CUPERTINO, Calif. — After stumbling out of the starting gate in Big Tech’s pivotal race to capitalize on artificial intelligence, Apple tried to regain its footing Monday during an annual developers conference that focused mostly on incremental advances and cosmetic changes in its technology.

The presummer rite, which attracted thousands of developers from nearly 60 countries to Apple’s Silicon Valley headquarters, was more subdued than the feverish anticipation that surrounded the event during the previous two years.

Apple highlighted plans for more AI tools designed to simplify people’s lives and make its products even more intuitive while also providing an early glimpse at the biggest redesign of its iPhone software in a decade. In doing so, Apple executives refrained from issuing bold promises of breakthroughs that punctuated recent conferences, prompting CFRA analyst Angelo Zino to deride the event as a “dud” in a research note.

In 2023, Apple unveiled a mixed-reality headset that has been little more than a niche product, and last year WWDC trumpeted its first major foray into the AI craze with an array of new features highlighted by the promise of a smarter and more versatile version of its virtual assistant, Siri — a goal that has hasn’t been achieved yet.

“This work needed more time to reach our high-quality bar,” Craig Federighi, Apple’s top software executive, said Monday at the outset of the conference. The company didn’t provide a precise timetable for the Siri’s AI upgrade to be finished but indicated it won’t happen until next year, at the earliest.

“The silence surrounding Siri was deafening,” said Forrester Research analyst Dipanjan Chatterjee said. “No amount of text corrections or cute emojis can fill the yawning void of an intuitive, interactive AI experience that we know Siri will be capable of when ready. We just don’t know when that will happen. The end of the Siri runway is coming up fast, and Apple needs to lift off.”

The showcase unfolded amid nagging questions about whether Apple has lost some of the mystique and innovative drive that turned it into a tech trendsetter during its nearly 50-year history.

Instead of making a big splash as it did with the Vision Pro headset and its AI suite, Apple took a mostly low-key approach that emphasized its effort to spruce up the look of its software with a new design called “Liquid Glass” while also unveiling a new hub for its video games and new features like a “Workout Buddy” to help manage physical fitness.

Apple executives promised to make its software more compatible with the increasingly sophisticated computer chips that have been powering its products while also making it easier to toggle between the iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

“Our product experience has become even more seamless and enjoyable,” Apple CEO Tim Cook told the crowd as the 90-minute showcase wrapped up.

IDC analyst Francisco Jeronimo said Apple seemed to be largely using Monday’s conference to demonstrate the company still has a blueprint for success in AI, even if it’s going to take longer to realize the vision that was presented a year ago.

“This year’s event was not about disruptive innovation, but rather careful calibration, platform refinement and developer enablement –positioning itself for future moves rather than unveiling game-changing technologies,” Jeronimo said.

Besides redesigning its software. Apple will switch to a method that automakers have used to telegraph their latest car models by linking them to the year after they first arrive at dealerships. That means the next version of the iPhone operating system due out this autumn will be known as iOS 26 instead of iOS 19 — as it would be under the previous naming approach that has been used since the device’s 2007 debut.

The iOS 26 upgrade is expected to be released in September around the same time Apple traditionally rolls out the next iPhone models.

In an early sign that AI wasn’t going to be a focal point of this year’s conference, Apple opened the proceedings with a short video clip featuring Federighi speeding around a track in a Formula 1 race car. Although it was meant to promote the June 27 release of the Apple film, “F1” starring Brad Pitt, the segment could also be viewed as an unintentional analogy to the company’s attempt to catch up to the rest of the pack in AI technology.

While some of the new AI tricks compatible with the latest iPhones began rolling out late last year as part of free software updates, the delays in a souped-up Siri became so glaring that the chastened company stopped promoting it in its marketing campaigns earlier this year.

