Meet Justin Riley of Rayback Collective in Boulder

Today we’d like to introduce you to Justin Riley.

Justin, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
In 2013, Hank Grant and I met on an adventure with a mutual friend in Moab, Utah whereas rock climbers, we rigged up a 150-foot pendulum rope swing from the Corona Arch. If jumping off a 15 story high arch doesn’t bring you together as friends, nothing will. We had the idea, having been inspired by food truck posing around California, to create a space to hang with your friends or your kids, a place to unwind after a day in the office, a place to cap off your most recent mountain rendezvous, a place to plan your next epic adventure, a place to congregate—the Rayback was born of this desire. We wanted this concept to live among other people looking for the same type of space and in Boulder, it was starving for something like this. In Boulder, there are lots of great places to eat, drink a craft beer, or shop with authentic makers. We could not find a place however that embraced the outdoors we lived around.

In 2014, we began with a Kickstarter campaign https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/291075737/the-boulder-food-park-boulders-food-and-drink-venu to gauge interest and it was a hit! We funded our goal and took the leap of faith to quit our corporate jobs. The next year was an uphill battle. Being a new concept that combined many components of the traditional hospitality business, the cities laws would simply not allow so many uses on one space. With a “never take an” attitude, we pursed City Council, the City Attorney, and many people in the planning department and overcame all these obstacles including changing a law that prevented food trucks from operating on private property close to restaurants.

The entitlements, planning, and permitting process took over a year before we could start the build-out of the old warehouse we would soon call the Rayback Collective. In July of 2016, Rayback Collective opened its doors to Boulder offering it something they had never seen before.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
Situated in the heart of Boulder, the Rayback is a food park. A bar. An event space. A backyard party. A collective of all things Colorado. We have more than 30 taps on deck and a rotating set of some of the area’s most beloved food trucks ready to dish up some of the finest, most eclectic cuisine the city has to offer. We have a stage that’s primed for local talent to impress and a patio where you can show off your cornhole prowess. I am proud to say we have been frequented by all ages, sexes, and demographics. We are purposeful in hosting community events that welcome people from all walks of life. We often have said that we would fail Business 101 in college because when asked, “Who is your target audience” we reply, “EVERYONE.” In our almost three years of being open, we have proved it. Any day you come in and look around there are young couples with children, seniors gathering for a bible study, young adults on a first date, and salsa groups from the Latin community. I think this sets us apart when others target their offerings to a group of people and hope to become the best in that area.

What were you like growing up?
I grew up in Atlanta, Georgia. I played Baseball and ran Cross Country. Outside of school, I went rock climbing, scuba diving (our family vacation activity), and mountain biking. My parents are both Chiropractors which back then was not nearly as popular or accepted as family medicine. We went to Co-Ops and farmers markets to get fresh food because Organic wasn’t a thing yet. I feel like I got an early start on learning how to take care of yourself and lead a healthy life. I am so encouraged that it’s now “cool” to be healthy. More and more people are finding ways to eat better food, take care of their bodies, and challenge their minds. I hope this trend keeps up.

Contact Info:

• Address: 2775 Valmont Rd
  Boulder, CO 80304
• Website: www.therayback.com
• Phone: 3032142127
• Email: hello@therayback.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therayback/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/therayback/

Image Credit:
Daybreak BLDR

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