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CONTENTS DECEMBER 9, 2020 VOL44 NO16
ABOVE GROUND SALON SUGAR BAKESHOP THE WILD ANIMAL SANCTUARY BRECKENRIDGE-WYNKOOP RESTAURANTS SPOTLIGHT ON INCLUSIVITY: COVID BUSINESS SPECIAL NEEDS THE BEST OF: PANDEMIC EDITION LUNCHBOXWAX PLAYLOVE: A NEW, LOCAL, SEX-POSITIVE DATING APP NUMBER THIRTY-EIGHT CANNABIS CORNER
RAD DRAG DRIVE-IN
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SERVING THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS SINCE 1976 PHONE 303-477-4000 FAX 303-325-2642 WEB OutFrontMagazine.com FACEBOOK /OutFrontColorado TWITTER @outfrontmagazne INSTAGRAM /outfrontmagazine FOUNDER PHIL PRICE 1954-1993 ADMINISTRATION info@outfrontmagazine.com MAGGIE PHILLIPS Co-Publisher ADDISON HERRON-WHEELER Co-Publisher JERRY CUNNINGHAM President JEFF JACKSON SWAIM Chief Strategist EDITORIAL editorial@outfrontmagazine.com ADDISON HERRON-WHEELER Editor-in-Chief VERONICA L. HOLYFIELD Creative Director KEEGAN WILLIAMS Copy Editor DENNY PATTERSON Celebrity Interviewer RAY MANZARI Breaking News Reporter and Podcast Editor INTERNS Danny Bradley, Izzy Yellin, Justine Johnson WRITERS Amand E.K., Lacy Bursick, Padideh Aghanoury, Yvonne Wright ART art@outfrontmagazine.com GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Design2Pro and Veronica L. Holyfield COVER DESIGN Veronica L. Holyfield MARKETING + SALES marketing@outfrontmagazine.com QUINCEY ROISUM Senior Marketing Executive KELSEY ELGIE DOMIER Busines Developement Executive KAYTE DEMONT Digital Sales Executive
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RESERVATION OF RIGHTS Q Publishing Group, LTD is the owner of all right, title, and interest in the OUT FRONT brand and logo. No person or entity may reproduce or use (or authorize the reproduction or use of) the OUT FRONT brand and logo in any manner other than expressly authorized by Q Publishing Group. Unauthorized use of the OUT FRONT brand and logo is strictly prohibited. OUT FRONT is published by Q Publishing, Ltd., a Colorado corporation and is a member of: the National Equality Publishers Association and Colorado LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce.
O U T F R O N T M A G A Z I N E . C O M // 5
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FROM THE EDITOR
News Flash: It Has Not Been a Normal Year
O
nce again, it does not need to be said that this hasn’t been a normal year.
I think that’s been the topic of just about every one of my columns since March. Obviously, nothing has gone like we expected this year, and for some, the results have been disastrous. Some small businesses, beloved local businesses, have gone completely under, not to recover from the COVID pandemic. As such, this is definitely not a fair year to hold any sort of normal, "best-of” contest to compare businesses, entertainers, or anything else. What we can do, though, is try to throw as much love as we can to some of our beloved local partners and friends. Here, in this unusual Best-Of: Pandemic Edition, you’ll read about how many different, local businesses worked hard to make things work, despite all the challenges. Instead of best patio or best local entertainer, you’ll read about the best adaptations and pivots to offer new services in a safe, thoughtful way. All we can do this year is stay safe, stay smart, and try to support local business when we can. If you have any expendable income this holiday season, consider supporting a business in our gift guide or or best-of round-ups. -Addison Herron-Wheeler
O U T F R O N T M A G A Z I N E . C O M // 7
BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
ABOVE GROUND SALON by Padideh Aghanoury
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n the corner of 26th and Welton resides not just a hair salon, but a cultural institution, a temple for all that is queer, weird, and fantastic. Not below, or at—but above the ground that is paved by bricks of gender conformity, of heterosexual and Puritan norms—exists a place safe for you to be you as you are. Disco and house music bump all day; the stylists wear their hair in a new color every week (it seems like), and queer and trans folk can step in knowing that, in this salon, they can ask for exactly what they want and know that they’ll be heard— without judgment. That they’ll be transformed into the person they want to be. Above Ground is the name of the salon, and they have risen up into the ether as a haven for all. The original Above Ground opened its doors in Ann Arbor, Michigan 20 years ago, when hairstylist Dulce "Cookie" Gomez realized there was a massive gulf in the market for hairstylists who could cut curly hair well. Cookie took in a young, curious, and queer hairstylist, Ashe Bowen, under her wing. “Cookie taught me everything,” Bowen says.
was missing was a safe space that did some “damn good hair” in Bowen’s words, so they opened the salon on Cookie’s honor. In January of 2018, Bowen got the keys to the Welton building, and by March of that year, Above Ground flung open its doors. “At Above Ground, everyone is welcome; everyone can be themselves, and everyone will find hair services they are looking for,” Bowen says with conviction, and both the clientele and the staff reflect that, along with the services offered. Stylists at Above Ground are capable of it all: naturally curly cuts, dry cutting, styling, fades, all color services including vivid colors, precision cutting, wedding styling, and textured hair treatments. And there have been some big shake-ups for the salon recently, too. On October 1, the second location of Above Ground opened up on 17th and Blake, right in the heart of the city. With ample space, an easily accessible location, and a gorgeous interior, opening this new location during the COVID pandemic could not have come at a better time.
