How it all started…

Riff Raff started with five original founders back in 2013.

Jason and Shelly Cox, both Texas Tech graduates, who moved to Pagosa from Denver in 2008. '

Randy and Eleanor Schnose who moved to Pagosa in 2003; originally from Arizona.

And Mike Simbro, from Iowa originally, lives in Denver which is where he met Jason and Shelly. 

Each of the original founders played a keyed role in starting the brewery. Jason handled all the paperwork and legal stuff that nobody wanted to do, Shelly and Mike set-up restaurant operations, and Randy and Eleanor set-up the brewing operations. 

In 2018, all founders agreed it was time to expand. Randy and Eleanor choose to expand their growing spruce business, and the others decided to expand Riff Raff by creating a second location, fondly known as Riff Raff on the Rio, with a larger brewhouse. 

Where did the name Riff Raff Brewing Company come from?

Ideas were tossed around for several names, but the name came from a mutual friend who said he ‘felt like the riff raff’ when entering some establishments after working construction all day. All the founders laughed at the story, but it stuck with them. They wanted to create a place where everyone felt welcomed no matter who or where they came from, so Riff Raff Brewing was created. 

How did we pick the location?

The founders looked, talked with town advisors, and looked some more. Finally after 19 locations, and numerous conversations, they settled on an 1896 built home with tons of history and one major plus geothermal. Plus the owner was willing to owner finance which was a huge benefit to a start-up company. 

Other fun facts about the décor…

Tables and bar were custom made from an old factory floor that Mike Musgrove, of Musgrove Fine Woodworking, found in Arboles.  

Two bottle caps are inserted into the bar to represent the home brewing roots. One cap is from a spruce beer that Randy and Eleanor brewed, and the other is from Jason’s Russian Imperial Stout. Both beers have become Riff Raff seasonal beers.

The corrugated metal around the bar and under merch area came from Shelly’s great-grandmother’s house in Texas. 

The antique ceiling tiles around bar and bathroom area were found in Durango Salvage, and were originally in the hotel in Silverton, CO and are also from the late 1800s. 

The signs, skis, sleds and majority of artwork came from founders’ personal collections. There are two rafting pictures that have Jason in them, and one actually has Shelly too. Metal signs are meant to be borderline offensive and show our personality. 

Why the Big Lebowski? 

When creating our menu we wanted to add a little fun and every quote seemed to come from the Big Lebowski. It took a life of its own after that, but you have to admit it does tie the whole thing together.