While Apple has been struggling to make AI that meets its standards, the gap separating it from other tech powerhouses is widening. Google keeps packing more AI into its Pixel smartphone lineup while introducing more of the technology into its search engine to dramatically change the way it works. Samsung, Apple’s biggest smartphone rival, is also leaning heavily into AI. Meanwhile, ChatGPT recently struck a deal that will bring former Apple design guru Jony Ive into the fold to work on a new device expected to compete against the iPhone.

Besides grappling with innovation challenges, Apple also faces regulatory threats that could siphon away billions of dollars in revenue that help finance its research and development. A federal judge is currently weighing whether proposed countermeasures to Google’s illegal monopoly in search should include a ban on long-running deals worth $20 billion annually to Apple while another federal judge recently banned the company from collecting commissions on in-app transactions processed outside its once-exclusive payment system.

On top of all that, Apple has been caught in the crosshairs of President Donald Trump’s trade war with China, a key manufacturing hub for the Cupertino, California, company. Cook successfully persuaded Trump to exempt the iPhone from tariffs during the president’s first administration, but he has had less success during Trump’s second term, which seems more determined to prod Apple to make its products in the U.S.

The multidimensional gauntlet facing Apple is spooking investors, causing the company’s stock price to plunge by 20% so far this year — a decline that has erased about $750 billion in shareholder wealth. After beginning the year as the most valuable company in the world, Apple now ranks third behind longtime rival Microsoft, another AI leader, and AI chipmaker Nvidia.

Apple’s shares closed down by more than 1% on Monday — an early indication the company’s latest announcements didn’t inspire investors.

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The concert venue’s proximity to multiple bus stops and rail stations “makes public transit a safe and ideal way to access the stadium,” the agency said in a press release Monday.

Concertgoers heading to watch one of the world’s biggest bands are encouraged to use the agency’s Next Ride trip planning tool and type “Coldplay” in the destination field. The trip planner will show all available transit options — along with departure times from the user’s current location — in real time to the concert.

The Auraria West Station will be closed from 3:30 p.m. to midnight because of the crowds. Riders should use the nearby Empower Field station.

Following Coldplay’s concert, Post Malone plays in the home of the Denver Broncos on June 15, followed by Metallica at the end of the month.

Transit riders are asked to plan ahead and prepare for large crowds, including on platforms, trains and buses.

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The office’s mandate is to speed up the entitlement process and improve customer service for applicants — those getting permits to build new structures or build out existing spaces around the city. At an April news conference, Johnston touted a 180-day “shot clock,” saying plans and permits would be approved within that time, and pledged refunds of up to $10,000 on fees if the city failed to do so.

Johnston didn’t provide specifics at the time on how the 180 days would be calculated or when refunds would be made. But last week, DPO Director Jill Jennings Golich shared documents with BusinessDen — the full text can be found here and here — on each of those points.

“The 180 days is purely city time,” she said.

But that can be somewhat complicated, especially since many projects require multiple permits issued by different city agencies. Jennings Golich encouraged applicants to submit plans simultaneously for each of the permits they’re applying for, for simplicity’s sake.

Inevitably, there will be some overlap in the building permit process. An applicant may be redoing its plumbing plans while the city is reviewing a separate electrical permit, for example.

In instances such as those, as long as the city is still reviewing a component of the overall building plans, the 180-day clock will be ticking, even if the applicant is working on other permits related to the project, according to the city.

“Any time that [application] is with a city discipline, we’re counting it as a city day,” said Robert Peek, a DPO official.

The 180-day pledge doesn’t apply to subdivision plats, concept plans, large development reviews or infrastructure master plans.

In terms of refunds, when the 180-day deadline is missed, Jennings Golich will initially review the application, checking its quality and the responses given by the city. Her report will be completed within 14 days.

DPO’s Executive Permitting Committee will then review the report and determine whether “the delay was attributable to the city due to things such as internal city processes or city review time,” according to the DPO documents. If the city is at fault, the applicant is eligible for a refund.

Denver says if it can’t process construction permits in roughly 180 days, the city will refund developers’ fees

But refunds will vary. Site development plans for a project smaller than an acre — a sizable category — will be eligible for a refund only of up to $500. For larger developments, the fee refunded can total up to $5,000, depending on the size of the property and how much the applicant paid in city fees.

