by Regan Bervar | Dec 17, 2024 | Travel
by Regan Bervar
Walkable: Cherry Creek North is a walkable neighborhood with 600 stores from which to choose.
Denver has no shortage of sprawling neighborhoods across the city, and Cherry Creek North is no different. With hundreds of retailers, and a strong emphasis on small businesses, the district is home to a number of commerce stores and residents alike. With 300 days of sunshine in Denver, chances are it’s a good day to walk the tree-lined streets of Cherry Creek North.
Cherry Creek North has over 600 businesses, with 90% being small or micro businesses. According to Lisa Voss, Vice President of Marketing and Communications at Cherry Creek North, Cherry Creek North is more than just a 16 block area, but a neighborhood, a community, and central vibrant district.
“You’ve heard the term the 15 minute city,” Voss said. “We’re not really a city per se, but we are a bit of a 15 minute neighborhood. What that means is everything can happen here. We’re loaded with merchants and services and all kinds of fun, but we also have a post office, a library, and an elementary school.”
Cherry Creek North emphasizes community, safety, and a diverse array of retail and service offerings, and the shop owners in the area bring a sense of community to the neighborhood, with 220 of the 600 businesses being retail and service businesses. According to the small business report, 90% of those 220 retail and service shops are small businesses, and 64% go even further, and are micro businesses with 10 employees or fewer.
“We have what I believe is the largest collection of small and local businesses in one area, probably anywhere in Colorado, so we super celebrate them,” Voss said. “Of course, along with all of our businesses, they’re all very important to us and serve the community in so many different ways, but the ability to really love on small and micro businesses is just really powerful. Small businesses make this beautiful country of ours go round.”
Natalie Statser is the manager of Organic S
Organic Squeeze: They have started their Healthy New Year Campaign with different options for cleanses and promotions to kick off a healthy start to the New Year.
queeze in Cherry Creek North, which opened just over two months ago. The Oklahoma-based company has expanded to open their first branch in Colorado, and found Cherry Creek North to be the perfect location, as the walkable and health-conscious community aligns with their philosophy. Although the company has been together for 11 years, their Denver location is their first out-of-state branch. With their slogan of “healthy tastes better” and their commitment to 100% organic, whole food ingredients, they have felt right at home in the Cherry Creek North community.
“Everyone’s super friendly, they’re active and care about health, wellness, and moving their bodies,” Statser said. “We’re very happy to have expanded here and it matches what our brand offers to people’s lifestyle. It’s a gorgeous neighborhood, I don’t know who wouldn’t want to be in Cherry Creek.”
Statser at Organic Squeeze says that the location is an amazing aspect of the business’ expansion to Colorado, and the people in Cherry Creek are vital to their operations. “Everyone’s very health-minded and lives an active lifestyle, and that makes it really easy for us,” Statser said. “We are 100% organic, and we are really big on doing things better, even if that’s just a little bit better each day. That means
Wine: Vineyard Wine Shop started in 1971 and has had a Wine of The Month Club ever since.
providing easy access for people to have healthy, wholesome foods, and cultivating an environment where it is family friendly and efficient with people’s time.”
Coming up at Organic Squeeze, you can look forward to their Healthy New Year Campaign with different options for cleanses and promotions to kick off a healthy start to the New Year. You can also find them doing pop-ups in local gyms and on their new Organic Squeeze app that makes online ordering for their house-made goods and smoothies a breeze.
A couple of blocks away on Fillmore Street, Cliff Louis is a local business owner in Cherry Creek North, and owns Vineyard Wine Shop which has been in business for 53 years. For the 43 years that Louis has been at Vineyard Wine Shop, he has had a unique look at how the neighborhood and its businesses have changed over the years. The impact of grocery stores selling wine has taken a hit on his local wine sales, but the sense of community you get from a small business is unmatched.
“Our philosophy is we make friends, not money,” Louis said. “Everyone is happy [who visits] and anyone who comes in the store gets personal attention. It’s not like a grocery store where you just grab it off the shelf, we’re a pretty classic, small mom and pop business with a great staff that knows all sorts of things about wine.”
