OT investing...kind of
all I know is that this guy is making a fortune, in a cool way
lovelandfyi.com
Sculpting success
Artist rides burrito chain’s good fortune
By Christine Steele
The Daily Reporter-Herald
Chipotle Mexican Grill is coming to Loveland, but the Sweetheart City has had a connection with the restaurant chain since it began.
Loveland sculptor Bruce Gueswel designed His Royal Highness, a Mayan-inspired sculpture made from construction scraps, for the very first Chipotle, built near the University of Denver in 1993. Gueswel’s wife was a friend of Chipotle founder Steve Ells.
Based on carvings from the Mayan ruins of Yaxchilan in southern Mexico, now the galvanized steel and plywood piece graces the walls of nearly every Chipotle (pronounced Chip-OAT-lay) across the country.
At first Gueswel built every sculpture himself, cutting each piece by hand, but as the burrito chain grew — from one restaurant in 1993 to more than 500 today — so did Gueswel’s business.
Today, Gueswel employs five artists part time to sand, assemble and box the pieces, which are now created a dozen at a time using a computer-aided drafting program and cut out using high- pressure water jets.
His Royal Highness will be hanging on the wall of the first Loveland Chipotle when it opens Friday at the Marketplace at Centerra, 1569 Fall River Drive.
And he will grace the walls of the second location, at Taft Avenue and Eisenhower, when it opens in late summer or early fall.
Chipotle spokesman Chris Arnold said it’s not unusual for the company to build two restaurants simultaneously in one town.
“Often we try to get in with a sizable presence as quickly as we can,” he said. “We have been expanding along the Front Range for coming up on 13 years now and we are finally making our way to Loveland. Loveland’s growth over the past few years makes it a really attractive location for us.”
The Fall River Drive location will employ about 25 people, Arnold said, mostly full time, and while the company doesn’t disclose compensation details, Arnold said the positions will pay above minimum wage and most will have access to benefits such as health care and 401(k) retirement plans.
The restaurant, which specializes in oversized burritos, operates around the idea of “food with integrity,” Arnold said.
Now, 20 percent of all beans served at Chipotle are organic, and Arnold said the company is increasing that percentage as quickly as it can, as the supply of organic beans grows. They hope to eventually go to all organic, Arnold said.
“We learned that people are willing to pay a little bit more for food that is better,” Arnold said. |