For pure building permit reviews that exceed 180 days of city time, up to 5% of the permit plan review fee can be refunded, with a limit of $5,000 in total.

The maximum $10,000 refund could be reached if an applicant gets both a $5,000 site development plan refund and a $5,000 building permit fee refund.

The new DPO is responsible for more than just reviews and refunds. It is tasked with improving customer service by having a fully staffed, in-person permit counter where people can visit to ask questions. That will be up and running by Aug. 11, Jennings Golich said.

Currently, the Department of Excise and Licenses has a counter. A separate permitting one is staffed by a generalist, who likely couldn’t answer specific questions, Jennings Golich added.

The DPO doesn’t replace, but rather streamlines, the work of seven city agencies to expedite the permitting process. Denver Water and Xcel Energy are not subject to the department and its rules since they’re not city agencies.

One other key institution in the DPO that’s new will be the “project champions.” These individuals will be assigned to projects to provide one-on-one support to applicants throughout the process, advocating for applicants if they hit a snag.

“They’re getting those comments, reviewing them, ensuring there aren’t any conflicts, working through any issues,” Jennings Golich said.

Read more at our partner, BusinessDen.

350 Colorado, an environmental group that advocates for the elimination of fossil fuels, says in its recently released report that it reviewed Suncor’s self-reported documents connected to the shutdown and determined there was a notable increase in the frequency of permit violations while the refinery was offline.

During that time, the plant released excessive amounts of sulfur dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide and particulate matter such as soot, according to the report titled “Suncor’s Commerce City Refinery: Looking Back to Plan Ahead.”

The report counted each hour during which at least one of those regulated toxics was emitted. So if all four were released during the same hour, 350 Colorado counted that as four hours’ worth of permit violations.

At the time, people who live in neighborhoods surrounding the refinery hoped that the shutdown would result in cleaner air, but no one had looked into the data, said Heidi Leath, a climate policy analyst with 350 Colorado.

“They just thought they were going to get a break from the pollution,” she said. “We were really curious to see if the air quality would improve.”

The 350 Colorado report also looked at the three-month closure’s impact on gas prices and determined that although gas prices spiked at the time, the refinery does not help Colorado maintain lower gas prices.

Efforts to reach Suncor officials for this story were unsuccessful.

On Dec. 21, 2022, the Suncor refinery’s hydrogen plant malfunctioned during an extreme deep freeze, during which the temperature in Denver dropped 37 degrees in an hour, eventually plunging to -24 degrees. When the hydrogen plant tripped, it caused a cascade of problems for Suncor’s machinery, leading the company to shut down operations for three months to make repairs.

Suncor refines about 98,000 barrels of crude oil per day during normal operations and supplies about 40% of the gasoline used in Colorado. The state’s only refinery also produces diesel, jet fuel and liquid asphalt.

As for the pollution during the shutdown, refineries often release more chemicals during a malfunction as they race to stop production without creating a safety hazard, such as an explosion from accumulating fumes. They also tend to release more toxics when they restart production and calibrate their instruments.

But excessive emissions from those situations often are exempt from regulation, Leath said.

“They basically give a free pass and they allow emissions to go up during these periods and put people’s health at risk,” she said of state regulators.

That hasn’t stopped the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment from opening an investigation into potential violations during the 2022-2023 shutdown.

In January, the agency sent Suncor a compliance advisory, which is the first step in an investigation into permit violations, said Kate Malloy, a spokeswoman for the department’s Air Pollution Control Division.

That compliance advisory covers alleged violations that occurred between July 1, 2022, and June 30, 2023, including the shutdown and restart period from the deep freeze.

The agency will be looking into Suncor for exceeding its emissions limits for air pollutants, failing to meet required operating parameters and failing to follow required procedures for operating and maintaining equipment, according to the 57-page advisory.