Vineyard Wine Shop was started by Robert Wilson in 1971 and has since expanded from just the basement to the entire building as Louis took over. He values the community aspect of Cherry Creek North, with its mix of local and national stores.
“The location and community for me is perfect; we’ve got all the new apartment buildings, condos, and office buildings coming in, so hopefully we’re becoming their neighborhood wine store.” Louis said. “I’ve seen a lot of changes here, for sure, but pretty much our business has not changed as far as scope. We were a wine store back in 1971 and we’re still basically a wine store today.”
Vineyard Wine Shop has offered their Wine of The Month Club since 1971, which sends wine of all sizes, tastes, and regions to members all over the country. It’s a great way to subscribe to support a small local business, but also get great selections and recommendations from your neighborhood local wine shop.
Organic Squeeze is located at 180 Steele Street. For more information, visit www.or ganic-squeeze.com. For more information on Vineyard Wine Shop, visit vineyardwineshop.com. They are located at 261 Fillmore Street. Learn more about Cherry Creek North at www.cherrycreeknorth.com.
Cherry Creek North is a gorgeous community with hundreds of retail, food, and hospitality offerings, with a strong emphasis on shopping small and supporting small and micro businesses. It’s a great place to catch lunch with a friend, do some holiday shopping, or just wander around and take in the scenery that has been carefully curated to be a safe and beautiful space for the community.
by Mark Smiley | Dec 13, 2024 | Editorials
by Mark Smiley
The Mile High Beer Festival is set for March 1, 2025, and will be at The Refractory in the Santa Fe Art District. Over 40 beer vendors will be pouring their specialty beers for unlimited sampling.
In addition to beer, guests will be able to enjoy canned cocktails, ciders, food from local food trucks, and non-alcoholic brews. Ryan Cox photo
One of Denver’s favorite beer celebrations is returning with new breweries and some old favorites. The 2025 Mile High Beer Festival returns on Saturday, March 1, 2025, and early bird tickets are on sale now. Prices go up as it gets closer to the event so act now for the savings.
General Admission includes unlimited sampling, a commemorative sample glass, and access to 100+ beers, ciders, and spirits from Colorado’s best (and some favorites outside of Colorado too.). Early entry includes everything above plus 45 minutes to get the first sips in before the crowd files in (1:15 p.m.). The VIP experience includes 90 minutes of early access (12:30 p.m.), plus an exclusive commemorative pint glass.
The Mile High Beer Festival will be the first event at the new venue, The Refractory located at 890 Navajo Street, in the Santa Fe Art District in Denver. “We are really excited to transform this space and create an open industrial atmosphere for the beer festival,” said Lacey Spruce, Mile High Beer Fest.
A lineup of 40+ vendors serving 100+ brews, including local breweries like WeldWerks, Left Hand, and Wiley Roots will be in hand. “I feel like the people that like to attend our events every year are self proclaimed beer nerds,” said Spruce. “They find it exciting to meet new breweries and try new things as well as see their old favorites.”
Three breweries will make their Mile High Beer Festival debut in 2025: Wiley Roots (Greeley), Milieu Fermentation (Aurora), which opened in 2024, and Second Dawn Brewing (Aurora). “I think a lot of people want variety in events they attend, said Spruce. “For a lot of people like us who produce these events, we try to give the people what they want. This is a beer fest so we try to keep it mostly beer. But people tend to appreciate having some options like trying some canned cocktails or ciders so we try to sprinkle some of those in.”
General admission tickets are $48.57, early entry are $60.41, and VIP tickets are $78.16 and all fees are included. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.milehighbeerfest.com. Also, stay tuned for information on the second annual Denver Ramen Festival which will be held at the Stockyards Event Center in April.
by Jessica Hughes | Nov 15, 2024 | Glendale City News
by Jessica Hughes
Hotel Clio in Cherry Creek North makes the perfect staycation this holiday season. Photo by Hotel Clio
Cherry Creek North Lights Up as Colorado’s largest free lights display. Photo provided by Cherry Creek North
Cherry Creek North illuminates the Mile High City with this year’s Winter Wanderland and Holiday Market. The experience begins with the Million Light Plug-in event that lights up the entire 16-block area of Cherry Creek North with a million twinkling lights — making it Colorado’s largest free lights display.