It was at the original Above Ground that Bowen finally felt like they could bethemself. Bowen grew up during the explosion of Chicago house and Detroit techno, coming of age in 90s warehouse raves at a time when often, the only place queer people could exist as themselves was at 3 a.m. on a dance floor somewhere in Michigan. For Bowen, Above Ground changed all of that.
Additionally, Bowen recently announced that a free clothing rack is available at the 17th and Blake location for any queer and trans youth and anyone else in need. Bowen also offers free, gender-affirming haircuts to trans youth age 21 and under. Providing these much-needed resources for trans youth, especially during an economic recession and global pandemic that has put many trans folks out of work, is immeasurably valuable.
“The original Above Ground was a safe space before safe spaces were even a thing,” Bowen says. Bowen found themselves in hair and house music, and Cookie was the light that guided them through the dark. After Cookie passed away in 2016, Bowen resolved to pay tribute to her in some way. After finding their way to the Queen City of the West, Bowen figured that what Denver
Bowen is accepting clothing donations, as well as cash donations to help cover the cost of these important and necessary genderaffirming haircuts. And, as if that weren’t enough, Bowen has all sorts of exciting ideas brewing in their hyper-speed mind. They don’t want to give much away, but suffice it to say, Above Ground is about to take Denver by storm.
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BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
Words and photo by Padideh Aghanoury
SUGAR BAKESHOP
S
o many local businesses have been languishing during this pandemic. Downtown Denver is starting to look like SoHo, where empty storefronts outnumber operating businesses. With practically non-existent aid from the government, most businesses have been left to fend for themselves. Unfortunately, this means that many businesses couldn’t weather the downturn of traffic, and day-by-day, the number of businesses folding under unsustainable economic pressure grows. Restaurants in particular have been met with some of the biggest challenges during the pandemic. Even before the pandemic, the profitability and viability—and therefore, subsequent success—of a restaurant was a long shot. The overhead costs of operating a restaurant, from staff to ingredients to rent, gobble up nearly all profits made. In fact, 60 percent of restaurants fail within the first year, and 80 percent go under in five years. And these are all pre-pandemic numbers. In Denver, by March 14, restaurant reservations plummeted by 46 percent when compared year-to-year. In-person dining sustains many Denver restaurants, especially in neighborhoods with high foot traffic. Very few uniform protocols have been put in place for restaurants operating in Denver, mask mandates notwithstanding. So, customers are confused if places are open, if they do take-out, and if dining in is an option. Nearly 100 restaurants in Denver closed for good following the two-month, mandated, statewide closure in March and limited dining capacity through the summer. According to Westword, as of November 12, 91 percent of restaurants reported that sales were down by an average of 40 percent for summer 2020, compared to summer 2019. Others reopened with very limited hours and a skeleton of their
former staff. Seventy-eight percent of restaurants reported that their staffs are smaller than they were this time last year. But, incredibly, some places around Denver have managed to keep their doors open with quick and intelligent adaptations to operating during the pandemic. One of those restaurants is none other than Sugar Bakeshop, located on South Broadway and 3rd Ave. The owner, Natalie Slevin, can be spotted behind the counter, hard at work, even before the pandemic. So, when it came to trimming the fat, outside of a change in operating hours, Slevin didn’t need to make too much of a change in staffing. In order to keep orders socially distanced, a table is laid out in front with a menu, and a card reader sits next to it. A staff member stands at the other side of the table with ample distance and takes the order. The customer then inserts their card, so no physical exchange happens between the customer and staff. The staff member brings the order to the table and drops it off at one end, always maintaining a safe distance. Tasty seasonal cakes, breakfast pastries, and a variety of vegan treats fly out the door at Sugar Bakeshop. The menu is constantly changing as well, giving customers even more reason to keep coming back. And the relief of being able to grab a delicious, gluten-free coffee cake without potentially risking your life is certainly an added appeal, too. Even with their abbreviated hours, Slevin says, “We’ve been lucky to have enough consistent business to stay afloat.” And, as long as the bakery continues to take adequate safety precautions and keeps making amazing goodies, it’s easy to see why Sugar Bakeshop will be one of the lucky few to weather this pandemic. O U T F R O N T M A G A Z I N E . C O M // 9
BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
The Wild Animal Sanctuary
by Denny Patterson
L
ocated in Keenseburg, CO, The Wild Animal Sanctuary (TWAS) is a state- and federally licensed zoological facility and nonprofit organization dedicated to rescuing large carnivores. Established in 1980, it is the largest and oldest sanctuary in the country. With more than 10,500 acres of space and 120 habitats, the sanctuary provides expert care and rehabilitation, exceptional diets and enrichment, and large spaces for animals to live the kind of life they were meant to have.
