Business Opportunities That Could Work
Brainstorming potential businesses is the first step in identifying target markets and
potential entrepreneurs. Based on a focused workshop with the Victor DREAM
Commission, the following are businesses that have potential to work well in Victor.
Food and Beverage:
- Brewery and/or distillery
- Breakfast/coffee shop
- Gas station
- Full service quality restaurant – open daily, focusing on dinner service which is
currently limited in Victor – easy tie in with mining style, frontier type restaurant
with quality food and service
Small Scale Niche Manufacturing – location neutral businesses that export products as well
as retail (i.e. Mountain Boy Sleds, Scotty Bob Skis, Melanzana Clothing, J2 Software).
- Niche woodworking
- Custom/boutique tool company – axes, picks, shovels tied to mining theme
- Leather work
- Textiles (blankets, sheets, towels)
- Boutique food product manufacturer
- Metal work – custom cabinet pulls, home hardware
Highly specialized/niche retail. It may be advantageous to combine a retail store with a
small-scale manufacturing company.
- Mountain/western clothing
- Historic literature store (books, maps, music)
- Historic Photography-tie in with a store around the historic picture project
- Jerky/honey/jams/ etc. – locally produced Colorado food goods store
- Old fashioned toy shop/manufacturer
- Artifact store- raw gems, minerals, fossils, historic artifact
Artists/galleries focused on jewelry and metal which tie in with mining. A co-op model
might be a good fit for artists – i.e. multiple artists in one gallery.
- Artistic Foundry
- Jewelry Maker – precious metals and gems
- Pottery
- Painting
- Photography – old time portrait studio – combined with photography gallery
Guide services. One business might offer multiple services throughout the seasons.
- 4×4 in summer
- Hunting in fall
- Snowmobile/dogsled in winter
- Outdoor equipment rentals – fishing gear, backpacking gear – related to guide
service.
Real Estate
- Vacation rental broker/manager
- Real estate brokers
General Store – a store with something for everyone, can combine with auto service and
other services for locals.
- Spa/relaxation/beauty – organized around high altitude/ fresh mountain air
- Event/Party/Wedding Hall – combine with catering service from local restaurant
- Vintage Cinema/ Small Town Movie Theater – tie in with Butte Theater in Cripple Creek –
restore the Isis Theater - Seasonal Popup Business – open during tourist season and can be used as a test to see if
long term business is viable.