Meet Dwight DeBroux | Owner Gold Hill General Store & Pub / Espresso Forge

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

Hi Dwight, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
For starters, I enjoy a good challenge because the reward feels so much better. And a good challenge typically involves a healthy amount of risk, so I like to settle in and get comfortable being uncomfortable. When I decide to take a risk on something I initially start by clearly visualizing what my end goal is. Then I think through how to get there in many different ways and the possible outcomes. What’s the worst-case scenario? Realistically, it’s typically not that bad and debunking the unknown makes the risk less scary. People thought I was nuts when I purchased the Gold Hill General Store & Pub because at the time it was difficult to see the possibilities of what it could be. But I developed this clear vision of what I wanted and made it happen. You have to know what you want, if you don’t, it’s hard for others to help you. Clearly articulate your goal and put positive vibes out there to make it happen. Aways remember what the Great One, Wayne Gretzky said, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take”.

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?
I currently have two businesses; Espresso Forge and The Gold Hill General Store & Pub.

Espresso Forge is a portable espresso machine that we manufacture right here in Boulder county. We sell it on our website at espressoforge.com to people all over the world. What sets it apart is it’s portability, quality and sustainability. It does not require electricity so you can use it in your kitchen or take it on your next adventure. There are no consumables like a filter or pod so it’s zero waste friendly and it’s built out of stainless steel to last more than a lifetime. This business is in it’s infancy so we are in the thick of it right now and learning something every day. The biggest challenge is my underestimation of how difficult it is to manufacture your own product and basically becoming a machinist. We have our own machine shop with CNC machines and take raw material that we source all the way to the finished product people buy all in one location.

The Gold Hill General Store & Pub is my passion and I find great pride in knowing I’m more than preserving a piece of history, I’m keeping it alive. The store acts as a true community center for the locals and a great day trip destination for visitors wanting to step back into a simpler time. You can get your milk, eggs, duct tape, pizza and a shot of whisky all at the same time. We put a lot of effort into preserving the building while turning it into a sustainable business. For example, you’ll see these old cabinets when you walk in that have been in there forever. We needed more room for tables so we removed them, cut them in half, rebuilt them (every drawer) and reinstalled them. No one really noticed we did anything but it’s had a big impact on the business because we can fit 3 more tables for guests. There are lots of examples like this and it would have been much easier to just rip it all out and make everything new but that would have ruined the true character of the building. The biggest challenges with the store are that we do not have running water, septic, or gas. We basically operate like we are camping with electricity. We truck water in and truck it back out. Our heat source all winter is the old pot belly stove where we burn wood from the 2010 fire that almost wiped out the town. It’s a good use of the standing dead trees and helps mitigate the forest for future fires.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Well this is easy because there are only two business in town and depending on the season only one is open. My best recommendation is to come up to Gold Hill in the Summer to escape the heat and enjoy the great hiking and views nearby. Obviously stop at the Gold Hill General Store & Pub to fuel up before your hike and then come back after to enjoy a drink and some food. After that, get dinner at the Gold Hill Inn. Nothing yells summer in the Rocky Mountains more than the Gold Hill Inn. Great dinner, music and ambiance. Then if your feeling adventurous, go take a walk through the Gold Hill Cemetery or climb a nearby vista to watch the sun set over the Continental Divide.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My wife, Lara, has always been a huge supporter of my adventures in life. When I say, I’ve got a great idea, she usually takes a deep breath and prepares for a potentially life altering conversation. She runs a successful flower shop called Fiori Flowers in Boulder, CO so understands and shares my entrepreneurial mindset. Without her by my side there is no way I’d be able to do what I do. I also have to give a shout out to my parents who gave me the confidence to think like a winner and the work ethic to make it happen.

Website: goldhillstore.com, espressoforge.com

Instagram: @espressoforge

Image Credits
Mike Murfitt