Meet Carly Thomson | Restaurant Owner/Operator

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

Hi Carly, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
I’m not sure that the perfect balance exists. For me, business ownership came with a passion that naturally integrated the business into my personal life. It’s my job, yes, but it’s also my hobby and passion. The juggle, I think, for me and many other professional women, is really about balancing motherhood with all of those parts of us that exist outside of motherhood. There is no secret that I know of. We juggle all of the balls to the best of our ability, and let some fall sometimes. Then pick them up and try again.

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?
Eighteen years or so ago, while I was in college, I watched a small soup/salad concept called Spoons grow in Fort Collins. I loved the whole idea from the start. After college, I worked for Panera Bread for several years, and solidified my love for fast-casual restaurants. I love the creative food, convenience, and casual atmosphere that fast-casual concepts bring to the restaurant scene. I crafted the business plan for Sage eight years ago, then sat on it for several years, waiting for the right time and situation.

My involvement in Zia Taqueria in Durango got me involved in the local business scene. It allowed me to learn and understand the intricacies of running a small business, including juggling everything from financials to operations to marketing and more. It helped me understand the importance of local agriculture and the local first economic movement. And, it provided a great launching pad for Sage.

Sage is a concept born out of the idea that we can craft creative, healthy, affordable, convenient food and support all of the core principals that really matter to me and so many others in our community: environmental sustainability, local agriculture, supporting our community.

What I love about Sage is that the concept is so versatile: it allows us to use the kinds of local produce that really grow well in our region, when its available. The soup selections change daily, and soup is forgiving. We can use ugly carrots. We can use an abundance of zucchini all at once. We can provide an outlet for whatever local produce farmers have, when they it. As a new concept, Sage provided us an opportunity to source the absolute best ingredients and most sustainable packaging from the start. These come at a premium cost, but we were able to fit them into the pricing model and feel good knowing that we are building a business that’s good for our community and our planet.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
We’d spend one day exploring the backcountry north of Silverton. I love exploring the old ghost town at Animas Forks, and imaging life during the gold rush. The San Juans are majestic and still blow my mind every time I really get into them.

Another day, we’d go for a hike someplace North of town, like Hermosa Trail or Purgatory or Spud Lake. On the way back to town, we’d stop for dinner at James Ranch Grill. We will pet the goats and admire the dairy cows’ sweet wet noses and browse the James Ranch Market. Although they are an active beef farm, I love their veggie burgers. I also recommend their lemonade, fries, and cookies. Their food is outstanding, their product sourcing is impeccable, and the farm is gorgeous. We’d follow this up with a soak at Durango Hot Springs.

Another day, we might raft or tube the Animas River, depending on flow. Follow that up with lunch from Zia Taqueria. I suggest pretty much everything at Zia, but special mention to any item with black beans, sweet potatoes, and lots of cilantro pesto. That combination is my very favorite. My husband would suggest nachos with Sinaloa chicken, mango habanero salsa, and Mahalo sauce.

I love a walk or a run on the Animas River Trail. Lunch or dinner at Sage Fresh Eats after that would be perfect. I suggest the Sage Duo with a half salad and a cup of soup.

For a night out, definitely worth visiting Zia North where we can find Zia Cantina upstairs and enjoy cocktails with local spirits (Peach Street Distillers out of Palisade, CO) on the rooftop patio, with food from Zia Taqueria downstairs.

A day at Pagosa Hot Springs is worth the drive. It’s probably my favorite hot springs in all of Colorado.

It is always worth spending a day walking around downtown on Main Ave. It’s a perfect excuse to get the best ice cream I’ve ever had, in any town, ever, at Cream Bean Berry. Coconut Milk Chocolate is the best flavor ever created, probably, but they’re all good.

I’m starting to feel like this sightseeing trip is mostly about eating, but I’m not sorry.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Shoutout to my parents, both small business owners who so naturally embodied the entrepreneurial spirit that I never doubted I would do the same. Shoutout to the owners of Rainbow Restaurant in Fort Collins who employed me, looked out for me, and taught me how to cook in a restaurant setting. Shoutout to Gary Derck, a great boss and leader, and probably the smartest person I’ve met, who taught me so much about business. Shoutout to Tim Turner, who has mentored me, supported me, and shown me enormous generosity that has allowed me to realize my dream of owning a restaurant. And shoutout to Jeremy Storm, our chef & GM at Sage Fresh Eats. He’s really the one who has made our first year in business successful, and I absolutely could not have done it without him.

Website: www.sagefresheats.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/sagefresheats

Facebook: www.facebook.com/sagefresheats

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/sage-farm-fresh-eats-durango