local providers.

Take A Walk While the Sun Is Out.
Appreciate what we have, pay it forward and give back to the community we serve and the world around us.

Be Proud, it is Mine.
It is more than just another space, it is mine! Be proud, be part of something that others can call their own.

Relish The Sunset.
Reflect on the day, celebrate, and strive to improve, for tomorrow it will begin anew.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Denver and the surrounding area is such an amazing place to visit! Without a doubt their day would start with a visit to Stylus & Crate for a great coffee and an amazing Liege Waffle, or perhaps even one their great waffle flights.

Some must do items on their itinerary would have to include trips to the mountains, including Rocky Mountain National Park and a drive over trail ridge, one can never tire of that drive especially when the elk are down in the lower valleys. If the timing is right catch a show at Red Rocks, or at least an early morning hike. Nothing quite like a Rockies game at Coors Field in the summer, especially on the party deck and watching a sunset.

Another great day trip is to hike one of the many trails around the Flat Irons and heat on into Boulder for people watching, happy hour and a fantastic dinner at any number or restaurants, like The Kitchen, Oak or Frescas. If it happens to be a Saturday, a walk through the Farmers Market is a must do!

While in Wheat Ridge at Stylus & Crate, I would encourage them to visit one of our neighbors, next door at Colorado Plus for one of their beers or house ciders, a quick trip to Clancy’s for an Irish whisky or Audacity for a great wine bar and small plate experience.

We love to send people for lunch in Olde Town Arvada and a trip downtown on the light rail and Union Station, with a happy hour at any one of the bars at Union Station and nice stroll over to the 16th Street Mall for people watching and enjoying the urban corridor. If there is time, a stop at the Denver Art Museum or the Denver Museum of Modern Art.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
By far the foundation of family and a very supportive wife was by far the most important part of following a dream. Knowing that if you failed, they were always there to fall back and support you, and they would be right there cheering you on as the success came as your business would grow. They were there every step of the way, to challenge a decision, to inspire me in a way that they may not of realized and most importantly supporting and pushing to move forward even as the dream was challenged by the pandemic.

If there was one point that changed my career direction, it was a delayed flight while on a business trip in Chicago, that I found a book, “When to Jump, If the Job You Have Isn’t the Life You Want”, by Mike Lewis to pass the time. With each chapter I read in the airport, and on the flight home, I knew that in my core it was time for a change.

Website: www.stylusandcrate.com

Instagram: @stylusandcrate

Facebook: @stylusandcrate

Yelp: /biz/stylus-and-crate-wheat-ridge?osq=stylus+%26+Crate