Relationships are hard work. Perhaps no one knows this fact better than the hardworking crew inside Steamworks Brewing Co. now celebrating their 30th anniversary.
“They said we wouldn't last 30 days,” says co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer Brian McEachron.
Kris Oyler, CEO and originating mastermind behind Steamworks, chimes in, “Most restaurants don't make it this long anymore. Three years later, it's gone.”
Since 1996, Kris and Brian have grown their humble brew pub into a hospitality empire spanning three eateries (Steamworks, El Moro Tavern & Spirits, and Homeslice Pizza) at five locations—with a new airport gastropub on the way—all helmed under the banner of Peak Food & Beverage, a parent company boasting nearly 40% ownership among its employees. Peak aptly represents a pinnacle, boasting beers, food, staff, and even beer can labels that have all amassed local, state, national, and world awards.
Some might say these accolades are the natural byproducts of a polished business plan, but in reality, Steamworks’ origins and operations have often defied conventional restaurant wisdom, instead abiding by the same covenants couples apply in any enduring partnership.
Honor Each Other’s Heritage
Couples who know each other’s families and histories build unity. Kris and Brian, who often finish each other’s sentences, share a common heritage. Both grew up in family-owned restaurants in Greeley, Colorado.
“I had my first job when I was nine or 10 years old,” Brian says. “Kris started in his family's business when he was like four or five years old,” he notes.
Later, as college students with bills to pay, both boys worked at the Oyler family’s brew pub. Kris brewed beer while Brian bartended. Seeing the craft industry take off, Kris wondered: could he start his own brew pub in a small, scenic mountain town? He shared the idea with Brian, who was all too ready to put his marketing degree to good use.
“What drew Kris and me to Durango is that it had a backbone of hard-working people. Working-class people doing good things,” Brian explains.
As outsiders in a small town, Kris and Brian took pains to learn Durango’s local history and roots. Rather than pick any building, they sussed out historic sites—first, the old Pittman Motorworks on Second Avenue, and later, the El Moro Saloon on Main Avenue.
Kris adds that with 30 years under its belt, Steamworks is now part of that history. “Thirty years out of 150—that's a pretty big percentage of the history of Durango!”
Check In Often
Healthy, happy relationships achieve stasis through regular check-ins—designated discussion times to cover what is and isn't working. To that end, the crew at Steamworks has racked up 1,560 Tuesdays for team meetings.
“Since day one, we have had weekly meetings,” Kris attests.
Make Something That Lives Beyond You
The best partnerships create something that lives on, whether that’s children or a legacy fund. Peak Food & Beverage hopes to attain entrepreneurial immortality through its unique employee-owner structure. On any given shift, multiple owners might be delivering food to tables or serving up beers.
Executive Chef and Chief Operations Officer Sean Clark was one of the earliest employee owners. He too was a college kid paying the bills when he started tossing pizza dough at Steamworks in the mid-1990s. His post-college plans to teach art shifted when he was offered a chance to own a share of the company.
“It’s a small stake, but then it becomes more,” he says. “You start contributing to decisions and guiding the direction of the company.”
Between generous wages, ample benefits and perks, plus employee-owner dividends, Kris and Brian see very little turnover. The average staff tenure exceeds a decade. This stability radiates across the community as employees reliably support their families and mortgages.
Grow Better Together
Self-improvement is a feedback loop in the best relationships. One partner's growth sparks transformation in the other. The entire management team seems obsessed with one question: What can we do better?
Their modus operandi has also centered on how to make Durango a better place. “We built this business on community involvement, community events, lubricating good causes,” Brian attests. “Do good for good's sake, and good will come from that.”
In addition to the countless gift cards donated to local nonprofits and kegs of beer gifted to local events, Steamworks is also a major sponsor of the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic, Devo, and the Community Concert Hall, to name only a few venerable beneficiaries.
Pearls are the customary anniversary gift for reaching that thirtieth year. For Steamworks, El Moro, and Homeslice, the pearls they offer locals are a promise that they will always work hard for all of us hardworking souls with a thirst for good times and a hunger for great gatherings.
“We built this business on community involvement, community events, lubricating good causes,” Brian McEachron attests. “Do good for good's sake, and good will come from that.”