Sam Biszantz: Elevating Community as a Local Luminary

Samantha Biszantz, known affectionately as Sam, is the embodiment of Vail’s spirit. Her journey from California to Colorado, and employee to employer, community staple to town council member, reflects her unwavering commitment to enhancing the fabric of Vail.

“I wake up every day thinking, how can we make Vail better?” says Biszantz

FROM HOSPITALITY TO ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Sam Biszantz

Photos courtesy of Sam Biszantz

Biszantz’s Vail story traces back to the wee ones as she vacationed on the slopes with family. In 2009, she settled in as a concierge at the Ritz Carlton Bachelor Gulch. Recognizing the privilege of residing in Vail, she began to cultivate the values of drive and pride. After the usual suspect roles, she returned to San Francisco for a bit, came back to Vail, then tried San Diego, before beginning her 2015 third (and forever) stay as an adult. Already a general manager of Kelly Liken Restaurant, she asked herself, “Where do I go from here?” And the big commitment to start a business began!

In owning and operating Root & Flower and Two Arrows with partners in Vail Village, Biszantz showcases her dedication to championing Vail’s local craftsmanship, infusing the town’s identity with quality and authenticity. Visitors may not know that her restaurant bars don’t stock all the “normal” mainstay ingredients or the most-known spirit brands. What is readily available is quality house-made and specialty products — amazing and fresh options you may not have (yet) heard of, but they are there for a reason.

FOSTERING COMMUNITY + RESILIENCE

Biszantz’s impact extends far beyond business. At age 22, a seat on the Vail Valley Partnership Economic Development Advisory Council began a thread of civic duty including roles on the Town of Vail Commission of Special Events beginning in 2016, and was elected to Vail Town Council in November 2023. Inspired by mentors Beth Slifer for her polish and fortitude, and Pollyanna Forster for her serial entrepreneurial style and commitment to the restaurant industry’s well-being, Biszantz advocates for policy changes and creative housing solutions in a much different climate than on her arrival.

NAVIGATING THE PATH FORWARD

A journey means having the awareness that the start is just as important as the end. If you know how to navigate the community and resources and take advantage of that, it makes anything possible. Like hitting the sweet spot on your carved ski arch that propels you
forward, it comes from being involved. With a rare breed of people in Vail, it’s full of “I got a guy” folks that will shorten your journey tenfold.

How to start? Interested in dance? Volunteer at the Vail Dance Festival. Cooking? Tap into All The Good Stuff’s year-round local boxes. Finance? Go to lunch with your banker who knows a million people. Community food hall, you ask? Oh, your banker knows a woman you should meet! That’s the ease of living in the vibrant community of Vail.

Often overshadowed by a culture of negativity, Biszantz’s message “Complaining gets you nowhere. With a positive mentality, a world of possibilities opens up,” resounds with hope and optimism. She stands as a testament to passion, purpose and positivity. Her ethos embodies the true spirit of living like a local — a spirit that leaves an indelible mark on the landscape she proudly calls home.