Like the rest of the world, the sanctuary was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. “We had to close our doors in April for about four weeks when everything was shut down,” Drotar says. “Initially, it hit us hard because all of our food is donated from big-box stores. The first few weeks in March and April, there was no food to be found on grocery store shelves because everyone was stocking up and hoarding. All that extra food we would normally get was no longer there. Then, we had a double-whammy whene donations fell off because of the uncertainty about jobs and employment. “Things have gotten better,” he continues. “Donations are still down a little bit because I think there is still a lot of uncertainty and a lot of people haven’t gone back to work, and food has come back up 80 or 90 percent to where it was pre-COVID. One thing that did help us, though, was when Netflix released its docuseries Tiger King. “Even though I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it because of the personalities involved and how they exploit the animals, 64 million people have watched it. As a result, we got an increased amount of interest because TWAS has rescued a lot of Joe Exotic animals. So, that has increased quite a bit of attention, so we picked people up that way. Plus, we had a lot of media attention back in April. People Magazine covered us; CNN covered us; we got much more attention that we normally would have had if Tiger King had not come out.” TWAS was able to reopen April 27 as long as people wear masks and maintain social distancing. Since the sanctuary is known for its elevated walkway and being an outdoor experience, there were not as many restrictions implemented compared to churches and restaurants. “I liken it to hiking in the mountains,” Drotar says. “Once you get up to the walkway, there is no one within 50 to 100 feet. We had a busier summer than normal because people just wanted to get outside and do something.” Visitors have mostly been complying with the restrictions and safety rules, but like everywhere else, there is at least one person in the bunch grunting and grumbling.
“We rescuecaptive-born as opposed to wild-born,” Public Relations Director Kent Drotar says. “All these animals come from abusive, illegal, and neglectful situations. People trying to have them as pets or roadside zoos where someone thinks they can collect animals and charge people. A lot of them nowadays come from places where people pay to play with cubs. All these animals come from very bad situations, and then we find out about them. If we can take them, we give them a home for life without exploiting them.” Animals located at the sanctuary include bears, lions, tigers, wolves, mountain lions, foxes, bobcats, lynxes, coyotes, jaguars, and leopards. 1 0 \\ D E C E M B E R 9 , 2 0 2 0
“If you come into our place of business, our expectation is for you to wear a mask and abide by the rules,” Drotar says. “If someone doesn’t want to do that, come back some other times. If you don’t want to wear a mask, or you think you have reasons why you shouldn’t, then don’t visit now. Come back when the pandemic is over with or when there are not as many restrictions. When you are in our welcome center, you have to wear a mask. When you are up on the walkway, you can lower them, but if you are near people, keep a certain distance, and just raise them up. We have volunteers and employees keeping an eye on things.” For more information on TWAS, visit wildanimalsanctaury.org.
Meet “Indi” a tiny Liger Cub that was recently confiscated from a terrible breeder who purposely cross bred Lions and Tigers to fuel his cub petting business. Indi needs your help so she can safely grow into a happy and healthy adult who will then live the rest of her life in a large natural habitat at the World’s largest carnivore sanctuary.
WildAnimalSanc tuary.org O U T F R O N T M A G A Z I N E . C O M // 1 1
BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
BRECKENRIDGEWYNKOOP
Restaurants
by Denny Patterson Photos courtesy of Breckenridge-Wynkoop Restaurants
O
ut of all the businesses being impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the restaurant industry has taken one of the hardest hits.
some of our locations, we have created entirely new outdoor spaces like the Burger Garden at the Cherry Cricket in Cherry Creek, and new concepts like The Coop at Wynkoop Brewing Co.”
Breckenridge-Wynkoop owns and operates a collection of Colorado restaurant and brewery brands, including The Cherry Cricket, Ale House, Phantom Canyon Brewing Co., and Wynkoop Brewing Co.
Like many restaurants, Breckenridge-Wynkoop have taken cleaning and sanitation practices to the next level. Tables are spaced six feet apart, team members are masked and gloved, and surfaces are constantly sanitized.
According to Marketing Director Alex Bunn, the impact of COVID-19 on their business cannot be overstated. “Obviously, the restaurant industry has been hit extremely hard by the pandemic,” Bunn says. “Beyond feeding people, we have always strived to make people comfortable in our restaurants. ‘Comfort’ has taken on a very different meaning in the past year. Now, safe is comfortable, and keeping our guests and our team members safe is our top priority. I am amazed by how nimble, resilient, and dedicated our team has been. “In the past nine months, we have not only changed how we serve our guests, but we have also launched online ordering, revamped our takeout model, and created a new family meal platform. At 1 2 \\ D E C E M B E R 9 , 2 0 2 0
Fortunately, none of the restaurants had to fully close. On-premise dining was closed for a period of time early on, but all remained open for takeout, delivery, and now for outdoor dining. Bunn is proud of how accommodating each team member has been to help make customers feel safe. “Our team members are the best of the best,” Bunn says. “They continue to bend over backwards every day to put a smile on our guests’ faces, masked or not.” As for moving forward, Breckenridge-Wynkoop is focused on doing everything they can to make it through the winter, so they can get back to filling their restaurants with happy guests.
