Meet Lorrie Myers | Operations Manager

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

Hi Lorrie, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
Greetings from Who Gives a SCRAP! We are a Creative Reuse Center.

The most important factor to our ongoing success is volunteers and wonderful like minded employees. As a Creative Reuse Center we receive and are offered so many items that it is easy to loose sight of our focus. Our mission is trash diversion with a goal of living wages. In order to accomplish this everything must be valued and appreciated. From our donors, to our customers, our amazing volunteers and tolerant employees!

Keeping everything clean and organized is vital. I never ask someone to do a job that I have not done or not will to do. From taking out the trash to cleaning up from an exploding toilet I have done it all.

There is also the reality that you will not be paid the 1st three years that you are in business. I have actively decided that additional staff is more beneficial to our success than a paycheck. We are now reaping the rewards of 6 years hard work and will be creating my job as Operations Manager into a paid position. Smile, Laugh and give lots of HUGS!

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I am a former Head Secretary at District #11. I have lived in Colorado Springs most of my life. I became involved in the arts when I foolishly raised my hand and said ” yes, I will help Mary Mashburn, Kennedy Center Imagination Celebration”. My son was in the 2nd grade at the time (he is now 36) and I have never looked back!

In the spring of 2015, Jayne Blewitt-co founder and I worked for/volunteered for many different art based non-profits and decided it was time for us to do something that matters. We opened the Creative Reuse Center in a small 400 sq ft 60 day pop up at Ivywild School November 1, 2015. Since then Jayne has retired and the shop has grown to a 12,400 sq ft Community Space with retail, artists studios, classroom and more!

Most of our challenges have been balancing fast growth with profits. We expanded in to a second location in Ft. Collins that fell victim to Covid 19, Jayne retired and our 3,400 sq ft location downtown lost their parking lot (it is now a 4 story apartment complex) all in September 2020. Ugh! We found a new location, bought out the remainder of our lease, moved and reopened in our current location the day after Thanksgiving 2020!

Since the move we have expanded our hours of operation, hired more staff, pay living wages, subsidize 13 Artists Studios and more. Working hard, asking for customer, volunteer and employee feedback is essential to our success. We truly operate as a team.

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?
I would reccommend that they stay with us to start. We have a lovely view with easy access to the trail system. Day 1 – Head to Manitou Springs. Stop in the visitor center for a free cup and map of the springs. Walk the town, sample the water, eat lunch at the Loop or the Keg. End the day with a soak at Sun Water Spa. This is a great way to get acclimated.

Day 2 – Go to Bonn Tonne Cafe for breakfast and people watching, then head for a drive, hike or horseback ride through Garden of the Gods. You can even rent bikes from Buffalo Lodge and enjoy a cold beverage there. If driving, stop at the Trading Post for a buffalo burger and buy some local art.

Day 3 – Shopping and eating in OCC. Shop up and down the avenue. Front Range BBQ for live music and great food, La Baguette hidden wine bar for a drink, Paravinicis for the best Italian food in the state and more! Trails End Tap Room is close by for a cold one.

Day 4 – Spend some time on the southwest end of our fair city. Start with a tour and shopping at Who Gives a SCRAP and Summerland Gardens. Lunch at Dozo Sushi or Burrowing Owl. End the afternoon with a walk around the Broadmoor Hotel, dinner and sing along at the Golden Bee.

Day 5 – DOWNTOWN! so much to see and do. Shopping at Sparrow Hawk, Eclectic CO, Poor/Little Richards, Terra Verde, and more! Lunch can be a grab and go from Bread & Butter or street tacos at Dos Santos! Dinner is wide open. We love going to Chiba Bar and ordering everything on the menu! Drinks at District 11 (go through the bank vault door). Mood for appetizers. Odyssey for green chili fries, Tonys for bar food and Patty Jewitt for a lovely view any time of the day.

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?
Our Advisory Board from 2015 through today have helped with questions, concerns and general listening

Ty Hare-Compleat Games and Hobbies
Chris Myers-VP Hoff & Leigh Commercial Real Estate
Mundi Ross-Almagre/CoCo Crafted
Michael Hannigan-Venatucci Farms
Jayne Blewitt – Founder WGaSCRAP

Website: www.whogivesascrapcolorado.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whogivesascrap/

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

Image Credits
Chris Myers – Vice President Hoff & Leigh Commercial Real Estate Broker