If Chicago is the city ‘with big shoulders,’ Pueblo, is just a smaller—significantly smaller—version of the ‘Windy City.’ It is a place that has braved the chilliest economic headwinds but has not simply survived them but moved right on through.

Today, Pueblo, the economic pulse of southern Colorado—an area bigger than a number of U.S. states—has an economy that has diversified from heavy industry to one that could soon boast of being the world leader in the manufacture of blades that harvest clean energy out of thin air. The city is in a final stage negotiations with the South Korean company, CS Wind, on a manufacturing operation.

“We’re in good shape,” said Jeff Shaw, Executive Director of the Pueblo Economic. Shaw, a Pueblo native. The city’s infrastructure is strong, there is a good availability of land, and perhaps as important as anything, the city has plenty of water, he said. Shaw also said that the city also has a strong workforce ready to fill jobs that companies need filled when they make decisions on relocating.

An abundance of workers will soon become available for potential new companies considering Pueblo when the job of destroying a good portion of World War II mustard agent is completed. Pueblo is one of two locations in the United States where the military has stored the war era’s nerve agent. The deadline for the end of this operation is December 2023. The end of the job will also mean the end of what was once known as the Pueblo Army Depot, a location up to the 1980’s that served as one of the region’s largest employers. When the end does come for this deadly weapon, 1,582 workers will be available for new employment opportunities.

Like all cities looking to maintain economic momentum, much is predicated on Washington politicians figuring out a solution to the debt ceiling issue. Shaw said that even though Pueblo does not have a lot of defense employment, “we’re still waiting for Congress to act.” Failing to address the debt ceiling could plunge the country into a deepening reces- sion.

Most of the state’s economic growth has occurred on the Front Range, an area stretching from Fort Collins on the north to Colorado Springs. As a result, Pueblo’s unemployment rate, while not in a danger zone, continues to register higher than Shaw would like. “We’re a little bit higher,” than the state rate, he said. Pueblo’s unemployment rate comes in at 5.4 percent, nearly 1.9 percentage points above the metro area.

In 2020, Pueblo voters overwhelmingly supported a one-half percent city sales tax for economic development. The money, which has raised nearly $10 million dollars, is controlled by the city council and is used by the PEDCO to lure new business to the city. Spending money, as PEDCO does to lure business, is a common practice by municipalities. Money often goes to creating infrastructure, including roads and other incentives.

According to the most recent census, Pueblo’s population is 112,000. The population for the total county was approximately 170,000. Shaw says the size and location of Pueblo makes it ideal for a company looking for both quality of life and a base to conduct business.

“We’re getting a lot of looks from inside Colorado,” said the PEDCO executive. He says its location, with easy access to north-south travel routes, good rail options, square footage availability and “close proximity to Colorado Springs,” where air travel is quickly available are among the city’s best selling points.

“We have a good story to tell,” said Shaw, not the least of which is access to southern Colorado and what he calls a region that may be the state’s best kept secret. Also, when companies are taking a good look at Pueblo, he said, they quickly learn that the challenges of a big city are nowhere to be found in Pueblo, including the daily challenge of highway gridlock. “High traffic in Pueblo is one cycle of a traffic light.”`

While Denver might be locked into a seasonal dip where temperatures can be as depressing as the all too frequent overcast skies, you don’t have to take it if you’re willing to drive a hundred or so miles to the south to Pueblo.

Because out of staters have created a population boom in the metro area, a lot of newcomers aren’t familiar with southern Colorado and its largest city. But, Donielle Kitzman, whose job for the Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce is to tell everyone about her town, encourages everyone to ‘come on down!’ But don’t expect to see billowing clouds of soot belching out of industrial smokestacks that once stained the city’s sky. Those days are over.

Pueblo, once called ‘the Pittsburgh of the West,’ for its steel mill, has undergone a dramatic manufacturing metamorphosis. Instead of steel, the city is going green and clean and may soon be known as the world’s largest maker of blades for the booming wind energy industry. It’s now in negotiations with a South Korean company to finalize the deal.

