The Problem

Sopris was a brand-new restaurant, only a few months into its journey, when they reached out to us. Their mission was clear: serve the community with food people loved and host local events. However, they faced a big challenge—how to compete against established local favorites, especially the well-known restaurants inside nearby casinos.

They knew they needed to start building their online presence but weren’t sure where to begin. Sopris needed a website that would help them stand out, attract locals, and be seen as a destination for both residents and visitors alike.

Problem Highlight: Sopris needed to differentiate itself from established competitors and build an online presence to attract the community and visitors.

The Solution

We took the time to understand Sopris' goals and got to work on a strategy that would help them stand out against their competition. After researching local restaurant websites, it became clear that many were using outdated designs reminiscent of the early 2000s. This presented a big opportunity: creating a modern, user-friendly website would immediately give Sopris a unique edge.

Brand Identity

We crafted Sopris' online brand identity by drawing inspiration from the physical elements of their restaurant—the wall art, seating colors, and their menu design. We blended these elements with modern web design standards, creating a seamless brand experience both online and in-person. The result was a site that felt authentic to the restaurant’s vibe while giving it a polished, up-to-date appearance.

Brand Strategy: We used the restaurant's physical atmosphere to inspire a cohesive online identity that aligned with modern web design standards.

Design

The website we created for Sopris needed to not only look good but also be highly functional. We designed an interactive online menu, allowing potential customers to view different meal categories via tabs. This way, their entire menu could live on a single page while offering a personalized browsing experience—showing customers only what they’re interested in.

Additionally, because community connection was important to Sopris, we built an auto-updating event page where they could easily promote upcoming specials and events. Once an event passed, it would automatically be removed, ensuring their website always reflected what was current.

Design Focus: A modern, intuitive menu interface and auto-updating event page created a streamlined user experience that aligned with Sopris’ goals of community engagement.

Development

We developed the website with a strong focus on speed and mobile optimization. Knowing that many potential customers would be passing through town and searching for places to eat on their phones, we made sure the site would load quickly and look great on mobile.

Every page scored 95+ on Google Lighthouse for:

• Performance

• Accessibility

• Best Practices

• SEO

This optimization made the website easy to find in search engines and ensured it worked flawlessly on any device.

Development Highlights: Focus on mobile optimization and fast load times to attract visitors searching for food while on the go.

The Result

The combination of a modern design, interactive features, and technical optimization paid off. Sopris quickly became a local favorite, maxing out capacity nearly every day during lunch and dinner rushes. The restaurant became a go-to spot for the local fire department and a top choice for out-of-state sports teams after competitive games.

Key Result: Sopris maxed out capacity during peak hours, attracting local patrons and visitors alike.

While it was Sopris' amazing food that kept people coming back, their new website made it easy for customers to find them online and engage with their brand.

Are You a New Business in Need of a Jumpstart?

If your business is less than a year old, like Sopris was, let Vynxlabs help you establish a strong online presence and make your business easy to find. We specialize in crafting websites that drive results.

Let’s jumpstart your online presence—start a conversation today.