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O U T F R O N T M A G A Z I N E . C O M // 1 3
Spotlight on Inclusivity: Covid Business Special Needs by Yvonne Wright
JACK’S & STEAMERS “When the pandemic hit, that just turned everybody’s world upside down.” Luke Davidson is one of the millions of employees impacted by COVID-19. While the epidemic is hard on everyone, it’s been especially hard for Colorado workers with special needs. Davidson is employed by one of two local businesses that hire employees with developmental disabilities. Like other small, locally owned businesses, they’re struggling this holiday season to stay afloat. Many aren’t even looking for a profit. They just want to break even so they can keep their doors open until the pandemic ends. For many with special needs, this is the first opportunity they’ve had to work and make money. For most, it’s more than a paycheck. It’s where they go to meet friends and feel good about their contributions. “I’m more than thankful. I’m excited to work,” he says. Davidson has worked at Jack’s & Steamers for 10 years. The Arvada bar and grill employs dozens of special needs employees. Davidson used to work making the gourmet jams and jellies they sell online. The restrictions brought him into the kitchen where he now works washing dishes. “We are like a family. All of us,” he says. When I ask him about his supervisor, his response is not one you would hear in most companies. While he acknowledges his bosses can be frustrating, the depth of his feelings for them is so strong he needed to take a break. “I get emotional,” he says while choking back tears. “We have arguments; we have debates, but Garrett has that passion about his work. How he cares about people makes me want to work more.” Davidson is talking about Garrett McGovern, a manager there for the last 10 years. McGovern describes the business as a brain trust. When the closures were first put in place in April, McGovern says everyone gathered that night. “We formed our plan of attack, and were re-open within a day with delivery and a take-out menu for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.” It wasn’t easy. After a lot of trial and error, they figured out how to streamline online and phone-in orders so food would be hot and ready when customers came to pick it up. “We had 500 dinners out of the blue [the first night] … at 6:00, I had 75 orders all at once; the cooks knew they had 15 minutes to get the orders out, and there was just no way.” McGovern says it took about a month to get all the kinks worked out, and he said the latest round of shutdowns are going great. 1 4 \\ D E C E M B E R 9 , 2 0 2 0
SUSTAINABILITY RECYCLING Adapting to catastrophic change is something Sustainability Recycling also had to do. After a bumpy start, the metro area’s only company to offer hard-to-recycle centers is up and running after a three-month closure. Co-owner Melisa Kraai says they employ special-needs people who often have high-risk medical conditions, so they needed to make sure their five recycling centers in Denver and Arvada were as safe as possible before reopening. “We’ve spent upwards of $15,000 on safety, including plexiglass at each workstation, air purifiers at all sites, heaters, and tons of PPE … We have 20 pages of safety protocol and procedure that was put together,” she said. Kraai credits emergency, federal loans for small businesses with keeping Sustainability afloat. And she said the epidemic has had an unexpected positive impact on the company as well. “When all the cards were thrown up in the air due to COVID … it gave us the opportunity to make changes in a few months that would have taken us years to put in place. We’re a different business. We’ve positioned ourselves to be more financially sustainable in the long-run,” she says.
take-out orders, and sells the homemade jams and jellies special needs people make online. These businesses hope to keep their doors open and continue to employ people who might not otherwise have a job. McGovern says going out of business in simply not an option. “We have too many people counting on us, we have to keep it going."
Highlands
Constellation Program
Some of those changes include a residential composting pick-up service, exploring partnerships with new cities, and offering more individualized services to people with developmental delays. Monica Garcia has worked there four of the 11 years they’ve been open. She says the supervisors really came through when she was laid off and needed them the most. “The staff picked me up at my house, and we would go for walks. It helped me with my exercise, my social skills, and in getting out of the house a little bit to make me happy.” Kraai says those staff members are the ones she worries about the most. “Our job coaches are front-line workers and work in a field that does not have enough funding to pay people well … If we must move to furlough or layoffs, they will not make enough in unemployment to pay their rent or mortgages and meet their and their family’s basic needs.” This is a situation thousands of Coloradans face, as the virus spreads and closures continue. Sustainability is considered an essential business, so their doors remain open. Jack’s & Steamers serves food on it’s patio, takes
Call Us Today 720-348-2800
At Highlands Behavioral Health, we are committed to creating and preserving a culture and environment of respect and inclusion. Constellation is the manifestation of our vision of inclusive care. It is a queer-inclusive program designed to meet people where they are and deliver care that is tailored to who they are.
highlandsbhs.com With limited exceptions, physicians are not employees or agents of this hospital. For language assistance, disability accommodations and the non-discrimination notice, visit our website. 204004- 5905 9/20
O U T F R O N T M A G A Z I N E . C O M // 1 5
by Denny Patterson
OF:
PANDE-
MIC
EDITION
SURVIVING BOYZTOWN LAST CALL B D 117 BROADWAY (303) 722-7373
oyztown will soon be entering its 16th year of operation, and the business is best known for its strip shows and being open and welcoming to everyone in the community.
enver may be exciting and beautiful during the day, but it does not shut down with the mountain sunset. The LGBTQ nightlife is lively and offers a variety of different bars and clubs that are fun and welcoming to all. The Mile High City’s queer community has always been known for its unique charm, and its bars are hot spots for like-minded and eccentric people. Unfortunately, several of these businesses have taken a major hit due to COVID-19.
OUT FRONT reached out to a couple to see how they have been adapting and what they are doing to move forward.
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COVID-19 has greatly impacted the bar, but according to owner Randy Long, he and his staff are adjusting. “We have installed medical-grade UV lights at each entrance,” he says. “We also use a medical fog machine and hospital-grade virus cleaners to sanitize every day. We also take everyone’s temperature, name, and phone number for tracing purposes. Plus, everyone is required to wear a mask." Boyztown was closed for almost three months, but since reopening, all their customers have been very appreciative. There have not been many complaints about the new COVID safety regulations. “We encourage everyone to be safe and to get the vaccination as soon as it is available,” Long says. “We hope to get back to normal soon, and if everything goes well, I hope to expand the business to a few other locations.”
CHARLIE’S DENVER 900 E. COLFAX AVE. (303) 839-8890
Established in 1981, Charlie’s Denver is an LGBTQ bar that is half country-western saloon, half dance club. Although the cowboy style has diminished over the years, General Manager Brendan Sullivan wanted to keep the legacy in some fashion. When the pandemic started, Sullivan was not ready for the kind of impact it would have on the business. “We are used to having 900 people in here,” he says. “When they said we can only have 50, you can only imagine the impact. Charlie’s is busy and fun-loving. We are the kind of bar you end up at. We are just that kind of place.” However, when Charlie’s closed its doors, Sullivan considered it a blessing in disguise. “It is very hard to close down for any amount of time to upgrade or remodel,” he says. “So, after March 15, we took some hard-earned investment money and invested it back into the building. We remodeled the bathrooms, built a brand-new bar, and cleaned everything from top to bottom.
