12 minute read
OUT IN AURORA IS SUPPORTING THE LOCAL SCENE ONE BUSINESS ATA TIME
Out in Aurora is Supporting the Local Scene One Business at a Time
From big-name craft breweries to smaller markets and bakeries, businesses in Aurora are used to thriving, but everyone is being impacted by the COVID pandemic. The team behind Aurora Pride put their heads together to come up with a new initiative to get customers flocking to some of Aurora's most inclusive spaces. Here are a few of the city's beloved businesses.
Photos by Justine Johnson
F Dry D lavor o ock B Pri rings the e to Aurora
by Veronica L. Holyfield
Craft brews are a dime a dozen in Colorado, but there are a select few who stand out from the saturated market and have truly become Rocky Mountain staples. With two locations chosen specifically to be housed in Aurora, Dry Dock Brewing Co. is proud to stem from the diverse, unique, and robust community. Beginning as The Brew Hut in 2005, Colorado’s first home-brewery supply store, the experimental taproom has grown into the award-winning microbrewery we all know and love.
While the brewery, like all businesses, has gone through a lot of changes during COVID, the support of the loyal customer base, in Aurora and beyond, has kept the local hotspot hopping. This is why Dry Dock feels it is important to support organizations like OUT FRONT and events like Aurora Pride, to keep the thriving community flourishing during these difficult times. “We’re happy to be part of such a proud, diverse, and eclectic community that is Aurora,” says Cara Fasciana, Dry Dock’s communication and media coordinator. “Dry Dock is committed to supporting and welcoming everybody, whether someone is a military veteran, an inspiring artist, someone of the LGBT community, or even an alien from outer space—we just hope that they see Dry Dock as a place of inclusion.” With the North and South Dock locations reopened, as well as the original Brew Hut spot, Dry Dock wants everyone to feel welcome as they walk in the doors. With the company approaching it’s 15-year anniversary in October, they are excited to work with the community in hosting what they hope will be a big celebration. With all the COVID protocols in place, the brewery is finalizing some fresh, brand-new releases and even, dare they say, throwing a socially distanced birthday party. Whether a crisp, apricot blonde is your style or you prefer to lean into the hazy IPA realm, Dry Dock has 16 flavor profiles on tap. To dive in deeper to the many drinks of Dry Dock (and if you are over 21), check out their website drydockbrewing.com.
Harmony Brought to Aurora by Neighborhood Music
by Veronica L. Holyfield
While the focus is teaching music, Neighborhood Music creates so much more than a space to take lessons and perform on stage for class attendees. By providing an outlet of expression for their students from ages 1 to 100, this music lesson school and full-production theater program truly encapsulates human growth and connection, especially for individuals who identify as LGBTQ.
“Because we are an open space for creation, I think that we also end up being, to some extent, the waters where kids test out saying ‘I’m gay’ for the first time,” say Skye Barker Maa, owner of Neighborhood Music. “They have this opportunity to be one-on-one with someone and explore who they are in a creative way, and I think a lot of times, there’s a pathway there for them to also talk about some of the things they might be thinking about.”
With roughly half of the staff identifying as LGBTQ, Neighborhood Music also creates a safe space for those who are looking for creative employment opportunities. From teaching lessons that encompass the 17 musical instruments (which they provide instruction for), to being a part of the youth summer camps, to getting involved in the production and management of the 12 staged shows they put on each year, the school that is nestled in Stanley Marketplace truly is a sanctuary for inclusion.
“I think diversity of perspective is number-one. We want our students to walk through this door, and we want them to have a wealth of perspective to be able to relate to,” Maa says.
Having specifically chosen Aurora to house the business due to her love of the Art District and the thriving community, Maa says that as a business owner, the City of Aurora has been very supportive of the small, local business.
Additionally, she continues to receive support and advice from the other businesses owners within Stanley Marketplace, and being a part of that community is very important to her.
While 2020 has been a difficult year, committed clients have stepped up and continue to pay for lessons and programs while we are all getting used to the new normal of virtual and streaming life. Maa knows that many kids have been struggling with the extreme challenges that have been presented during
COVID, and she feels that Neighborhood
Music has been able to provide continuity to their lives in a way that not much else has been able to provide.