In July, the state health department and the Environmental Protection Agency served a notice of violation to the refinery, the first step in an enforcement action after both agencies discovered violations during inspections between 2020 and 2023. That notice is still pending.

Government investigations into environmental violations can take years, and they also allow companies to negotiate penalties.

In February 2024, the state hit Suncor with a $10.5 million penalty, the largest in Colorado history for air permit violations. That fine was for excessive pollution between July 2019 and June 2021.

A $9 million fine announced in 2020 covered multiple air pollution violations since 2017.

As for gas prices and their connection to Suncor’s operation in Commerce City, they rose dramatically during the shutdown — 51% in Colorado. Drivers paid as much as $4.10 per gallon during the winter months following the malfunction. Winter gasoline prices are typically cheaper because of lower demand.

But 350 Colorado argues in its report that Suncor’s presence does not benefit Colorado drivers overall when it comes to the price they pay at the pump. The study found that over the past five years, Colorado has seen higher gas prices than 85% of the states without refineries and higher prices than 79% of the states with them.

“Everybody said gas prices would rise, and they did in the short term,” Leath said. “But would it really be true that we would have higher gas prices in Colorado if we didn’t have the Suncor refinery? To our surprise, honestly, most of the states that don’t have refineries have lower gas prices.”

Grier Bailey, executive director of the Colorado Wyoming Petroleum Marketers Association, which represents gas retailers, was highly critical of the 350 Colorado report.

“In summary, it seems clear the entire ‘report’ relative to gas prices is a hit piece designed to assuage a policy audience that there won’t be any impact on fuel prices if far-left fringe groups like 350 get their way,” Bailey said. “That is simply not something that is responsible to assert.”

Bailey said the comparison between average gas prices in Colorado and other states did not take into account things such as taxes and other fees that Colorado places on suppliers and distributors, which eventually end up in the prices consumers pay. Those additional taxes and fees amount to about 30 cents per gallon and are slated to rise in the coming years.

He warned that it would be a mistake to close the Suncor refinery because people would still need all the products it supplies, meaning fuel would be delivered via pipeline, rail or trucks, which would increase emissions from pipeline terminals, place more trucks on the roads and put an additional cost burden on consumers to pay for the transportation to get fuel delivered.

Finally, it was unfair for the report to fail to acknowledge the extraordinary steps the oil and gas industry, Gov. Jared Polis and others took to keep the state supplied with fuel during the shutdown, Bailey said. He accused 350 Colorado of omitting key points to bolster its position that Suncor should be permanently closed.

“Trying to dress up a policy position paper as a ‘study’ doesn’t impress serious people who are trying to keep Colorado’s economy moving,” he said.

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Inflation was easing, the economy looked strong, and mortgage rates were drifting downward. By April, there were more available homes to buy than at any time since January 2020, according to the Federal Reserve of St. Louis. The conditions were ripe for buyers to reemerge, checkbooks in hands, and sellers to negotiate.

Then April 2, President Donald Trump rolled out his expansive global trade tariffs, shocking the stock and bond markets and sparking fears of a recession. Mortgage rates jumped again, hitting 6.89% for a 30-year fixed-rate loan May 29, their highest level since early February. The extreme volatility threw cold water on a fragile market. Buyers bailed out.

“There isn’t any urgency to buying right now — if anything it feels more risky to put a down payment into a home when you might not have a job six months from now,” said Daryl Fairweather, chief economist of Redfin.

Real estate agents across the country report a chilled environment, with sellers unwilling to lower their prices and buyers reluctant to make a big purchase as the economy flounders and the costs for a mortgage, insurance and property taxes rise. Even in markets where prices have fallen and inventory is piling up, like Austin, Texas, homes are sitting on the market for months. In fiercely competitive areas, like the New York City suburbs, where prices are still rising and homes sell fast, properties that would have gotten a dozen offers a year ago now get two or three.

“Yes, there is more inventory, but it’s almost like too little too late,” said Selma Hepp, chief economist for Cotality, a real estate data provider.

In 2024, there were fewer home sales than in any year since 1995. This year is looking worse. In April, the number of sales of existing homes dropped 2% from April 2024, while the median sale price rose 1.8%, marking 22 straight months of year-over-year price growth, according to the National Association of Realtors. The trade group also reported that pending sales are down from a year ago in every region of the country except the Midwest.

The number of canceled sales (one sign of a skittish market) also rose year over year, according to Redfin, which also found that there were nearly 500,000 more people trying to sell homes in April than there were people trying the buy them — the biggest such gap since Redfin began tracking the data in 2013.

La’Keshia White, a real estate agent in Douglasville, Georgia, said that some of her prospective buyers dropped out of the market after losing federal jobs. Others are nervous and scaling back their budgets to leave more cushion should their financial situation change.

“They used to be content, thinking their jobs are going to be there, but it’s not the same anymore,” White said.

In Lewisburg, West Virginia, Leah and Jesse Jones, who were in the market for a three-bedroom home, lost out on two bids: one to a cash buyer who waived contingencies and the other because the seller wouldn’t lower the price enough. After six months, they’ve paused their search, hoping a downturn might bring home prices down, too.

“I feel like buying a home, owning a home, is becoming a privilege that only the truly wealthy can enjoy,” said Leah Jones, 45, a clinical dietitian.

Yet despite a market full of reluctant buyers, sellers are not under pressure to drop their prices. Almost 60% of households have an interest rate below 4%, according to a study published in the Journal of Finance; selling would mean trading that low rate for a much higher one on a new purchase. Not since the 1980s, when borrowing rates soared into the double digits, have so many Americans been locked into their mortgages, said Lu Liu, an assistant professor of finance at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and an author of the study, describing the conditions as “unprecedented.”

Added to that, the country hasn’t built enough homes since the foreclosure crisis, creating a chronic lack of new housing supply that drags down the market and keeps prices high. “There is no panacea in sight,” Liu said.

Even Austin is stuck, despite starting construction on 102,000 single-family homes between 2020 and 2024, according to Zonda, a data provider. The median sale price there has fallen by 18% since the peak in April 2022, according to Unlock MLS, the multiple listing service for the Austin Board of Realtors.

But buyers still see an overheated market — the median home price jumped 69% from April 2020 to April 2022 — and an uncertain future. Many sellers, in turn, would rather pull a listing from the market than meaningfully lower the price. “It’s a bit of a frozen market,” said Eric Bramlett, an Austin real estate agent.

In February, John Huffman and Nan Walsh listed their three-bedroom house in East Austin for $950,000, after buying a home in Columbus, Ohio, closer to family. The house hasn’t sold, and though they’ve lowered the price to $925,000, they’re in no hurry to make a deal. “I don’t feel any pressure,” said Huffman, 68.

The couple paid $618,000 for the house in 2017 and have a mortgage with a 2.6% interest rate. If it doesn’t sell, they may rent it out or use it as a winter getaway.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

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A special emphasis has been placed on the “garden” part of the business.

“It’s a million-dollar garden with 850 plants,” said Joe Vostrejs, a co-owner of the firm.

“With 44 trees. But who’s counting?” added Rod Wagner, Vostrejs’ business partner.

The entire project at 9258 W. 58th Place spans one acre, with a 5,000-square-foot beer garden on one end and a 2,000-square-foot retail building on the other. In between them sits a 14,300-square-foot pocket park. The total price tag stands at $6 million.

But City Street isn’t paying all that.

The Arvada Urban Renewal Authority sold the property to the developers at a discounted price of $230,000 and kicked in another $1.6 million for some of the infrastructure onsite. That’s because the beer garden is part of a larger redevelopment that includes hundreds of new homes and apartments along with 185,000 square feet of commercial space.

“Arvada felt like the beer garden was exactly the kind of placemaking they needed for their projects. So it was a fit. I’m not running around the metro area trying to find another place to do a beer garden. We’re really only doing beer gardens where it’s a strategic part of a greater vision for placemaking,” Vostrejs said.

