Battery621 opened for business just about one short year ago. And what a year it’s been. It was finally time to hold a GRAND OPENING, our ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY, and kick off the first annual LAUNCH OF WINTER. What better way to celebrate our first year of operation than visits by Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock, Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper, two visits by 9 News during our packed week of events, and over 3,000 people walking through our doors.

This celebration began October 4th, and events ranged from Subaru debuting the all new 2012 Impreza, to Icelantic Skis presenting their ‘11-12 line of skis, the announcement of the SI Snowsport Entrepreneur Award, live music, engaging panel discussions with some fantastic like minded personalities, and a photographic art installation by The Public Works. Many great companies from within Battery621 and partners such as Vail Resorts, Loveland, Echo Mountain, Tommy Knocker, Create Denver, CMH heli-skiing, Muscle Milk and Smashburger came together in the name of anticipating another amazing winter.

On Tuesday, October 4th, Something Independent packed the house and announced the winner of their inaugural SI Snowsport Entrepreneur Award with the help of Colorado Governor Hickenlooper and their esteemed panel of judges. The award recognized Flylow, a Colorado ski and snowboard outerwear company, that embodies the spirit of entrepreneurism and shows us how the Colorado snowsport culture inspires their ideas and influences their business.

Governor Hickenlooper, who kicked off the event, said, “Part of being an entrepreneur is seeing opportunity where other people don’t. Nothing would make me happier then having Colorado known as the single greatest place for entrepreneurs.”

Westword Article: Flylow Gear wins first annual Something Independent Snowsport Entrepreneur Award

Denver Post Article: The inaugural Snowsports Entrepreneur Award goes to…

The night of Thursday, October 6th was The Business of Fun, an event where a panel of fine and creative humans spoke about how they followed their passions through their career path rather than the bottom line. Preston Strout, former pro shred and current owner of High Cascade Snowboard Camp, moderated the panel of 6 professionals from a diverse range of backgrounds. The panel included: Chris Davenport – Freeski legend, Steve “Stix” Nilsen – PBR Lifestyle Marketing Manager, Steve Chambers – CMH Heli-Skiing, Revelstoke Area Manager, Kristin Rust – World Traveler, PR Guru, Chris Berry – Team Pain Skate Parks Supervisor, and Gabe Anderson – Co-Owner of Jiberish Clothing. The event was a huge success all around and netted a full segment on 9 News and coverage in multiple media outlets.

“A great evening and a pleasure to get to meet everyone and share our stories. As I said before, it’s pretty easy to talk about something you’re passionate and excited about. The Business of Fun is definitely on to something,” said panelist Steve Chambers.

Battery621’s monthly First Friday event was stepped up to a new level with an art show by The Public Works, which brought out the best of over two decades of photographic pursuits printed on mixed mediums. Other higlights included Icelantic Skis unveiling their new ‘11-12 line of skis to the public, the all-new 2012 Subaru Impreza debuted for the first time in Colorado, and live music from Filthy Children. Over 2,000 patrons passed through the doors that night, all of whom were all able to buy season passes to Vail Resorts, Loveland, and Crested Butte. When people were hungry, Smashburger was on site with burgers and fries and sold out of product, and Sweet Cow Ice Cream served up desert.

Saturday October 8th, Battery621 started the weekend with a co-sponsored passport art walk throughout the Sante Fe Arts District. Parents joined their little rippers on a stamp- gathering hunt down Sante Fe Drive, ending at Battery621. Movies from Capita, Poor Boyz, Never Summer, Sandbox and Level 1 and MSP screened all day while everyone recovered from the fun filled hectic week.

Make sure to check the photos via the Galleries link to the left!

Thanks to: Subaru, The Public Works, Icelantic, Spyder, Something Independent, Emage, TommyKnocker Brewery, Canadian Mountain Holidays, Vail Resorts, Smashburger, Echo Mountain, Loveland Ski Area, Crested Butte Mountain, Larkburger, Pasbt Blue Ribbon, Turnstone, High Cascade Snowboard Camp, Whole Foods, Snowboard Colorado Magazine, the GRO project, Matchstick Productions, Level 1, Poor Boyz, Never Summer, Capita, and everyone who attended!

