County Approves Dotty Wampus Expansion with Bed and Breakfast, Micro-Distillery

Quirky chocolate tasting experience plans to add lodging and spirits production to its Mesa Verde-adjacent property.

Apr. 12, 2026 at 1:34am

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A high-end, photorealistic studio still-life photograph featuring a polished copper still, a glass beaker, and a few artfully arranged cacao beans on a clean, monochromatic background, conceptually representing the craft and quality of the new micro-distillery at Dotty Wampus.The new micro-distillery at Dotty Wampus will offer a limited, property-exclusive spirit to elevate the chocolate tasting experience for high-value travelers.Cortez Today

Dotty Wampus, a unique chocolate tasting and entertainment venue just outside Cortez, Colorado, has received approval from the Montezuma County Board of Commissioners to expand its operations. The expansion plans include adding bedrooms for a bed and breakfast and building a micro-distillery on the property's 37 acres.

Why it matters

The approval of Dotty Wampus' expansion plans highlights the county's efforts to support local businesses and boost tourism in the region. The addition of a bed and breakfast and micro-distillery is expected to provide a more immersive and exclusive experience for visitors to the area, aligning with the growing demand for place-based tourism.

The details

Dotty Wampus, run by Bryan Davis and Joanne Haruta, currently offers guided chocolate tours that incorporate food, storytelling, magic tricks, and other theatrical elements. The owners, who have backgrounds in Las Vegas entertainment and California distilleries, plan to widen the internal road on the property to 20 feet to accommodate increased traffic from the bed and breakfast and micro-distillery. The micro-distillery is expected to produce one to two barrels of spirits per month, catering to the 'growing segment of our upscale visitation audience'.

  • The Montezuma County Board of Commissioners approved the zoning application on April 12, 2026.
  • Dotty Wampus plans to begin construction on the bed and breakfast and micro-distillery in the summer of 2026.

The players

Dotty Wampus

A quirky, immersive chocolate tasting and entertainment experience just outside Cortez, Colorado.

Bryan Davis and Joanne Haruta

The owners of Dotty Wampus, who have backgrounds in Las Vegas entertainment and California distilleries and have won awards for their liquor ventures.

Montezuma County Board of Commissioners

The local governing body that approved Dotty Wampus' expansion plans after extensive discussion about potential commercial impacts.

Jim Candelaria and Kent Lindsay

Montezuma County Commissioners who voiced concerns about the road serving the Dotty Wampus property and its ability to handle increased traffic and emergency access.

Mesa Verde Country Tourism Director Brian Bartlett

A supporter of the Dotty Wampus expansion, highlighting the limited production of spirits and the property's opportunity to provide an exclusive, upscale experience for visitors.

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What they’re saying

“I don't have any problem with it, its just the impacts of the road and the growing area down there. That road is not suitable for commercial traffic.”

— Kent Lindsay, Montezuma County Commissioner

“Offering a limited production-property exclusive spirit will provide precisely the type of memorable and place-based experience that today's high-value travelers are exclusively seeking from a tourism and economic development perspective.”

— Brian Bartlett, Mesa Verde Country Tourism Director

What’s next

Dotty Wampus plans to begin construction on the bed and breakfast and micro-distillery in the summer of 2026, after addressing the commissioners' concerns about the road conditions and access.

The takeaway

The approval of Dotty Wampus' expansion plans demonstrates the county's commitment to supporting local businesses and promoting tourism in the region. The addition of a bed and breakfast and micro-distillery is expected to provide a more immersive and exclusive experience for visitors, aligning with the growing demand for place-based tourism experiences.