City Street has set a tentative opening date of Monday, July 7. The company operates four other beer gardens in the metro, in Lowry, Green Valley Ranch, Edgewater and the Golden Triangle.

No tenant has signed on yet for the smaller retail building, which was constructed with a mixture of Oregon and Canadian wood and resembles an old-school train station.

Fortunately, the developers avoided paying tariffs on most of their materials, which kicked in well into the construction process. Wagner said the Canadian wood cost them $2.67 a board foot – the standard unit of measurement in lumber. When they needed a bit more for the project after tariffs went into effect, that price jumped to more than $7 per board foot.

“I think if we were to build it again, I’d probably carry 20% bigger contingency,” Wagner said.

The retail development at Garrison Street and 58th Avenue is situated across from the Ralston Central Park. The urban renewal authority anticipates it will help connect it to the new homes around it, creating one big walkable neighborhood.

“We just wanted [it] to be a place where the community could come and gather and get food, beverages, things like that,” said Carrie Briscoe, executive director of the authority.

Read more at our partner, BusinessDen.

Homeowners are embracing xeriscaping and native plant landscaping and moving away from traditional bluegrass lawns in favor of drought-resistant options.

Lauren Floyd, design assistant at C&H Landscaping, said homeowners who switch to low-water landscaping are more likely to want to save money than those motivated by environmental concerns.

“We’re seeing more people moving to xeric landscapes using native plants to increase curb appeal and cut down on their water usage.”

Popular options include xeriscaping using native plants, planting ground cover, incorporating hardscaping, using mulch and gravel, and installing drip irrigation.

Xeriscaping

Xeriscaping uses drought-resistant plants, particularly those native to Colorado, like Karl Foerster grasses and Colorado blue spruce, because they are better adapted to thrive under specific conditions.

This landscaping approach often features succulents, lavender, yucca, and other low-water plants, which help conserve water while maintaining beauty in the garden.

Ross Hulstein, Highlands Landscaping CEO, said most homeowners understand that growing grass takes more water.

“Switching to low water use means less grass and more native plants,” Hulstein said.

He recommends choosing native Colorado plants that thrive in the high desert climate.

“They are used to the rainfall we get and will need less watering.”

In Fort Collins, homeowners’ associations that once required at least 60% blue grass are now modifying their requirements to options that use less water, said Kristin Crawford, the office manager of Waterwise Landscapes.

She said xeriscapes that include Karl Foerster, Maiden Hair, and Pampas grasses are popular and require less water and maintenance.

Aaron Le, owner of Modern Concepts Landscaping, said xeriscapes also appeal to homeowners who want something low-maintenance.

“They want something simple and clean so they have a nice looking yard without having to put too much time and effort into it,” he said.

Ground cover

Planting ground cover instead of using rocks offers environmental and aesthetic benefits.

Plants like creeping phlox and hen-and-chick succulents improve soil health by preventing erosion, enhancing moisture retention, and promoting nutrient cycling.

Ground covers also support beneficial insects and wildlife, fostering biodiversity. They provide vibrant, textured landscapes with seasonal color and help moderate soil temperature while retaining moisture.

Dan Zehr, owner of Living Landscapes, said using plants as ground cover helps create a healthy ecosystem. The plants provide moisture and support birds and pollinators.

“We’re experiencing a renaissance and people are discovering what it truly means to create an ecosystem,” he said.

Landscaping experts must help educate homeowners, especially transplants, to help them understand the environment.

“We need to show them that native short grasses will thrive and that hydrangeas and boxwoods are not appropriate for our climate.”

Hardscaping

Incorporating hardscape elements like patios, boulders, and mulch can effectively reduce grassy areas in landscaping.

Additionally, using rock and gravel instead of traditional grass minimizes maintenance and significantly reduces water usage.

Hulstein warns that installing hardscaping costs more upfront, but takes less work and costs less to maintain.

Drip irrigation

Installing drip lines allows for targeted watering, making it a more efficient alternative to traditional irrigation methods.

