Meet Diane Florscheutz

How relaxing and even illuminating it can be to simply sit back and observe Diane, owner of the Muddy Buck in downtown Evergreen, in a swarm of chattering, thirsty and hungry patrons. No matter the often-overwhelming crowd, this lady persists and is victor no matter the circumstance or volume.

Diane Florschuetz is not a native of Evergreen, or of Colorado, for that matter; she hails from Texas. Originally from the famed city of Austin, she moved with her parents about the state, eventually relocating with her husband to Evergreen in 2008. Diane can cook, clean, manage the café, maintain and order necessary supplies, serve and visit with customers and friends simultaneously…all with the greatest of ease. She admits that her gift of “high energy” is what keeps her buoyant; but otherwise, her deep humility renders her somewhat ignorant of the impressive and unusual quality she imparts to her establishment.

In that the Muddy Buck serves alcohol, it could be considered a bar as well as a café. Diane reports that originally she had no desire or dream to be an owner of either. Nonetheless, on Halloween evening of 2012, while dressed in a ghost costume, she and her husband bought the business that was then called The Ice House. All bar beverages were relocated to a corner of the room and somehow that entity remains a subtle disconnect that can easily go unnoticed. Most recently, Diane established happy hour, however, but the place still maintains the ambiance of a coffee house where people gather.

None of this would have come to be without the dedication and love that binds Diane to her family of five. She says that the decision to buy the business was a concentrated family resolve and they all continue to support that decision until this day. Her husband, Allan, schedules the talent often heard on Thursdays and Fridays during early evening. Allan is more than a marital partner, for his business and musical input created another venue that has become a competitor for downtown entertainment. Two of the three daughters can be found there, too, shadowing their mom and attending customers with an earnest smile. As a supporter once said, “the place is a haven for kind-hearted, well-meaning folks who desire the same kind of company.”

Always involved, Diane tapped into the art of restaurant cooking through her children’s activities. A few years ago she regularly manned the counter at the school’s concession stand during her daughter’s basketball games. After a while she became bored with the simple menu of hotdogs and cokes and sought different avenues of fare. It wasn’t long before she was known for her own delicious cheese queso, pulled pork sandwiches and white chicken chili. From there she began to bake and offer all kinds of sweets the kids cherished. Once at year’s end she was honored by the school with the creation of what was coined Diane’s diner. She admits it was from this innocent background that she was able to consider a business built on food and beverage.

Two years after marriage and prior to becoming a mother Diane worked as a manager for Anco Insurance of Texas. During her five years of employment she became overseer of 18 different offices and a total of more than 300 employees. The year was 1988 and a typewriter was the only tool available at the company for all the paperwork and books kept by such an involved business. However, this is precisely when computers were popularized, forcing everyone to learn new skills. It was up to Diane to not only provide training, but to connect all 18 offices with a new and complicated phone system. She was the first to perform many of the new duties and even installed instant messenger throughout the office computers.

This woman was such a rapid hit and so successful at computer training that the company made every effort to keep her when she first decided to quit. In 1993 Diane became a mother and was determined to ascend to the position of stay-at-home mom. While recounting those days and the decisions she was forced to make, she lowered her head, only to look up with that beautiful grin and report that her boss had even rented her a maid as a bribe. After a bit of a giggle she continued, saying that she did enjoy the perks and remained for one more year. During this course of employment, she was broadcast on both radio and television once a week, teaching the finer points of Microsoft software and answering questions that were either called or mailed in.

After Diane terminated her employment with the insurance company, she joined Allan in the business he had created with his good friend. Qualice Computer became an even bigger success after she came on board. Utilizing her powerful aptitude for computers she helped connect them in all types of businesses and schools and once again created classes and educated the masses. But even then, she never allowed work to interfere with her duties as a mother, just as it is today.

As said, Diane and Allan are parents to three girls, ranging in age from13 to 20. They are an exceedingly happy and connected family and participate in each other’s lives daily. Diane is known for being a straight shooter and it didn’t take her long to decide that Allan was her everything for life. After backing up the wedding date one month at a time, the couple ended up setting the date the same year they met, 1986. Every day that Diane is at the café she strives tirelessly to take leave for home no later than 3:00, just to meet her youngest when she arrives home from school. Most recently she took off a few days to accompany her middle daughter to Los Angeles for a volleyball tournament. Above all, her role as a wife always takes the overall focus, for she is as honorable as she is honored.

In less than two years this woman has become a complete success here in Evergreen. As a matter of fact, she has pretty much been successful all of her life. While absorbing the facts of such a triumph it would seem appropriate to question why or how this all came to be. Upon that inquiry, Diane is forthright, modest and not at all presuming, making every attempt to answer questions as accurately as possible. She considers her coffee roasting, sandwich serving, happy hour and music venue to be an extension of the community, including catering to professional clientele and amenable to meetings from various clubs and sects. This caring and endearing individual is also tolerant of those that take up seats without spending a dime. “This is where people can come to relax and even have a drink in a non-bar environment,” she says with a smile that is accented with the most beautiful white teeth you have ever seen. When asked to give a self-description, that same smile appears. She admits that although caring and devoted, she can be “stubborn and relentless when it comes to getting things done.” Evergreen has certainly done well to attract such a powerhouse. Indeed, this little town has another star to be cast in its crown.