HAMBURGER MARY’S 1336 E 17TH AVE. (303) 993-5812
Hamburger Mary’s is a bar and restaurant known for its familyoriented environment and drag entertainment. With several locations throughout the country, it is considered a home base for the queer community. “When people come in from out of town, they start here,” General Manager Matt Wagner says. “The main goal is to create a home that is a safe place for everybody, and Hamburger Mary’s tends to be that home base for people all over the country.” Thanks to the pandemic, Hamburger Mary’s sales went down over 50 percent. The business had to close its doors, but reopened the third week in June. “We took our time to reopen and make sure that we are doing everything safely,” Wagner says. “I think the public saw that we didn’t jump into reopening to make money right away, but we took our time and made sure we were prepared to create a safe environment for our customers. We were trying to do what was morally right and find the balance between keeping our business open and being safe and responsible.” Some of the biggest safety measures Hamburger Mary’s have implemented include contact tracing and taking everyone’s contact information. Throughout the summer, three large swamp coolers were put in to replace the air in the building every three minutes. Now that winter is coming, the filters were put in the air filtration system air furnaces to filter the air that is going back into the building. All dishes and glasses are single use products; customers are required to wear masks, and one-way traffic patterns are in place.
“We weren’t going to reopen until they said we could reopen as a nightclub again because we don’t do food,” Sullivan continues. “But, I was thinking, we can open back up, and I will run it as a restaurant. We ran for about three months under our next door neighbor’s restaurant license, and we did as much as we could with drag shows, bingo, and live music.” Unfortunately, Governor Polis recently came out with new stipulations on how to reopen, and Sullivan did not see how Charlie’s could operate without losing more money. “We decided for the best of the community, us, and our employees, we are going to shut down until a vaccine comes out,” Sullivan says. “I don’t know if I see us reopening back up under restrictions. There is no way we can abide by them. We cannot shut down at 8 p.m. People don’t start coming until 10. We are not going anywhere, and we are very blessed to have our loyal customers and guests help get us through these hard times.”
DENVER SWEET 776 N LINCOLN ST. (720) 598-5648
Denver Sweet is the Mile High City’s premier “bear-inspired” bar that is known its wonderful cocktails, tasty bites, and its amazing rooftop area for customers to socialize. Owned by Randy Minten and Ken Maglasang, the bar closed its doors on March 16 and reopened over Pride weekend. They both worked hard behind the scenes to ensure that they would be compliant and follow social distance guidelines. “The CDC guidelines were pretty clear as far as social distancing,” Minten says. “We placed tables six feet apart, made sure people understood the rules, and required masks. Once you were seated, you could take it off, but if you walked around the bar, you must have it on. We also sanitized all areas where customers sat, restrooms, common areas, the stairwell, and handrail. Denver Sweet is more of a social bar, not a sit-down bar. So, we had to increase our seating and utilize our space, which we could because our rooftop is one of our advantages. “In order to reopen, we also had to serve food,” Maglasang says. “That was kind of a big hurdle for us. We had a goal of having small appetizers, but we had to accelerate our plans. When the ruling came down that you can only be open if you offered food, we kicked into high gear to figure out what we could do to get our kitchen running.” Minten and Maglasang will continue to do their part to ensure a healthy environment, and they expect customers to do the same.
O U T F R O N T M A G A Z I N E . C O M // 1 7
TRACKS INNOVATED FROM NIGHTLIFE TO RINO EATS by Lacy Bursick
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racks celebrated their last night open for 2020 with Daniela’s Drag Queen Cabaret on Thursday, November 19 with a bittersweet farewell, as indoor dining closure went into effect again. It was a tough year, but the Tracks team was able to join together to innovate their business model and safely join the community together during trying times. For the last 40 years, Tracks has been a staple in the Denver community as the go-to LGBTQ nightlife destination offering a multi-room experience featuring international talent to local favorites. After closing for the lockdowns in March, they innovated their business to fit new guidelines for their reopening in late June. Partnering up with neighborhood favorites, they revamped their alleyway and outdoor space, calling it Rino Eats. Tracks used their restaurant license to operate as a safe outdoor dining experience, partnering with food options like Fish and Beer, Cabana X, Hop Alley, Miller and Rossi, and Pericos Tacos. Production Manager Asya Toney said going from a nightclub to a restaurantstyle business was hectic at first, but her team came together and figured out the best way to move forward in their new roles as servers and food bussers. After two weeks, it was smooth sailing, and the community response was better than they hoped. “Our greatest challenge was staying true to our brand and who we are, and the crowd who really made Tracks what it was, but also finding new and innovative ways to bring in new crowds to stay alive,” Toney says. “With us going from being a nightclub to a restaurant, the same people who were here every weekend can’t come every day of the week. We had to be really inclusive and find all types of entertainment for all types of people.” They launched a craft cocktail menu, opened for brunch and daytime hours, and hosted seated events like drag bingo, jazz night, and pumpkin carving. On Sundays, they hosted Ladies Beer Bust and even donated all the proceeds to local charities like We Are Family and The Women’s Bean Project. “It was a nice way to give back to the community and to give people who have been stuck at home something safe and exciting to come out for,” Toney says. From poetry slams to live vocalists, they experimented with a variety of events all summer. They even hosted football viewing parties. Their viewing parties brought out a rowdy crowd, reminiscent of the club days, but everyone was overall respectful and understood the rules of social distancing and masks. “None of us who work here knew anything about football, but we're like, 'OK, we got this!' And it ended up being super fun!” Their ‘we-got-this’ spirit has them looking toward the future, as Tracks has plans for reopening when local regulations allow, and when they can make the experience safe again. Toney ends with, “We want to thank the Denver community’s continued love of Tracks and support. This is not goodbye forever; it’s just ‘We’ll see you later!’”