Drumbeat orchestrated the concept, design, and implementation of the Stapleton Discovery Center, the starting point for the 2011 HGTV Green Home Tour. Alongside Strada, Ideations, Legwork, and Battery 621’s own, The Public Works, Drumbeat helped Forest City Stapleton connect with its audience in a unique experiential launch pad that is surely worth a visit. Check it out while you are there consider touring HGTV Leed Platinum certified Green Home. Click here to purchase tickets in advance.

The amount of pine destroyed by beetles in Colorado is staggering. What were once healthy trees are now diseased and standing dead, primed to start a forest fire. In order to help save the forest, these trees are being cut down and put to good use by artists, builders, and do-it-yourself types all across Colorado. Battery621 is no exception to this movement.

Inside Battery621, you’ll find over 30,000 linear feet of beetle kill wood. Icelantic’s gallery would be the first part people see when entering the North side of the building. On the South side, Spyder’s upper level showroom and gallery houses a beetle kill stage, back wall panel, and a 34 foot long custom ceiling installation. Over in the offices of The Public Works, a new installed timber frame loft was created from beetle kill as well. All of us inside here are doing our best to contribute to the cause of finding good uses of Colorado’s surplus of standing dead.

Check out some other projects The Public Works has done utilizing beetle kill.

http://thepublicworks.wordpress.com/2009/08/04/trophies-tornadoes-beer-and-biking/
http://thepublicworks.wordpress.com/?s=beetle+kill

For more info on beetle kill, check out an article from the Denver Post here.

The Denver Egotist created a new private event for creatives called ONCE. Sometime during the month of March, unbeknowdst to most people here at Battery621, the Egotist group took over The Public Works’ workshop with 12 creatives from Denver and Boulder to ask questions to one creative mind. What you’ll see below is the launch trailer for ONCE, and one of the first videos from the event. For more information about the project, read the article here.

It’s official. The RISE in the WEST fundraiser held at Battery 621 on 5/14 raised $8,504 for the American Red Cross, with help from the American Red Cross Mile High Chapter. This is the first event of this kind that 621 has been a part of, and we couldn’t be happier with the results. Congrats Patrick Ryan Corrigan, Jake Rishavy, and Ricochet Denver! The weather was a bit uncooperative, but spirits remained high, art and services were big on, and every attendee had a great time. Everyone inside the 621 walls is stoked that we could be a part of this, and we looking forward to doing something similar in the future!

The Public Works, Icelantic, and Battery621 represented each other and our unified mission at the Sports Career Fair during Sports Career Day, an event sponsored by Denver Public Schools, Denver Parks and Recreation and Goodwill Industries. The event was held at Denver’s Auraria Campus, with the intention of the fair to expose young people to careers related to sports that go beyond professional athletics and coaching.

This marked the first time that Battery621 and its tenants were able to give back to the community in a unified effort. The Public Works was part of a speaking panel which gave insight into sports careers and how young people can begin planning for a career in sports. Afterward, The Public Works teamed up with Icelantic and Battery621 to provide further information to interested students about the great things going on in the snowsports industry, as well as the synergies happening on a daily basis at Battery621.

More more information on Battery621, check out the rest of our website. If you or anyone you know is interested in having those involved with Battery621 speak at a sports or business related event, please email info@battery621.com.

The Public Works recently built a tradeshow booth for Canadian Mountain Holidays (CMH, the biggest heli ski operation in the world) for the Young Presidents’ Organization conference.

They incorporated actual heli parts into the beetle kill timber frame booth, including a spinning tail-rotor. They used imagery from their extensive snow sports image bank and installed a vikuiti screen to loop CMH’s videos of their heli ops.

The Public Works also plans on helping CMH build their own image bank this spring. You can never complain about more heli time!

Images of the booth: