After reading Matt’s most recent review of our entity, Trainwreck (Oct. 19 Indy), I felt it necessary to defend ourselves to the masses.
We appreciate varying opinions; we appreciate constructive criticism and would have appreciated reading a review with substance. The full-page article presented the worst photo and caption ever published. The large colored photo included a discarded napkin and deliberately smashed food. Matt’s review felt more like a high school cyber bully than a local food professional. We are okay not being loved by all, but it would have been appreciated if Matt, could have built on any positives he found during his visit.
As a new business in the food and beverage industry, we all know that opening something this large and with this magnitude isn’t easy, especially after a pandemic. His review was truly a slap in the face to our team that is working diligently to provide an experience to Downtown Colorado Springs. Trainwreck is the home to much more than adult beverages. We are excited to offer yard games, golf simulators, a nine hole putting green, bocce ball, pool tables, live music, four sand volleyball courts and the largest tv in Colorado Springs. His dig at our name, sister companies, marketing means, costs, and vomit in the parking lot… didn’t feel like a food review, but a complete smear campaign. If Matt was going to go off the “rails”, why could he not have mentioned any of the amazing offerings Trainwreck brings to the downtown area? Trainwreck hosts volleyball tournaments, has over 50 beers on tap that support local brewers, holds community exercise classes on Saturday mornings, cornhole tournaments, our “Wrap” party in December benefiting United Way, and more to come! We are excited to build and bring our community together.
We strive to provide amazing food and beverages at all eight entities (Till, Garden of the Gods Market and Café, Vine & Wheel, Pinery at the Hill, Pinery North, Garden of the Gods Catering and Events, Till Express) that fall under our Altitude Hospitality Group umbrella, and sometimes miss the mark. Feedback only makes us stronger, but there was none to be had in his review. Only that Matt, the food critic, didn’t like anything and would suggest no one ever darkens the door of our business, EVER. We heard him loud and clear and hope there aren’t many that read his articles and take heed before they have a chance to come check us out for themselves. And to be fair, a review within the first two weeks of opening, short staffed with a new team isn’t very kind. I’m not sure Matt’s intentions were to live up to the Indy’s mission statement, “to deliver truth, build community and engage citizens.” I give Matt an epic fail for not staying on task, not building community and not allowing others to make a decision about our business themselves. To those who have supported us, thank you and to our future guests, we look forward to meeting you!
Melissa Svenby
Director of Operations, Altitude Hospitality Group
Editor’s note: Letters to the editor have not been edited nor fact-checked. Food critic Matthew Schniper dined at Trainwreck four weeks after opening, not two, as the letter states.