Through providing a safe space for all, focusing on providing a much-needed service to the community, and being a rock for many during this time of need, Neighborhood Music is truly creating harmony within the Aurora community. Find out more at neighborhoodmusicstanley.com.
Aurora’s Third Culture Bakery Delights Folks of All Kinds
by Veronica L. Holyfield
East Colfax has had a sweet tooth for the queer oasis known as Third Culture Bakery since February of this year. Business partners as well as reallife partners Sam Butarbutar and Wenter Shyu broke into the business of baking in 2016 when they opened their first location in Berkeley, and after growing to more than 60 distribution points by 2018, they had hit their stride and were ready to thoughtfully expand into new markets. Building recipes which were intended to be reflections of their childhood in Taiwan and Indonesia, the pair developed a recipe full of vibrant representation and appeal to a pallet which desires tastes outside of the mundane.
“Being out here in Denver, whenever we visited, we definitely noticed that there was a lack of cool, interesting baked goods,” Shyu tells OUT FRONT. “Our baked goods use mostly rice flour, and so everything just happens to be gluten-free. Mochi, our signature product, is very chewy; it’s a different texture. We’ve always wanted to test out new markets that maybe haven’t been exposed to mochi or some of the stuff we’re doing. And, we also wanted to open a safe space where people could hang out and gather.” Deriving the name Third Culture Bakery Asian culture, meaning a culture that develops from immigrants which is not quite American and not quite that of their traditional ancestors, Shyu and Butarbutar have brought the notion of that essence to the space and flavors they created within their pastries. “I really like to have our business just be unapologetically gay but also bring a new, Asian flair to expose Denver to more of the Asian Pacific LGBTQ scene. I just feel like it’s such a different scene, and we
from a reference which is common in have something so special,” Shyu explains. With Aurora being a diverse mecca of cultures, background, and opinions, one thing is certain; Third Culture Bakery is sure to deliver kindness, acceptance, and tasty treats to every patron who walks through their doors. To learn more and see the menu, visit thirdculturebakery.com.
Mondo Market has you Covered with a Full Spread
Mondo Market is a deli restaurant whose menu is focused on fresh pasta, unique sandwiches, and salads, while the deli side consists of cheese, charcuterie, and gourmet groceries. Founded by Nicholas Farrell and Michael Davis, Mondo Market originally started as a gourmet food website. The duo opened their first location six years ago primarily focused on cheese and charcuterie. Since then, they have added a full kitchen and a fresh-made pasta program complimenting the neighborhoods they currently reside in. Mondo market has been made an available resource for fine food from around the world with an emphasis on local and house-made ingredients. There are currently two locations: Mondo Market at Stanley Marketplace, 2501 Dallas St. in Aurora, and Mondo Mini at Broadway Market, 950. N. Broadway in Denver. Mondo Mini is temporarily closed due to the COVID pandemic. According to Farrell, part of Mondo Market’s mission is to continue the tradition of quality ingredients and warm hospitality that Denver is known for. He and Davis do this by focusing on authentic flavors, kind customer service, and knowing that they are doing what the world needs more of—approachable and accessible businesses for all. One of their core values is that everybody deserves to be treated with respect and equality. Although pasta is not a new thing, Mondo Market is one of the few businesses in Colorado that makes pasta in-house. The menu even has a build-your-own pasta section where guests can choose their own adventure. Their cheese boards are a beautiful and delicious addition to every meal. Make sure to visit mondomarketcolorado.com to stay up-to-date on their upcoming Thanksgiving meal offerings, new local grocery and produce offerings, and possibly new locations.
Lady Justice
Brewing Company Makes the World a Better Place
The Lady Justice Brewing Company is an inclusive company focused on brewing great beer for a better world. Woman-, queer-, and Latina-founded; the company is proud to have been the world’s first fully female-owned and philanthropic brewery when it opened. Founded in 2010 by Betsy Lay, Kate Power, and Jen Cuesta, who went out for beers after a long day of work, they took stock of the room and the way people were showing up for beer. The three pondered, “Why can’t we just brew beer and drink it to make the world a better place?” From there, the Lady Justice Brewing Company was born.
