Essay by John Mattingly
Mountain Life – December 2005 – Colorado Central Magazine
BREEZING THROUGH MOFFAT, you might see a Subaru with the bumper sticker IN GUAD WE TRUST parked next to a pickup truck with a .22 in the gunrack, or a BMW next to a VW, all sitting quietly under the circle sign, MIRAGE TRADING COMPANY. The Old West clapboard porch holds a sculpture-in-progress on one side, a table and easy chairs on the other, with an ashtray ahead of the door as a reminder. Inside, a bell rings over the door as you’re greeted by a warm wood stove and walls covered with artworks, ranging from abstract impressionism to cowboy rustic to graphic realism. And much more: boots and jeans next to print dresses, jewelry fronting antiques, guitars on stands, local and Native American crafts, and the centerpiece coffee bar, flanked by a bucket of fresh flowers for sale, and a serious espresso machine almost hidden by designer chocolate bars, homemade toffee, and cinnamon rolls.
“We pride ourselves on having the best coffee,” Sharon Ray, owner and operator says proudly. The aroma of fresh ground coffee beans and steamed milk drifts over a register which has a $1,000,000 bill taped to its face.
While others have tried and failed to make a business in this space, Sharon and lieutenant Bob have been successful in large part by attracting talent from the community. Each month an artist is featured through poetry readings, musical performances, or candy tasting. “We’re halfway between Aspen and Santa Fe,” Sharon points out, “and a lot of people from both those places pass through here and tell us we have work that measures up. We also recognize that we’re in Moffat, and we want this to be a place where people from the area can come for conversation and good coffee.”
Too, Sharon has been open to the diversity of tastes and interests in the region. Her Company logo, a sexy, 1950s-style cowgirl holding a boot in one hand and a coffee cup in the other, signals surprises inside, not the unpleasant kind. This is a place where the flavor of the past blends harmoniously with emerging New Age Blue Collars.
When you sit down with coffee and chocolate in Mirage Trading, you can use your laptop, as the place offers wireless internet. And you might also talk with a farmer about the decline of the alfalfa market, or a rancher about his new Cadillac, or a builder, writer, or surfer.
Then again, you might see a new consignment of woodwork placed on a table, or travelers poking their heads in out of curiosity, or highway crewmen taking a break.
Sharon bought the building early this year. Known principally as the Moffat Post Office Building, it has enjoyed the sprawling fate of many old buildings and has several unique spaces. Sharon did some remodeling and expects to have the rest of the building fully rented soon. “Initially, I wanted to do a gallery in the Valley,” Sharon says, “so I looked into renting a space in the building. I’ve been coming to the Valley for 30 years and always liked the old Post Office. When I looked at the rent and compared it to a mortgage, I decided to buy.”
Before settling in the Valley, Sharon operated an antique refinishing business in Boulder for 30 years and raised three children, thus bringing both business and people skills to her Mirage Trading adventure.
“I deal with a lot of artists,” Sharon says, referring to consignments. “I have to be selective and diplomatic.” She keeps detailed records of all sales and has a way about her that commands appropriate respect. “I pay consigners on the 15th of each month. Right now, we’re making expenses and have some left each month to put back into the business.”
And the business shows the return in a wide spectrum of pleasant surprises. So if you’re going through Moffat, Mirage Trading Company is well worth a stop.
John Mattingly farms and writes near Moffat.
