Local Business Owner Believes all of Fort Collins’ Flare is Due to Diversity
It’s the people that give Old Town Fort Collins its unique culture. Emily Schmidt is owner of Hearth, a family restaurant in Windsor, CO. While her restaurant is not technically in Fort Collins, she has been a Fort Collins resident for almost ten years. As a small business owner and long-time Fort Collins citizen, I wanted to get her perspective on the unique experience of Old Town Square.
Claire: What is the most unique thing about Old Town Square?
Schmidt: I think one of the things that is most unique about Old Town is that it has a lot of historical aspects including the history of prohibition. There are a lot of historical buildings interspersed with modern-day amenities. Underneath a lot of the buildings, are some interesting old tunnels and rooms that were used for smuggling alcohol back during prohibition, and right above that is a huge family oriented plaza.
Claire: Do you think the historical aspect of Old Town makes it a good place for families to visit?
Schmidt: There are a lot of different things to do for adults, college kids, and families within a short walking distance. That is what is neat about Fort Collins, it is a crossroads between an awesome college town and a strong community for families to raise children in. There is definitely a party scene, lots of fun, and even high-end bars, but there are also lots of parks, restaurants, festivals, and events that are perfect for families. I think a lot of that has to do with all the history that the city has, there is so much to experience and learn.
Claire: Do you feel Old Town has a lot of cultural diversity as well?
Schmidt: I really don’t see a whole lot of cultural diversity in Old Town Fort Collins, at least not as much as I would think with it being a college town.
Claire: What factors do you think contribute to the lack of diversity in Old Town and Fort Collins in general?
Schmidt: Colorado State University was originally an agricultural college which primarily attracts white males. Colorado was also the edge of Middle-America which is primarily white-centric. On top of that, the cost of living in Fort Collins is so high that most minorities cannot afford to live here.
Claire: How do you feel about the homeless population in Old Town?
Schmidt: The homeless population in Fort Collins is different than a lot of other places because it seems to be that a lot of the population is homeless by choice. By that, I mean there is an unusually large portion of young people in the city who want to live a Vagabond lifestyle. Other cities have a homeless population which primarily consists of people who have no other choice than to be homeless.
Claire: Do you think the homeless population adds a significant amount of culture to Old Town Square? For example, do you see a lot of street performers as opposed to people simply begging?
Schmidt: Although I know that the homeless population in Fort Collins is growing, it doesn’t seem to be as large of a problem as I have seen elsewhere. I actually don’t see a whole lot of begging or street performing in Fort Collins, not nearly as many as I see in Boulder. However, I see young adults who appear to be homeless singing and playing different instruments in Old Town pretty often. Some of them are very talented! I think people really enjoy listening. That’s really cool to me because they aren’t seen as homeless in that light; people are truly appreciating their talent.
Claire: So you have told me Old Town is your favorite hang-out in Fort Collins, after all of the things you have explained to me, what is it that really makes Old Town the most fun for you?
Schmidt: I think Old Town is my favorite just because there are so many different options of places to go. You can stay in the same area and find so many different types of things to do without even walking ten minutes. Old Town is also a great place for people watching, probably the best place for that in Fort Collins.
Claire? What is it that makes the people watching in Fort Collins so interesting?
Schmidt: While I don’t think that Fort Collins is the most culturally diverse place in the world, there are still lots of different types of people. The young-adult population tends to be very intelligent and eccentric. Like I said earlier, many of them have chosen to live as homeless people which makes the very unique people.
It’s impossible to discuss Old Town’s unique personality without thinking about the people involved. Old Town has so many different options, that accommodate all kinds of social dynamics. It attracts everyone from history nerds, to social drinkers, to families. All of these people, including people like Schmidt, have been able to find their own niche in such a unique area.