Soon to follow will be the opening of the Holiday Market on Fillmore Plaza, plus a whole host of festive events and activities to round out the holiday season.
“This holiday season we are excited to offer our local community and visitors alike, a full and festive holiday experience that captures the season’s essence,” said Lisa Voss, Cherry Creek North Business Improvement District’s VP of Marketing. “Whether it’s shopping locally during Small Business Weekend, staying in one of our award-winning hotels, strolling during Saturday Night Lights, having a festive dinner with friends, or giving back to the community, there is something for everyone in Cherry Creek North to enjoy this holiday season.”
The Cherry Creek Holiday Market returns for a fifth season, from November 21 through December 24. The market features 40+ rotating vendor booths lining Fillmore Plaza, with a curated selection of Colorado-based companies and artisans. Check everyone off your list while enjoying live entertainment and sipping on your favorite cup of hot cocoa.
Four holiday-giving machines will be available at the entrance to the Holiday Market. Photo provided by Cherry Creek North
The best way to shop local is during the three-day Small Business Weekend, November 24 – 26, with giveaways and deals from 175+ local businesses. It’s the perfect chance to shop small and support local businesses during the holiday season.
The Holiday Market isn’t just about shopping, it’s also about enjoying the sights and sounds of the holiday season. So, this year the market brings back the Mistletoe Lounge. Located next door to the market in Fillmore Plaza, the upgraded two-story holiday pop-up bar features a highly decorated atmosphere, a themed seasonal drink menu, and live music from local acts.
Cherry Creek North Holiday Market celebrates its fifth year. Photo by: Fetch Concepts
Also returning this year are the Giving Machines. The pop-up features 30 donation options for five local and two international charities. It’s an easy way to tap into the true meaning of the season and give back to your community.
Mark your calendars for December 7, 14, and 21 when Cherry Creek North comes alive with Saturday Night Lights. Cozy up with a cup of complimentary hot chocolate and tasty treats while wandering under one million dazzling lights throughout Cherry Creek North. Beyond the lights, dance on a light-up dance floor with live DJs and stroll through a 40-foot tunnel of lights for an immersive holiday experience.
Snow or sun, the Holiday Market is the place to be this holiday season. Photo by: Fetch Concepts
You’ll also have a chance to return to the classics with ice skating at the Halcyon Hotel. Returning for its second year as a completely revamped experience in the clouds, Halcyon on Ice is the quintessential holiday experience. During the holiday season, the hotel’s rooftop lounge transforms into a dreamy winter wonderland with an ice skating rink, cozy holiday cocktails, a specialty food and drink menu, and beautiful city-to-mountain views. This year, Halcyon on Ice is free to attend, and food, drinks, and ice skate rentals are available for purchase.
Make it a staycation and book an overnight at one of Cherry Creek’s award-winning hotels; the Hotel Clio. Recently named, as one of the top 15 hotels in Colorado by Condé Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards, Hotel Clio is a hospitality highlight in Cherry Creek. And this holiday season, Hotel Clio gets festive with its wreath-making class and carolers throughout the month of December. Plus, you’ll be able to enjoy all the festivities right from your doorstep with its location next to Fillmore Plaza.
by Mark Smiley | Nov 15, 2024 | General Featured
The Family-Owned Restaurant Makes Big Moves Into The Mile High City After Decades In Surrounding Suburban Cities
by Mark Smiley
Coming Soon: Los Dos Potrillos will open in early 2025 in the space formerly occupied by Hacienda on South Colorado Boulevard. It will be the first restaurant for the family in the city of Denver after decades in the suburbs.
