I had an extremely disturbing experience here during NBS Ski Weekend, when Black professionals from around the world were in Keystone to enjoy a week of snow sports and support local businesses.
What should have been a normal night of professionals socializing, listing to rnb music, and playing pool turned into something deeply uncomfortable, racist, and humiliating. Members of our group were repeatedly singled out, questioned aggressively, and treated like we did not belong, despite the fact that we were paying customers who had purchased drinks there and were simply enjoying ourselves and minding our business.
One incident in particular involved a man identifying himself as Zach, who approached one of us and began interrogating him about a beer accusing him of sneaking the beer in the building although he clearly purchased it from their establishment. (I personally confirmed the purchase in private). Even after being told that the beer was purchased from the establishment, Zach continued pressing, escalating, and creating unnecessary tension. He later returned multiple times, and the situation kept intensifying instead of being de-escalated professionally.
What made it worse was that there was no legitimate behavior from our group that justified what happened next. There was no fight, no chaos, no disorderly conduct. This was a group of grown professionals, many 35+, calmly talking, playing pool, and spending money. Yet somehow the night ended with police and the fire department being called, multiple conflicting explanations being given, and the establishment effectively forcing us out.
At that point, it became very hard not to see the situation for what it appeared to be: discrimination disguised as "safety concerns." We were made to feel unwelcome, targeted, and disrespected. One officer even made it clear that the establishment simply wanted us out.
That is unacceptable.
Businesses in a destination like Keystone should know how to treat guests with fairness and respect, especially during a major event bringing in visitors from all over the world. Instead, this establishment made a group of Black professionals feel criminalized for existing in the space.
I cannot recommend supporting a place that made so many of us feel unwelcome and unwanted. Rathbone Taproom needs to take accountability, fire Zach, and do better. read more
