Before opening the screen door to The Village Smithy — and typically having to hold it open for several other patrons coming or going through the narrow entry hall — folks might grab a paper from the line of news stands outside or get held up in an extended stop-and-chat with a friend. Inside, the cacophonous sound of conversations fills the air, mingling with the aroma of the most important meal of the day. The restaurant has faithfully served Carbondale for more than 50 years. With heavy hearts, owners Charlie Chacos and Jared Ettelson are bracing to turn it over to new leadership, a strategic move in their minds to ensure its longevity.
Chacos, whose parents, Chris and Terry, opened The Smithy in 1975, essentially grew up there. Ettelson got his start washing dishes as a teenager, and dined there since the age of 4. It suffices to say, neither of them are taking the transition lightly.
“This has been my life and I wouldn’t have traded it for the world,” Ettelson said, tears welling up. Chacos could hardly get a word out when asked how he’s holding up, but noted the pressure to sustain the business his parents started.
It’s not the first time The Smithy has been up for sale. Back in the late ‘90s, Chacos’ parents had the business listed for about two years before he agreed to assume ownership himself. The partnership with Ettelson came about 10 years later.
Part of what prompted the pending sale is the building is overdue for a remodel, Chacos explained, which they were on the verge of undergoing before COVID hit and construction costs skyrocketed. In 2023 or 2024, they almost bit the bullet again, considering large and small options, but realized, “We just couldn’t afford to remodel what needs to be done,” Chacos said.
“It needs some love. It’s been here for 50 years and we’ve been Band-aiding it together for 55,” he laughed.
“It’s extremely bittersweet,” Ettelson continued. “It’s a really hard thing for us, but … I’d be bussing tables for the next 20 years to make that remodel pay off.”
Ettelson’s daughters, who grew up here and worked at the establishment for eight and 10 years, have moved on from the Valley. His wife is itching to get back to SoCal — where her family resides — after years of patiently waiting, so their sights are set on San Diego.
“The thought of losing Jared and operating without him after 15 years was kind of frightening for me,” Chacos said. He plans to stick around and nurture coffee drinkers who’ve come to rely on Bonfire, another Carbondale business the two own together.
The Smithy business and property are a package deal. Chacos and his brother, Eric, the de facto handyman of the restaurant, inherited the property from their parents. Mike Mercatoris of Compass Realty helped with a pocket listing, meaning it wasn’t publicly posted.
The prospective buyers, Samantha and Craig Cordts-Pearce of CP Restaurant Group, were not available for an interview ahead of press time, but offered to speak with The Sun once they’ve taken over operations. The deal is scheduled to close on Feb. 24.
“Craig and Samantha want a turn-key restaurant,” said Ettelson. “We’re going to close one day and they’re going to open the next.”
As the sellers understand it, the menu, staff and name should stay the same. Jacob Behlow, who was formerly at White House Pizza for 13 years, was hired as manager in November and will help bridge the transition.
“From everything that I’ve heard, it’s just going to be more efficient and maybe a little more professional,” said Chacos, compared to the mom-and-pop styled modus operandi to date. There’s a risk of the character that comes with that changing some, the two acknowledged, but “our goal was to find somebody who wanted to maintain the history,” said Ettelson. “It sounds like these are the people that want to do it.”
Some change is inevitable, they added, noting that Chacos made adjustments when he took over in ‘99, as did Ettelson 10 years later.
CP Restaurant Group began with just one restaurant, The Wild Fig in Aspen in 2003, and has since opened several others in the Valley. According to a write up in Modern Luxury Aspen last year, the Cordts-Pearce couple got their start as a bartender and busser. They’ve bought up other locally iconic eateries, including the Woody Creek Tavern and The Red Onion. In another interview with Modern Luxury in 2024, Craig had this to say about The Red Onion: “We’ll make a few changes here and there, but really, we want to save it for Aspen.”
“Ultimately, we’re trying to save The Smithy for Carbondale, and give it the new life that it needs,” Ettelson said. Chacos, choking up, added, “We just feel fortunate that we’re able to hand it off to good stewards that will take it to the next level.”