Los Dos Potrillos, the family-owned Mexican restaurant known for its Mexican comfort food, will open its first Denver location near Colorado Boulevard and I-25 at 4100 E. Mexico Avenue. The space was formerly occupied by Hacienda. Los Dos Potrillos aims to open in early 2025 with space for 253 patrons inside and 70 more on its patio.
They have been eyeing locations in Denver over the last several years but could not find the right area. “Whenever we look at any type of location, we always want to make sure it fits our way of going into any type of property,” said Danny Ramirez, CEO of Ramirez Hospitality Group, who owns Los Dos Potrillos. “We look forward to becoming a welcoming haven for our growing community, offering the same quality, consistency, service, and commitment that defines the Los Dos family,” Ramirez.
“Expanding to Denver is an important step for us, allowing us to connect and serve a new group of diners. Our Los Dos family is excited about this growth and cannot wait to bring our delicious food and overall dining experience to a new community in such a centralized location,” added Luis Ramirez, COO and President.
This milestone brings their family recipes and welcoming atmosphere to the heart of the Mile High City, marking a new chapter and the seventh Los Dos Potrillos full service restaurant opening in the Ramirez family’s journey.
Founded by Jose Ramirez in 2002, Los Dos Potrillos has grown from a single restaurant in Centennial to a popular local brand with multiple locations across the Denver metro area. This Denver location represents the seventh addition to their growing family, joining the ranks of their other establishments.
The Denver announcement comes just seven months after the successful opening of their Castle Rock location, featuring a 8,000-square-foot restaurant and brewery. The Colorado Boulevard location will be the second largest footprint for the restaurant family next to the aforementioned Castle Rock location.
The Denver Los Dos Potrillos will uphold the traditions and quality that have made Ramirez Hospitality Group a beloved household name across the region. Customers can expect the same welcoming atmosphere, excellent service, and Mexican comfort food that have earned the restaurant group a loyal following.
Taking over an existing Mexican restaurant makes it a bit easier to move forward. “There is not much to do since it was a Mexican restaurant,” said Daniel Ramirez. “All we have to do is come in and put our touch to it. We are going to change the outside of course and change the interior. The kitchen is in immaculate condition. We just need to add our spice to it, literally,” Ramirez said with a smile.
For more information, visit www.los2potrillos.com.
by Mark Smiley | Nov 15, 2024 | Travel
Over 12,000 Hours Dedicated To Creating Colorado’s Largest Indoor Ice Attraction
by Mark Smiley
Thirty ice artisans from Harbin, China, arrived at Gaylord Rockies to begin the annual carving process for ICE!, a holiday attraction featuring ice sculptures that will bring this year’s theme, The Polar Express, to life. They have transformed 2 million pounds of ice into a 17,000-square-foot display, using chippers, tongs, handsaws, grinders, and chainsaws.
The artisans traveled over 5,700 miles from Harbin, China, famously known as “Ice City,” home to the world’s largest annual ice and snow sculpting festival. Since 2001, Gaylord Hotels has partnered with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Experiences and these talented artists to capture their extraordinary craftsmanship here in the U.S. At Gaylord Rockies, some of the same artisans behind the Harbin festival will sculpt 300-pound blocks of ice into larger-than-life scenes from Warner Bros. The Polar Express™.
The artisans, drawing on generations of expertise, work from a detailed 300-page design book to bring the ice spectacle to life. Each artisan contributes a unique talent — some mastering demolition with chainsaws, while others focus on intricate, precise carvings. Ice carvings range in size from details as tiny as a coin to scenes more than 30 feet tall. A cutting-edge chilling system will keep the entire space at a frosty 9 degrees Fahrenheit, and guests will stay cozy in the attraction’s signature blue parkas.
This holiday season, guests will embark on a journey through hand-carved ice sculptures depicting nine scenes from The Polar Express. In celebration of the film’s 20th anniversary, featured scenes include the Polar Express arriving at Hero Boy’s house, passengers enjoying hot chocolate aboard the train, an exhilarating descent through Glacier Gulch, and the enchanting arrival at the North Pole. The attraction will use colored ice, clear ice, and LED lights to create the breathtaking display.
