Alumni Business Owners Welcome Students Back
July 13, 2021
This fall, as students return to campus and take time to explore Greeley, they’ll know they’re in Bear country just driving into town. The university community and Greeley business owners are ready to welcome them back with lots of Blue and Gold, and a flurry of signs that say, “This is Bear Country.”
Cristóbal (Chris) Garcia, associate director of Alumni Relations, says “UNC students have a Bear Network of alumni and friends welcoming them to Bear Country and supporting their engagement across Northern Colorado. With the Bear Biz program, we’re engaging our alumni-owned and partner businesses in connecting our students to the entertainment, food, products, and resources they need to find a sense of belonging both on and off campus.”
Bear Biz is a UNC program that partners with local businesses to help students feel at home in Greeley. More than 70 businesses – ranging from auto repair shops to restaurants – participate.
One new business in Greeley that looks forward to welcoming students back is Berry Blendz Bistro, owned by UNC alumni Robby ‘03 and Amanda (Beasley) Aguilar ‘07 ‘14 who earned their degrees in Business and Nursing, respectively. Berry Blendz, which offers fruit and vegetable smoothies, started in Fort Collins, with franchises in Colorado, Minnesota and Ohio. The Aguilar’s opened their first Berry Blendz in June 2020 on west 10th Street, and their second one on 8th Avenue July 10. The 8th Avenue restaurant is a bistro concepted Berry Blendz, serving sandwiches and paninis in addition to smoothies, and it’s perfectly located for new Bears.
In a recent article for the Greeley Tribune, Robby Aguilar told reporter Christopher Wood that he and Amanda used to meet for lunch at a restaurant near their current location when they were in school, and they look forward to welcoming students back. “When they [students] come, we’ll be ready for them, and we’re excited about it,” Aguilar said.
With classes starting Monday, August 23, their timing is perfect for a warm Bear welcome.