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WILD CORGI ADAPTS AND GROWS by Lacy Bursick
A
s closures loomed, local business owner Dusty Jones knew he had to act fast and evolve his business offerings to stay afloat in unforeseen times. In March, he closed for only two days as he brainstormed and took action.
Prior to the recent shut down, Wild Corgi operated as a favorite Colfax pub, offering food and fun events like bingo with Rockstar Aaron and Sunday Drag Brunch with Lala Shearz. Now, they operate with the focus on food and entertainment, especially on take-out orders and delivery services. Wild Corgi launched its presence on all the delivery apps, including Uber Eats and DoorDash, and developed the menu to be appealing for remote customers. Dusty asked himself, ‘What foods travel best for delivery service?’ Through trial and error, Wild Corgi has found success with the delivery apps and is considering offering deliveries in-house as well. They also created a to-go alcohol menu adapting with the new mandates. Wild Corgi opened in December 2018 when Dusty bought the space after working there for three years prior. Dusty said business was solid, and they had built a loyal fan base, but then COVID hit, and he had to quickly adapt and figure out how to keep his doors open. He has evolved his business and continued to serve the neighborhood great food and service, and Dusty said he has taken the downtime to get better. “During the slow hours, we were able to focus on our kitchen, and we started exploring the smoker,” Dusty says. “We now have brisket, pulled pork, chicken, and more smoked meat ideas that we have been able to improve on.” Over the fall, Wild Corgi was back to bustling with creative events from poker tournaments to drag queen brunch shows with Lala Shearz, with limited capacity and an online reservation system. “With limited capacity and the cost it takes to put on events, we have to be careful,” Dusty explains. “But, the events we have been able to host have all been great and the guests have all been excited to be out and experiencing it.” Their drag queen brunch with Lala Shearz even donated profits to the local charity We Are Family. Drag Hostess Lala Shearz said Dusty is an amazing business owner who has provided a safe and welcoming space for all walks of life. Wild Corgi’s efforts to push forward, feed the community great food, and offer entertainment has been appreciated. “I have been very fortunate to be able to continue entertaining folks during this pandemic,” Lala Shearz says. “Drag entertainers strive to bring joy to others, and if we could make you forget the shitty things going on around you, even for a three-and-a-half-minute song, then we have done our job.” With temperature checks, enforcing masks, and changing drag performances to no cash tips, Wild Corgi has taken all the steps to create a safe environment. The customers have been receptive, supportive, and happy to follow the rules and be out having fun. Their most difficult part of operating business was the constant changes in local mandates. Denver restaurants went from 50 percent to 25 percent capacity, and now back to no indoor dining at all. With each local order, Dusty and his team have innovated every step along the way. “The Corgi thrives under pressure, and we adapt to changes,” Dusty says. “Anytime they rolled something out, and even if I don’t agree with it on the business end, I know everything they are doing is for the best, and especially for those who are immune-compromised. We made the effort because that’s what you do. We started the Corgi as a community pub, and we want to keep taking care of all of our community, and that means taking care of everybody.” Wild Corgi Pub is asking that you continue to support them through delivery food and consider nominating them for the Broncos Business Boost. Their doors will be back open to the community they love as soon as indoor restrictions are lifted.” O U T F R O N T M A G A Z I N E . C O M // 1 9
BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
LUNCHBOXWAX by Denny Patterson
L
unchboxWax is a boutique, speed-waxing franchise that was founded by Debi Lane in Boise, ID in 2010. The brand’s mission is to empower guests through waxing services that allow people to be confident, hair-free, and carefree in minutes. “The culture at LunchboxWax plays an important role, with inclusivity at the forefront of the business,” Salon Director Amanda Shoemaker says. “Based on its slogan, ‘We Wax Every Body,’ the essence of the brand is to create beautiful experiences powered by mindful intentions.” Unfortunately, 2020 has not been kind to millions of businesses, and the beauty industry was no exception. COVID-19 forced LunchboxWax to operate in new ways. The Denver location, 1000 S. Colorado Blvd. Suite 106, was closed from March 18 to May 9. “As COVID-19 has made an impact on our world and our communities, we have focused on keeping momentum,” Shoemaker says. “We are so fortunate to have such amazing guests and a fabulous team to keep us moving forward. Utilizing Zoom to stay connected, we have implanted virtual discovery days. I am proud to say that our team both in our Denver salon and nationwide with LunchboxWax have remained united, strong, and versatile.” Once LunchboxWax was told it was safe to reopen, they reached out to all their guests to keep them involved. 2 0 \\ D E C E M B E R 9 , 2 0 2 0
As a waxing salon, they have always kept a high standard of sanitation and disinfection. LunchboxWax will ensure to follow all protocols that are set forth from the Department of Regulatory Agencies for salons. In addition to standard protocols, CDC guidelines provided by the state and county have been implemented to protect guests and staff and to help stop the spread of COVID-19. “As we take the health and safety of our community very seriously, we made sure to use the best protocols, procedures, and disinfection so we can perform our services in a safe environment,” Shoemaker says. “During this time, we launched our new Define Line for eyebrows. This was a fun topic to lighten the conversations in our salon during this stressful time.” The LunchboxWax team will always dedicate their time to individualize each service for the best results for each person. As for what’s next, Shoemaker says the goal for 2021 is to take the salon to the next level. “We know there will be challenges ahead as the world navigates this pandemic, but we will continue to be adaptable, accepting, and purposeful,” she says. For more information on LunchboxWax, visit lunchboxwax. com, or call (303) 625-9375.