This approach ensures water is delivered directly to the plants’ roots, minimizing waste and optimizing water use.

The news and editorial staffs of The Denver Post had no role in this post’s preparation.

The new owners are two longtime Durango families – the Arianos and the Wests – who have been involved in multiple businesses over the decades, including beer distribution.

“I understand some people will be sad, but the [beer] landscape has shifted so much that I think people understand,” Thibodeau said, explaining the Ska had taken on $5 million in debt for expansion plans that never materialized. “At the end of the day, this is the best thing that could have happened. Now we have a solid foundation, and we can start marching forward.”

Thibodeau will remain with the brewery along with longtime executive Steve Breezley, who becomes CEO. “I’m not going anywhere, and the brewery’s not going anywhere,” he added.

Ska’s sale — first reported by The Durango Herald — underlines not just the age of the industry and its pioneers, some of whom want to retire, but the stark economics of the business, which grew quickly in a can-do-no-wrong fashion in the 2010s before hitting a wall of changing tastes and competition around the same time that the COVID-19 pandemic crushed food and beverage businesses nationwide.

For instance, Great Divide founder Brian Dunn sold his 31-year-old Denver brewery to growing local beverage manufacturer Wilding Brands in April, and will shutter both of his Denver taprooms this month. Kevin DeLange and Michelle Reding sold 20-year-old Dry Dock to Longmont’s Left Hand Brewing the same month; the future of Dry Dock’s Aurora taproom is unknown.

Left Hand is now the only major legacy craft brewery – 20 years or older – in the state that is still run and partially owned by one of its founders. A handful of smaller legacy breweries, including Carver Brewing and Golden City, are still owned by their founders or their families.

But some of Colorado’s older modern breweries, born after 2010, are also selling, leading to a whirlwind of changes in the market. The most recent sale was announced Thursday when Denver’s Station 26 Brewing (founded: 2013) was acquired by Wilding Brands, a holding company created by Stem Ciders founder Eric Foster. Wilding, based in Lafayette, also owns Denver Beer Co. and its five taprooms (founded: 2011) and Funkwerks (2010).

“Everyone is trying to figure out the next move to stay sustainable – asking themselves, ‘What is a good move for us,’” Thibodeau said. “For us, this is a chance to stop saying ‘no’ wherever an opportunity comes up. … It’s given us a renewed morale … It provides some levity.

“In Colorado, craft beer is such a part of who we are. There are still opportunities for growth and fun. We want to keep the legacy positive,” he added.

Ska grew to prominence in the 1990s and 2000s with beers like Modus Hoperandi IPA, Pinstripe Red and Steel Toe Stout, and stood out among Colorado breweries for its tongue-in-cheek messaging and its dedication to ska music (hosting an annual birthday bash featuring some of the best ska musicians in the business).

In later years, the brewery, which Thibodeau co-owned by Bill Graham and Matt Vincent,  became known more for its lagers, including Ska Mexican Logger, Rue B. Soho Grapfruit Lager, and Oktoberfest.

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The store covers approximately 123,000 square feet and features a French Bakery, an apparel section, a fuel station and a drive-thru pharmacy.

This is the first King Soopers in the Town of Frederick, according to a news release about the development.

“We are grateful for the partnership with Evergreen Devco and the Town of Frederick in bringing this community King Soopers to life,” said Jessica Trowbridge, corporate affairs manager at King Soopers.

“We are excited to offer our neighbors a place where they can find fresh, affordable, and delicious food, and the exceptional service that sets us apart. It is truly a privilege to be part of this community, and we are committed to serving the Town of Frederick with care and dedication.”

Developed by Phoenix-based Evergreen Devco Inc., the center also features nearly 20,000 square feet of recently completed retail space across two new multi-tenant buildings. The shops will soon be home to businesses such as Wingstop, Club Pilates, Domino’s Pizza, Cold Stone Creamery, Great Clips, Blue Sky Nails & Lash, Five Guys Famous Burgers and Fries, Pacific Dental and Chipotle.

