The owners of Atrevida Beer Co. are … tired. 

You can hear it in their voices, the subtle sighs and pauses; see it in their eyes and the slight curve of shoulders.

Fighting to keep a craft brewery going through tough economic times and shifting trends is one thing. But beer was never the sole mission for Colorado’s first Latina-owned brewery, and selling suds turned out to be just one of the challenges, one of the straws.

They still believe – oh yes they do! – but in the end, for Atrevida’s lodestar and navigator Jessica Fierro, it was about ending this chapter in a way that holds true to the journey so far, and whatever’s yet to come.

It’s about prioritizing the priorities, and going out the same way she came in: 

On her own terms. With joy.

“The same way I came into this industry, which was celebrating and excited about what I was going to be doing in this community, is the same way I’m leaving the industry,”  she said days after she and her husband, Richard, announced on June 1 the impending closure of their Colorado Springs taproom. “I’m excited about what we built. I’m excited about all the opportunities that we were given, all the awards that we were given, the community rallying, you know, with us .. but it’s been an incredibly tough couple of years.”

Eight years can feel like minutes, and forever.

“Not long ago, my staff was making fun of me because I was talking to them, and I’m like, ‘Oh yeah, you know, our 10-year anniversary’s coming up (and), they’re like, dude, it’s eight,” she said. “I feel like I’ve been here for years, but then I also feel like it’s still so young, you know what I mean?”

Fierro stormed onto the scene in 2018, nabbing top honors in a nationwide brewing reality competition TV show before scooping up and rebranding the former Great Storm Brewing Co., officially opening on Cinco de Mayo of that year. Fierro went on to found the Colorado Springs chapter of the Pink Boots Society, an international nonprofit founded to help and inspire women and non-binary individuals in the fermented and alcoholic beverage industries. And in case Atrevida’s ethos wasn’t clear through its actions, the literal message — “Diversity: It’s on tap!” — rode high on its banners — real and virtual.

If you know anything about Jessica and Richard, or Atrevida, you know the next part of the story.

On Nov. 19, 2022, Richard Fierro and another nightclub patron, Thomas James, subdued and disarmed the Club Q gunman, bringing to an end a shooting spree that injured more than a dozen people and killed five, including Raymond Green Vance, a close Fierro family friend and the boyfriend of Jessica and Richard’s daughter, Kassy.

Both Jessica and Kassy, the brewery’s general manager, were injured in the scramble to escape the bullets that night.

First there were the seemingly non-stop interviews, reporters near and far plumbing for details from the “hero Army vet.” Strangers from around the world flocked to the corner unit of a shopping plaza off Nevada Avenue — and still do.

“We had a kid just this past Saturday who was parked up front waiting for us to open. He walks in and is like, ‘I’m from Arizona. I made this trim and wanted to come see you guys because I read your story,'” Richard said. “That was cool. There’s a lot of folks that still, it’s in their heart or on their mind and they want to support it.”

A well-intentioned online support campaign to “crash” Atrevita’s website with branded merch orders in the days and weeks after the shooting ultimately backfired, leading to a lengthy back order situation, soured sentiments and finally a lawsuit between Atrevida and the company they’d hired to fulfill the orders.

“We ended up in a back-and-forth for about six months, and then we settled to close that all out, so that was done, but I still have people every month, every week, you know, ‘Hey, where’s my shirt,’” Richard said. “I think the intent was a blessing. It’s just the outcome was not.”

On the heels of that, the brewery’s Facebook page was hacked so effectively that the Fierro’ were unable to regain control from an account “owner” whose posts often were antithetical to everything Atrevida holds dear. 

“Yeah, there’s been a lot,” Jessica said.

Healing from trauma is not a linear process. It doesn’t run on a schedule, and defies defenses.

In the three-and-a-half years since the shooting, “there have been a lot of triggers, some are beautiful triggers, some are awful, ugly triggers” — including racist comments and even threats, Jessica said. “All of that takes a toll, and it weighs on me — and my responsibilities for the safety of every one of my staff.”

Her decision to close Atrevida coalesced after months of internal debate, family — and brewery family — conversations.

“This is something that I’ve been thinking about since last year. I wanted to give it a chance. I wanted to see if I can kind of reinvigorate. I didn’t want to reinvent — I love what we have here — but reinvigorate what we had,” Jessica said. “It’s just, you know, the state of the industry right now is not easy. A lot of our regulars are no longer drinking beer.”

Atrevida’s leased space at 204 Mount View Lane, No. 3, is on the market and a final, all-day bash is planned for June 20, with mariachi band, DJ, “food, celebration and plenty of beer.” Atrevida’s last day of business is June 28. 

Jessica said she plans to hold on to the Atrevida brand, “my heart and soul right there,” and maybe start another venture with it.

Someday.

“I still have so much love for this industry, for the folks in this industry, for the camaraderie, all of it,” she said. “After everything that we’ve gone through, I’m really just looking forward to us relaxing, kind of tending to our mental health.”