Today, said Kitzman, “Pueblo has a wealth of museums and cultural exhibits,” for out-of-towners to experience. Interested in aviation? There’s the Pueblo Weisbrod Aircraft Museum. Of course, there’s the Steelworks Museum that traces the history of the city’s once dominant industry. But ‘Wait! There’s more!’

Pueblo also has a Railway Museum located walking distance from the city’s iconic and architecturally dramatic Union Depot. Want to know Pueblo’s history? The El Pueblo History Museum regularly hosts exhibits tracing not only the region’s history but also shows the works of nationally known Latino/Chicano artists. Pueblo also has the Sangre de Cristo Arts and Conference Center which stages Broadway traveling productions as well as exhibits of world class arts.

To get a feel of a long-ago Pueblo, the city also has its share of historic architecture including, perhaps, the crown jewel of southern Colorado, The Rosemount Museum. Built over two years, the home was completed in 1893. Its exterior Pueblo when you’re not dead’ is imported pink Rhyolite volcanic stone. Inside, visitors can tour all three floors of the 37 room, 24,000 square foot home where they can see the opulence of the 19th century, including imported woodwork from around the world and a Tiffany chandelier. There is also a 6,000 square foot carriage house on the grounds that today has been converted into a restaurant. The home was built for the Thatcher family, at one time the wealthiest family in southern Colorado. The Rosemount was the first Pueblo home listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Because steel was one of the industries that attracted immigrant to this country in the mid to late 19th century, Pueblo became a melting pot for Italians, Poles, Lithuanians, as well as others who simply moved from other states. They joined Mexican Americans already here. As a result, the city is dotted with a variety of restaurants reflecting the cuisine of each group.

Pueblo’s outdoors is also one of the city’s big draws for visitors, said the Chamber’s Kitzman. The city is often called ‘the Banana Belt’ of Colorado for its temperate winter weather and a major selling point for visitors. “When our partners are snowed in,” she said, “we see visitors from over the state.” They come to golf, hit the city’s 35 miles of bike trails, hike, fish the Arkansas or boat on Lake Pueblo.

Pueblo has also cemented itself as a centrally located place for smaller, boutique conventions and routinely hosts veterans groups, police and sheriffs gatherings, hunters and outdoor recreation events. The boom in out-of-towners has been a godsend for the city’s hospitality industry. Hotels for convention visitors have sprouted along I-25, the corridor that bisects the city. But if a visitor wants to go off the beaten path, there is also a nascent bed and breakfast niche blossoming.

Jeff and Cindy Bailey, who decided hospitality would be a good way to earn a living in their retirement, run The Abriendo Inn, a bed and breakfast located near the city’s Mesa Junction. Bailey, a retired teacher in nearby Rye, Colorado, and Cindy, a florist and wedding planner, took a gamble and bought the historic Walters home in 2020 when the pandemic was still raging. “I was skeptical at the time,” he said. “We didn’t know which direction it was going to go. It could get worse, but it could get better.” Lucky for the couple, things turned up.

The home was built in 1906 by Martin Walter who also built the region’s largest brewery. Walters Beer was synonymous with southern Colorado but, like so many regional breweries, went dry and disappeared in 1975. But his Victorian home, opulent for the times, survived.

The retired teacher and his wife have completely redecorated the home while leaving intact its coppered ceilings and courtesan oak hardwood floors. Bailey, who takes no credit for the aesthetics, said his wife scoured estates sales, “in every nook and corner in the area to find just the right pieces. She picked out all the pieces,” for each of the seven suites, he said. “It’s very homelike and comfortable.” The Abriendo Inn is located less than a mile from historic Union Avenue on the street that bears its name.

Bailey said he acts as the official greeter and bellhop for the Inn. “I try and meet the guests as they come through our gates. I help them with their luggage and make sure they can access the Inn properly. He’s also the Inn’s concierge, telling guests places to eat, things to do or history of the place. For guest security, the home is outfitted with smart locks that allow guests to come and go as they please. The couple also offers what they call “a deluxe continental breakfast.” Currently the Inn is offering winter/off-season rates.

For more information, said Bailey, visit theabriendoinn.com.