“The arrival of Silverstone Marketplace addresses a crucial need in our community for expanded grocery, retail, dining, and service options,” said Max Daffron, economic development manager for the Town of Frederick.

“This development aligns perfectly with our growth strategy outlined in the Town’s strategic plan and will serve as a central hub for residents to shop, dine, and access essential services without traveling outside our community.”

The shop space is currently 93% leased, with tenants beginning work on the interior part of the stores. Only one suite is available.

Additional pad tenants that will complement the King Soopers, including Chase Bank, Wendy’s and Valvoline, are in various stages of plan review with the Town of Fredrick.

Openings are anticipated in early 2026 and limited pad sites remain available for development.

G3 Architecture Inc. provided the architectural design for the shop buildings, Galloway provided the civil engineering design, Mark Young Construction LLC handled site work and Epic Construction, Inc. served as the contractor for the shop buildings.

Evergreen began construction on the site along Colorado 52 and Colorado Boulevard in December 2023.

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Safeway and Albertsons workers across metro Denver, including Boulder and Castle Rock, approved an unfair labor practice strike, as did workers at stores in Conifer, Evergreen, Fountain, Grand Junction, Idaho Springs, Parker, Pueblo, Salida, Steamboat Springs and Vail, the UFCW Local 7 said in a news release Thursday night.

The votes on whether to authorize a strike took place last week and earlier this week, with 99% of metro Denver workers approving a strike, the union said. It represents the first time that Safeway workers in the state have voted to strike over unfair labor practices since 1996.

A date for a walkout hasn’t been announced, but the clock is ticking, said UFCW Local 7 President Kim Cordova. Cordova said late Friday afternoon the union was still waiting to find out if Albertsons, the owner of Safeway, intended to make a “time is of the essence” offer to head off a strike.

If an offer isn’t made or if an offer is made that the union rejects, then the union would provide 72 hours’ notice to terminate the extension on the contract, which had expired in January.

A rejection would then set the stage for a strike next week. In the strike against King Soopers and City Market, workers took to the picket lines in early February, six days after the strike vote results were announced. That labor action lasted nearly two weeks. Cordova said a new contract still isn’t in place parent company Kroger.

“We have been more than patient for months as the company slashed our hours and ignored workers’ proposals on staffing and other key issues. Incredibly, Safeway and Albertsons have now chosen to walk away from a signed agreement for retroactive pay and benefit increases and instead are only offering increases going forward. This is the essence of bargaining in bad faith. Time has run out,” said Kevan Kohlman, a Safeway worker from Grand Junction and member of the negotiating committee, in a news release.

More than 150,000 UFCW and Teamster workers in Colorado, Washington and California have been negotiating for new contracts, and a chief complaint they want to address is understaffing at stores, which they say has worsened working conditions for them and worsened shopping conditions for customers.

“At the bargaining table, this employer is holding hands with King Soopers and City Market to propose major cuts to workers’ health care benefits, and to threaten the financial security of our pension beneficiaries on fixed incomes, while continuing to reject meaningful efforts to address chronic understaffing in stores. On top of the concessionary proposals at the negotiating table, Safeway and Albertsons have gone back on their agreements,” said Cordova.

Workers are seeking better wages, better staffing levels, affordable health care and a reliable pension, Cordova said, adding that union proposals have been rejected or ignored and earlier agreements reneged on. Albertsons is also looking to divert funds out of a retiree healthcare plan funded by workers to support benefits for current employees, Cordova said.

“Safeway in Colorado remains committed to productive discussions with UFCW Local 7, and we have contract extensions in place while we do so. We respect the rights of workers to engage in collective bargaining and are negotiating in good faith to achieve an agreement,” Albertsons/Safeway said in a statement sent by Heather Halpape, a spokeswoman for the Safeway Denver division.

“Our focus remains on providing exceptional service to our customers and fostering a positive working environment for our associates. All Safeway and Albertsons stores in Colorado are open and ready to continue serving our communities,” the statement said.

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