feel like participating. “Even if you feel like you don’t have a loud voice, we still want you there,” she says.
by Amanda E.K.
What began 17 years ago as a sex-positive events company called Menage Life has now sprouted tentacles into the virtual landscape to offer a space for safe and exploratory connections for people looking to express their sexuality without being put in internet jail for things like sharing fetish photos or BDSM requests.
For the time being, Playlove is free to download. Their current goal with the app isn’t about making money, but to learn what people really want and to provide that. They built the app to be a classy community, and they hope that it can become the world’s leading, sexpositive platform and leading resource on sex-positive information.
: E V O L PLAY Sex-Positive
In order to achieve this goal, they provide regular polls and surveys for their app users to suggest improvements and voice what they want to get out of the app. As a new application, they see plenty of room for growth and improvement. Geis encourages not only offering your sexual feedback, but also sharing your personality. As of now, the app is only available to Colorado residents while the team works to constantly improve upon the structure that they’ve built. Users are able to customize what they can see in their feed and what they want to filter out so that people can make the connections they really want to make.
, l a c o L , w e AN Dating App
Playlove Co-founders Sante Suffoletta and Dan “Trip” Roberts have been involved in the sex-positive community for the past two decades and saw the need for a platform where people could be as open with their sexuality as they wanted without any judgment or shame. Whereas platforms like Zoom will shut you down if they detect nudity, Playlove is a hybrid app that allows you to join groups and share your naughtiest photos. With the rise in popularity of social media in the past decade, people have adapted to more public expressions of sexuality, but even dating apps like Tinder will block your account if they deem any content too sexual. Suffoletta and Roberts say they put a lot of thought into naming and designing Playlove. “There are a lot of people who are sexpositive who are looking for relationships but frustrated that they can't find the types of connections that they want. We want people to know that they can find both on our app,” Suffoletta says.
Playlove is an app for the overlap of sex-positive communities to socialize completely unrestricted. Queer, polyamorous, swinger, kink, fetish, and BDSM players alike are welcome on Playlove. It’s a place for the queer community and straight allies to support each other and coexist. For folks looking to recreate the same types of connections they would if they were going out every weekend, Suffoletta’s company, Menage Life, is currently hosting regular virtual events using a video platform that allows you to be as risque as you want. On this platform, there are multiple “rooms” that you can enter, such as a dungeon room, a DJ room, and an exhibition room. With more people staying home, these advanced, online connections provide a reprieve from the isolation. Angie “Puddles” Gies—the user experience assurance manager of Playlove—is grateful to have the platform as a place to log on and show off her dominatrix outfits that she jokes her dog must be tired of seeing by now. She appreciates the feedback and knowing that others are out there looking to connect in similar ways. She encourages users to join even if they don’t
“At the end of the day, it's all about connections and friendships— that's what any sex positive community is about and what people are looking for,” Suffoletta says. "So, if we can provide that in a virtual environment, that's what we're going to do.” Playlove is intended to be accessible for anyone who’s had a difficult time finding the partnerships and connections they want. “If you hang out in the in-between of the sexuality spectrum, there's not really a lot for you, or you have to go digging to find it. And I think that's where any community that doesn't have an app servicing them will probably find more connections through Playlove. That's our hope anyway,” Suffoletta says. Playlove is a model for the lifestyle of adaptation we’ve all had to adopt this year. “Having an adaptive app, and an adaptive community has always been important to us,” Geis says. “So really, it's our time to shine as a community and to show people that the quality of life that you really like to hold onto is still there, and we're here to give you that platform to adapt and to continue to live your life the way you want to.” “There are people who are suppressed in their sexuality all over the planet and don't know what to do,” Suffoletta adds. “There's a whole world of people who need this. And we want to make a difference for them.” Try out the app for yourself, and let the team know what you think. For more information about their virtual events, check out menagelife.com. O U T F R O N T M A G A Z I N E . C O M // 2 1
BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
T
here’s a new dating app on the scene called Playlove, and it started in Colorado. Playlove isn’t like other social apps—it’s designed specifically and solely for the sex-positive community.
#
NUMBER
THIRTY-EIGHT
Words and photos by Danny Bradley
W
e live in a time when we are all craving social connection. While the desire to connect is strong, many of us are attempting to channel and hone those wishes into the anticipatory feelings of reunions. I know I am, and when I visited Number Thirty Eight, I added this large, event-specialized restaurant onto my bucket list of places to take my friends when things ‘normalize.’ OK, so first off, what’s up with the name? Well, Number Thirty Eight is a restaurant concept that acknowledges Colorado’s status as the 38th state to enter the union of the United States of America. The owners of Number Thirty Eight are proud to provide an experience that is all about give guests the essence of Colorado—whether they be tourists looking to have a good time while visiting the state or locals on a Saturday night who are ‘dying to live.’ Number Thirty Eight opened up at 3560 Chestnut Place within Denver’s RiNo Neighborhood on October 8, and 2 2 \\ D E C E M B E R 9 , 2 0 2 0
OUT FRONT Editor Addison HerronWheeler and I gained the opportunity to tour and taste a sample of Number Thirty Eight’s offerings in hospitality and dining. Number Thirty Eight provides street-food style cuisine and live entertainment every night while not requiring guests to pay into a cover. If you’re like me and wish to save when we are post-COVID-19, cover costs are always something I look to first when there is an event occurring in Denver.
