Letter from the Scene staff: The Mishawaka

The beloved Mishawaka Amphitheatre in the Poudre Canyon has been providing the Northern Colorado community with great music, food, and entertainment in an unforgettable location for years.

The venue itself has existed since 1916, when it was founded and built by Walter S. Thompson.

Robin Jones, the current owner of the “Mish,” as it is affectionately labeled, has been running the popular music venue and restaurant for over 20 years.

As other local publications have recently made known, Jones is currently facing criminal charges for the cultivation, possession and distribution of marijuana, as well as the possession of ecstasy pills.

The Scene staff feels that, while it is not our responsibility to impose further harm on Jones by focusing on his current legal troubles, it is our responsibility to do three things: Make the current situation of the Mishawaka known; provide our readers with the music community’s take on the matter; and pay our respects to the Mish as an incredible music venue.

The lead investigator for the case, Josh Sheldon of the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office, was quoted in the Collegian as stating, “Everyone knows that [the] Mishawaka has been involved with drugs for a long time.”

We at Scene would like to shed a different light on Robin Jones and the Mishawaka. We feel it necessary to reflect on what else the Mishawaka has been involved with over the years: great music and a positive, community-oriented mindset.

As most music lovers of the community would agree, the Mish has been a cornerstone in shaping a vibrant culture that ties in perfectly with what we at Scene believe the essence of Northern Colorado to be. It has served as a venue for world-class music, a popular lunch stop for Poudre River rafters, a beautiful backdrop for many weddings and celebrations, a restaurant depot, and more.

This venue has been a positive place for a multitude of people throughout the years.

“It’s been in my life forever. My parents met up here and worked up here. The Mish gave us our livelihood for a long time,” General Manager of the Mishawaka, Cate Chase, said to Scene.

For anyone who has been to the Mish, it’s no accident that you most likely found yourself returning again and again. There is just no other venue like it. It not only draws locals, either: It has been a popular tourist destination for years.

“It draws good people and good energy,” Chase said.

The Mishawaka’s Facebook page has recently been inundated with comments from fans and music lovers that are sad to see Jones go and concerned about the new ownership of the beloved venue.

And now we come to the heart of the matter: The Mishawaka must be sold in order to remain open.

Here at Scene, we feel that it is critical to find a new owner that not only understands the essence of the Mish, but also has his or her finger on the pulse of the local community as a whole. There is no reason that this majestic venue cannot continue to serve all of the community, after all: It caters to all ages, genres, demographics and interests.

As Chase stated, “I am very optimistic that it will not go away.”

We at Scene are optimistic as well, and we wholeheartedly hope that whomever steps up to the plate to take over the Mish will keep its generous and memorable traditions alive.

As this one-of-a-kind venue faces an unsure future, we would like to call on all music lovers in the community to remember its vibrant past and band together to keep the influential and memorable Mishawaka Amphitheatre alive and kicking.