After being a production-only facility for several years, the company found a new home in a taproom space located at 9735 E. Colfax Ave in Aurora. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the
by Denny Patterson
taproom had to shut down, but it has since reopened with strict protocols, along with the option for to-go beer. The owners are currently seeking out how to sell online to fans around the country. Lady Justice Brewing has operated on a platform of social enterprise. All of the beer’s focus is to make the world a better place, and the company does so through grants to women and girls in the state of Colorado. To date, more than $15,000 has been given to local organizations and nonprofits that promote the status of women and girls. For the rest of 2020, Lady Justice Brewing is committed to donating to Black-owned and -operated organizations. Beyond being a lesbian-owned brewery with a queer staff, the company has also worked to create a safe space for Colorado’s LGBTQ population by donating to LGBTQ nonprofits as well as brewing beer that the community wants to drink. Lady Justice Brewing loved creating a Pride beer with rainbow glitter that benefitted the Transformative Freedom Fund, and the three look forward to a post-COVID world when LGBTQ events can once again be held. Lady Justice Brewing is always looking for a way to have people safely in its space, and the owners are looking to host some fun movie nights, specialty beer releases, and collaborations with fellow service-industry folks looking to keep their businesses afloat. Once it is safe to do so, you can expect Lady Justice Brewing to go all out. To stay up-to-date, visit ladyjusticebrewing.com and sign up for their email list.
BENNY'S 301 E. 7th Ave. Denver (303) 894-0788 bennysmexican.com Happy Hours: BLUSH & BLU 1526 E. Colfax Ave. Denver (303) 484-8548 blushbludenver.com BOYZTOWN 117 Broadway St. Denver (303) 722-7373 boyztowndenver.com
CLUB Q 3430 N. Academy Blvd. Colo. Springs (719) 570-1429 clubqonline.com DENVER SWEET 776 N. Lincoln St. Denver (720) 598-5648 www.denversweet.com EL POTRERO 4501 E. Virginia Ave. Glendale (303) 388-8889 Facebook - Elpotrero.180
GLADYS: THE NOSY NEIGHBOR 500 Santa Fe Dr. Denver (303) 893-6112
LI'L DEVILS 255 S. Broadway St. Denver (303) 733-1156 lildevilslounge.com
LIPSTICK DISCOTHEQUE 5660 W. Colfax Ave. Denver (720) 669-3470 SSI MILLERS & ROSSI Contemporary Art Speakeasy 3542 Walnut St, Denver 720-257-5342 Mention OUT FRONT for $2 off all specialty cocktails PRIDE & SWAGGER 450 E.17th Ave. #110 Denver (720) 476-6360 R&R LOUNGE 4958 E. Colfax Ave. Denver (303) 320-9337 TRACKS 3500 Walnut St. Denver (303) 863-7326 tracksdenver.com
TRADE 475 Santa Fe Dr. Denver (720) 627-5905
THE TRIANGLE BAR 2036 N. Broadway St. , Denver (303) 658-0913 triangledenver.com
STONEY'S UPTOWN JOINT 1035 E. 17th Ave. Denver (720) 485-5503 Stoneysuptown.com
WILD CORGI PUB 1223 E. 13th Ave., Denver (303) 832-7636 wildcorgipub.com
K ALA M A T H S T .
MILLERS TRACKS & ROSSI BLAKE S T . W AL N U T S T . A R A P AHOE S T . G S T . C COLFAX AVE. 1 6 T H S T . M AL L LO CKTOW ER B R O A D W A Y 1 P R T P ARK A VE . W E S T D O WNIN 7TH AVE. XBAR IDE & STONEY'S RIAN GL E HAMBUR M ARY’S GER S A N T A FE D R . SPEE R B L V D . 6T GLADYS H AVE. S W A SH I N G T ON S PEN N 11TH AVE. 8TH AVE. WAGGER #VYBE BENNY’S DENVER SWEET O G DEN S T . CLA R K S ON S T . CHARLIE’S WIL D CORG I PUB BLUSH & BLU TRADE B S Y T . 1ST AVE COMPOUND BOYZTOWN . R O A D W A Y L V AN I A L I’L DEVILS 31ST AVE.
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