As Mesa County attempts to return to some semblance of normal, Roxann Young is ready to show off the Grand Valley’s beauty with her silver Buick Enclave.
Young is the owner of Grand Junction Tours. From April through October, she’s usually booked, driving people through the heart of Colorado wine country. Now that Mesa County is essentially open from COVID-19 restrictions, she and others are expecting customers to return.
“Business is starting to pick up; we’re starting to get tons of calls,” Young said. “April is shaky because of the weather, but it picks up and then October tends to be our busiest month.”
Despite losing the first two months of last season, Young said she had a successful stretch given the circumstances. As the season waned, business stayed strong.
Now, Young thinks people will be eager to go out more this summer after more than a year of COVID-19 restrictions.
And the return of major events such as Country Jam, the Junior College World Series and Colorado Mountain Wine-fest figure to provide a steady stream of eager customers.
Young gives tours to private parties of up to six people for $60. She lets the guests dictate their day — whether they want to hit up wineries, breweries or orchards — and will drive them around for the day.
“People will tell me what kind of wine they want, and then I’ll say, ‘Alright, I know just the place for you,’ ” Young said. “I really make a point to promote Grand Junction and the surrounding area. It’s a fabulous time.”
Dave Smith, owner of Pali- Tours, expects a shakeup in the customer base.
Last year when there was less travel amid events cancelling, Smith said business was down a bit. But what piqued his interest was that he seemed to guide more Coloradans through wine country than before.
They were surprised at the haven of fruit, beer and wine in their own backyard.
“It’s been here the whole time, and they never got around to checking it out until they couldn’t really travel,” Smith said. “They were impressed, and now they’re starting to come back a year later.”
Like Young, Smith builds the day based on customer tastes. If they want to stop at every brewery or winery they can, then he shows them the best spots in town.
But if drinking isn’t on the agenda, then he’ll show them the orchards or teach them everything he can about the history of the Grand Valley.
Smith doesn’t favor some businesses over others. Instead, he pledges allegiance to the entire area, he said. What’s most important is casting a wide net to match his customers’ tastes while ensuring his fellow business owners thrive.
“The success of my company is dependent on the success of other companies, so I do my best to help,” he said. “And to the people in the valley, reach out to us. There’s a lot here for you.”
April 19, 2021 at 01:15PM
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Wine guides eager for the season - The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel
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