Editor’s note: Business Matters is a monthly column featuring business news in the Life on Capitol Hill and Washington Park Profile coverage areas, which is roughly central-north and south Denver.
As businesses continue to weather the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Colorado Community Media urges you to reach out to your favorite local businesses to find out about their current operating status.
If you are a local business that would like to announce any updates to your operations, email Christy Steadman at csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com.
New openings
and reopenings
Junction Food & Drink
A new food hall opened in early October in Denver’s University Hills neighborhood.
Junction Food & Drink at the Colorado Center is located at 2000 South Colorado Blvd. It “is a chef-driven food hall featuring inspired creations from both locally and nationally known chefs,” states the food hall’s website.
According to the website, the food hall opened with six restaurant concepts, a stall serving coffee and tea, and the Junction Bar which serves cocktails, wine and beer. The website states that four more restaurant options are coming soon.
To learn more, visit www.junctionfoodanddrink.com.
La Colombe Coffee Roasters at Ideal Market Denver
La Colombe Coffee Roasters and Ideal Market Denver have partnered to provide a shopping and café experience in Capitol Hill.
Ideal Market Denver, 900 E. 11th Ave., opened on Oct. 7, which is the same day that the La Colombe café inside also opened. The café is “owned and operated by Ideal Market but fully outfitted and designed in collaboration with the La Colombe team,” states a news release.
La Colombe is a coffee roaster that “provides signature classic blends and exceptional single-origin coffees to cafés, hotels, restaurants and retailers around the world. In addition, the company owns and operates 30 cafés in Philadelphia, New York, Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C.,” states the news release. It first came to Denver in 2016.
Ideal Market got its start in Boulder, but is now owned and operated by Whole Foods Market.
At Ideal Market Denver, La Colombe offers cold brew on tap, specialty coffee drinks and traditional espresso beverages and teas.
“We are pumped to work in collaboration with the Ideal Market Denver team to rethink how we design our cafe and experience within the store,” said JP Iberti, president and co-founder of La Colombe, in a news release. “We love to bring in elements of craftsmanship, light and texture to our spaces and this new cafe certainly reflects that.” I think that we stuck a balance between our beloved cafes, while complementing the local vibes from the Capitol Hill neighborhood.
To learn more about La Colombe, visit www.lacolombe.com.
Pampered Paws Pet Spa & Boutique
A new dog grooming business located on the border of Denver’s Cheesman Park and City Park West neighborhoods had its grand opening on Oct. 2.
Pampered Paws Pet Spa & Boutique, 1900 E. Colfax Ave., was founded by Susan Martinez to provide a spot where all the area’s dogs can be pampered.
The shop provides a full range of grooming services including bathing, nail trims, haircuts, fur de-matting and de-shedding treatments, teeth-brushing and ear cleaning, and even hair coloring with pet-friendly products. Pampered Paws also has a self-serve dog wash, and carries a variety of pet foods, accessories, treats and toys.
A portion of Pampered Paws’ proceeds go to the Mile High Canine Rescue, which is a nonprofit, volunteer-run and foster home-based organization that supports abandoned, neglected and abused dogs until they are placed in a forever home.
To learn more about Pampered Paws Pet Spa & Boutique, visit www.pamperedpawspa.com.
Wheelhouse
Platt Park resident Jody Fidler had been operating a mobile gift shop called Wheelhouse Gifts for about four years when COVID-19 hit.
Fidler’s converted van would be at a variety of community events including festivals and fairs and other pop up events. However, earlier this year, Fidler realized that most — if not all — of the events she normally would attend were cancelled this year because of the pandemic.
Then, while out on a walk one day, she saw a vacant space available and decided it was an opportunity to open a brick-and-mortar shop.
“I thought Wheelhouse could add to the greatness and charm of Old South Pearl,” Fidler said.
On July 1, Fidler opened Wheelhouse Gifts at 1525 South Pearl St. in Denver’s Platt Park neighborhood.
Wheelhouse Gifts boasts being an affordable gift boutique and carries a variety of items. Much of the items are women’s clothing and accessories, but Wheelhouse also carries curated gifts for babies and toddlers, men’s gifts and selections for teens; as well as jewelry, novelty items, artwork, Colorado ware, custom-made decorative license plates, wall art and masks.
Not all the items are handmade, Fidler said, but the store does carry a number of items that are made by local artisans.
The concept is to have something for everybody’s wheelhouse, Fidler said.
“We like people to come in and be happy,” Fidler said, “and find the unique gift that will make their friend smile.”
To learn more about Wheelhouse Gifts, visit its Facebook page or call the shop at 720-248-8477.
Closings
Zaidy’s Deli
Zaidy’s Deli, which served Jewish comfort food, recently announced on its website that it had closed indefinitely.
According to the letter addressed to “our loyal customers, friends and family,” the deli opened its location in Cherry Creek, 121 Adams St., in 1992.
“The appreciation we have for the opportunity to serve our family recipes and favorite foods while watching this city flourish right outside our window, is only surpassed by our immense gratitude for you,” the letter states. “It’s the memories made at our restaurant, over good food with good company, that we are most proud of and that we’ll undoubtedly miss the most.”
Changes/other
Brightmarten
BusinessDen reported that Brightmarten, a restaurant located at 730 South University Blvd. near Bonnie Brae, would be operating for take-out only — with some pop-up events — through the winter.
An Oct. 1 post on the restaurant’s Facebook page states the change of operations will help manage labor and food costs.
“We have come to the conclusion that we cannot operate as a normal restaurant over the winter,” the restaurant posted. “The cold will force us to bring people inside and with the size and shape of our dining room, that leaves us with very few options to create a fun, safe space indoors.”
On its website, Brightmarten states that it plans on making its restaurant space available for private dining events for lunch or dinner, pop-up events, specialty events such as a limited attendance wine dinner, and perhaps cooking-and/or-cocktail making classes.
“We have a lifeline right now and we see a path to make it through the winter. There is no blueprint for what’s ahead, but we believe by controlling our costs, doing take-out and having fun events we give ourselves a chance to be your neighborhood restaurant for years to come,” a letter on the restaurant’s website states. “We are fighters and if all goes well, we will open up in the Spring stronger … While we hunker down over the winter, we hope that you find ways to support restaurants that continue to operate as usual, as well as supporting us.”
To learn more about Brightmarten, or to order take-out, visit www.brightmarten.com/.
Milestones
Rosy Rings
Rosy Rings, a home fragrance company, celebrated the one-year anniversary of its brick-and-mortar location on Oct. 24.
Founder Shannon Cumberland started the business in her Denver home’s kitchen more than 25 years ago, selling her products online and in other retailers, including national and international department stores and boutiques. The Rosy Rings Studio, 2940 E. Sixth Ave. in Cherry Creek North, is the business’ first Rosy Rings company store that is not an independent retailer.
Popular products include diffusers, candles, botanical wax sachets and seasonal fragrance items. Rosy Rings Studio also regularly hosts candle and sachet making classes, now offered virtually or as small-group in-person at the studio.
To learn more about the company or the Rosy Rings Studio, visit www.studio.rosyrings.com.