With no prior retail experience, a “market survey” that entailed a conversation with a gas station owner in Loveland, and $5,000 from a relative, The Cupboard was opened for business in the Fall of 1972. Pioneering customers encountered a few crocks of kitchen gadgets, some pottery, baskets, and a total staff of two (although only one manned the store at a time).
A firm belief in learning through doing and
the desire to treat customers as he would like to be treated in
their place soon earned owner Carey Hewitt a loyal customer base.
It was through conversations with these early patrons that Carey
learned they were driving an hour to Denver to shop for items not
available in Fort Collins. Taking their cue, he steered his
inventory toward kitchen specialty items. The goal was to provide
unique and functional merchandise at reasonable prices that would
appeal to all households. Modifying the store's offerings led to a
thriving business, and soon made The Cupboard a fixture in the
Fort Collins landscape.
In the three decades and more that have passed, The Cupboard has
changed its location, increased its square footage tenfold, added
30 employees, and completely revamped its inventory (more than
once!), rendering today's store
physically unrecognizable to the original. But the
increase in size and merchandise hasn't caused the store to lose
its welcoming feel and personalized service. Instead, this
mercantile evolution has produced a gourmet kitchen store that now
more than ever caters to its customers by offering an inviting and
dynamic shopping environment. The Cupboard is also a forum for
increasing culinary adventure and knowledge through cooking
classes and special events such as cookbook signings and hands-on
appliance demonstrations.
Carey has now been a retailer in downtown Fort Collins for over and can't imagine what he'd rather be doing. He and The Cupboard staff look forward to more changes in and beyond.