In addition to the awe-inspiring ice sculptures from the beloved Christmas film, guests can take rides down the two-story-tall ice slides, traverse through ice tunnels and arches, and visit the carver showcase to watch artisans perform live carving demonstrations. The ICE! experience concludes
in a separate area dedicated to the Nativity scene, meticulously carved and shaped in a dramatic display of crystal-clear ice. ICE! featuring The Polar Express will run from Nov. 22, 2024, to Jan. 1, 2025.
Christmas at Gaylord Rockies packages that include special room rates and admission to select events are now available. Guests are encouraged to book their experiences early, as advance online reservations are required for all ticketed events, and prime dates are expected to sell out. For tickets, more information, or to book an overnight stay, guests may visit ChristmasatGaylordRockies.com.
by Editorial Board | Nov 15, 2024 | Editorials
Editorial —
Philip Anschutz
The richest man in Colorado, billionaire Phil Anschutz, is a highly secretive individual. What exactly his political views are is unknown but he is usually described as “deeply conservative.” He is highly interested in influencing Colorado politics and policy and he spends millions of dollars every year to do so.
He funds or partially funds think tanks and policy groups like the Independence Institute and Advance Colorado; publications like the Colorado Springs Gazette, the Denver Gazette, Complete Colorado, and Colorado Politics; and even radio personalities like Jimmy Sengenberger.
Like many billionaires in America his views have evolved over the years. He was a strong Bush/Cheney supporter and hates Donald Trump due to his views on immigration and tariffs as well as his far from gentlemanly demeanor and personal conduct. Anschutz seldom contributes in his own name to politicians, but did so for Liz Cheney in her unsuccessful bid for re-election in Wyoming. Anschutz is referred to as the Liz Cheney of Colorado in grassroots circles in Colorado.
Dave Williams
He has always disliked Colorado’s Republican Party’s primary system with caucuses and assemblies that allows everyday grassroot Republicans a chance to be a candidate for public office in a general election. Back in 2016, he supported Proposition 107 behind the scenes. The proposition opened party primaries to unaffiliates purportedly to ensure that moderate Republicans like Joe O’Dea and Walker Stapleton would win the Republican primaries.
Anschutz has almost always controlled the chair of the Republican Party due to his contributions to the party, but in 2022 there was a grassroots pro Trump revolt and Dave Williams was elected chair, and other grassroots candidates such as Hope Scheppelman Vice Chair and Anna Ferguson for Secretary also won.
That was too much for Anschutz and he stopped giving to the Colorado Republican Party. He threw his hidden support to Proposition 131 which would do away with party primaries for jungle primaries with rank choice voting in general elections. Prop 131 was backed by Democrats like Governor Jared Polis and Senator John Hickenlooper as well as a war chest of fifteen million dollars.
If one wishes to gauge Anschutz’s views on any matter just listen to the Independence Institute’s board member Dick Wadhams and President Jon Caldara. Both wrote numerous articles in the Anschutz publications praising Prop 131 and Wadhams was even paid as a consultant to back the measure.
Practically the only voice opposing Prop 131 in public was Republican Chair Dave Williams who, with virtually no money, managed to defeat Prop 131 and Anschutz 55% to 45%.
Anschutz and the Republican establishment had attempted to recall Williams as Chair of the Republican Party right in the middle of the election season, but Williams defeated them in court and by vote of the Colorado State Central Committee.
The purpose of the recall was not only to get rid of Anschutz’s nemesis but also to be sure the Republican Party would have a bad election night under Williams’ tutelage. But instead, the Republicans had a very good night. They gained a Congressional seat as well as three in the State House defeating a Democrat supermajority. While Trump lost Colorado, the margin decreased from 13.5% to 11%
It is not often that a billionaire like Phil Anschutz is handed a spanking by an underfunded grassroots leader like Dave Williams, but that is the under reported story of the general election of 2024 in Colorado.
— Editorial Board
