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

Hi Michael, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
If you have to boil down Castaways Cove to a single variable, I would say it’s hospitality. Our team is driven to provide great experiences and while we can teach knowledge or train techniques we can’t teach people to care for others. We have been very lucky to be able to hire people that come from that place of caring and I think it really set us apart.

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?
Well let’s start at the top – we are the world’s highest tiki bar! We decided to start this endeavor from a desire to escape the cold and snow of Breckenridge, CO and have a place that felt like the beach. Turns out that the same food you want to eat after surfing all day and needing to refuel was just as valuable after a long day on the slopes. We love a good cheeseburger (and think we serve a pretty darn good one) but prefer the low carb, high protein fresh ingredients you can find in our poke bowls. Perfect for a quick refuel and return to the slopes. The restaurant business is notoriously fickle and we had the pleasure of opening four months before covid took over the country so I wouldn’t say it was easy. Our biggest challenge was adapting to the changing landscape as the rules and regulations around us changed on a daily basis. From being totally shuttered, to take out only to operating at a reduced capacity, change was the name of the game. I think all of us here are really proud for just making it this far, and knowing that while the worst is hopefully behind us, change will remain the constant.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
We would spend time outside! Breckenridge has a world class ski resort, world class mountain biking and tons of other outdoor recreational activities that set us apart from so many other places. We would start the morning off at Clints Coffee shop and get some of the best coffee and baked goods in town or the Blue Moose for a more traditional breakfast. After a morning of hiking it would be a nice picnic by a lake (sorry can’t tell you which one, some things need to be kept a secret). Happy Hour at Rocky Mountain Underground so we can shop their bike and ski selection with a drink in hand. Definitely going to pick a beer from Broken Compass or something stronger from Breckenridge Distillery. Dinner at the new hot spot – Rootstalk or head on down to see old friends at the Blue River Bistro. Finish the evening with some axe throwing at Mountain Axe.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
This is going to sound corny, but my shout out is going to my business partner, Justin Guadagnoli. Before being his partner I would visit his old restaurant and just exchange knowledge. His desire to always improve and better both himself and his businesses was instrumental in my decision to move away from the sales side of the business and get back into the operations side of a restaurant.

Website: www.castawaysbreck.com

Instagram: castaways_breck

Twitter: @CastawaysBreck

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CastawaysBreck

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/castaways-cove-breckenridge?uid=NjUjJ33dSlQmoV60u8qlGA&utm_campaign=www_business_share_popup&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=(direct)

Image Credits
First Page – Susie Oszustowicz Second Page Image One thru Three – Susie Oszustowicz Fourth Image – Michael Beseda

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