Number Thirty Eight wants its space to be a space in which tourists who love Colorado would want to visit. The marketing for Number Thirty Eight takes appeals to potential tourists who would want to have an experience that fulfills the expectations of Colorado. Taprooms, camping, campfires and red hot skillets, and stampedes of wild horses are all attributes Number Thirty Eight identifies with. Number Thirty Eight strives to capture the essence of what makes Colorado our home by providing beer from 24 taprooms throughout the state, the best food
inspirations from the best kitchens in the Rockies, and the space for Colorado’s music scene to showcase themselves. Number Thirty Eight wants guests to see their Colorado State of Mind, and they do that utilizing aesthetics and influencing the atmosphere with a mixture of interior and exterior design. The upscale, interior design is a stand-out feature of Number Thirty Eight restaurant. Number Thirty Eight finds its aesthetic inspiration from the ski and lodge culture of this very state. The restaurant replicates Colorado ski culture by channeling the après lifestyle enjoyed in a cabin or enjoying the non-urban outdoor setting after a day on the mountain. When we visited Number Thirty Eight, the first thing I observed was the size of the large venue. However, perhaps ‘large’ is not the proper adjective to use to give to Number Thirty Eight. It was giant! With an indoor size of 12,000 square feet and an outdoor size of
the central coast of California. I learned that Chef Merlin takes much of his food crafting inspirations from Asian pantries and Mexican cuisine from his local home base in California. Chef Merlin spent over a half a decade cooking in Summit County after attending school in Portland, OR. For more information on Number Thirty Eight, please visit nmbr38.com.
18,000, this gives the restaurant a total of 30,000 square feet to use to organize social events within the local community. The interior to Number Thirty Eight is expansive and spacious, with very high ceilings and very open and natural lighting, but the tour quickly found itself in the outside space where I found myself forgetting we were at a restaurant. The outside space felt very open and had the capacity for team sports to be played. I would say by far, Number Thirty Eight’s greatest focal point would be this outside dining space which can host a multitude of events for corporate parties or live musical events, and Number Thirty Eight envisions a focus on musical entertainment. Once the pandemic is over, I foresee Number Thirty Eight becoming a space in which Colorado’s local music scene can flourish. While we were touring Number Thirty Eight, we were able to enjoy a band sound checking and rehearsing in the performance space. The staging area of Number Thirty Eight is inspired by Red Rocks and ‘bar-ifying’ it. On their website, Number Thirty Eight describes their staging area as being “where Red Rocks meets your favorite corner bar. One night it may feature that local band you’ve never heard before, and next, it’s home to that big-name act you’ve been dying to hear. You never know who you’ll find on stage at Number Thirty Eight.” The food at Number Thirty Eight has been meticulously chosen by celebrated Chef Merlin Verrier who hails from O U T F R O N T M A G A Z I N E . C O M // 2 3
Wings
Sponsored Content
Over
the
W
ings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum (Wings) is located on the former grounds of Lowry Air Force Base in Denver. Tucked away in the historic Lowry neighborhood and housed in Hangar No. 1, the museum preserves the history of Lowry Air Force Base's operations from 1938 to 1994 in its collections, archives, and research library. As Colorado’s Official Air & Space Museum, Wings is dedicated to educating and inspiring visitors about aviation and space endeavors of the past, present and future. The museum features dozens of aircraft, space vehicles, and interactive exhibits. The collection includes an Apollo boilerplate capsule, a rare B-18A Bolo–one of only five remaining WWII-era bombers, five Century-Series fighters, a Star Wars™ X-Wing Starfighter, and one of only two B-1A Lancers.
Rockies
Jeppesen Foundation, a new 501(c)(3) organization. The foundation has already awarded dozens of flight training scholarships and grants to Colorado students, providing them with the necessary support to achieve their dreams in aviation. As one of the most significant educational outreach initiatives ever undertaken, Wings Over the Rockies’ Teacher Flight Program provides a free flight experience to one teacher in every school along Colorado’s front range so they can inspire the next generation of aviation and space professionals in their own classroom. With over 250 educators flying since 2017, the connectivity between flight and a growing population of students is becoming ever more powerful.
While remembering and preserving the past is important to Wings, the museum is also looking to the future to inspire the next generation of aerospace leaders. Their enrichment program, Wings Aerospace Pathways (WAP), prepares that next generation through hands-on, experiential learning. Students in grades 6 through 12 build an RV-12 aircraft, 3D print, fly RC aircraft and drones, and much more.
These educator flights take off from Centennial Airport in Englewood, where Wings Over the Rockies’ newest campus, Exploration of Flight, houses future-focused aviation and space centers designed to educate, entertain, and provide visitors with unique experiences and exhibits. The Boeing Blue Sky Aviation Gallery at the Exploration of Flight campus is a dynamic, flight-focused exploration center that offers visitors interactive flight related experiences and gives visitors a chance to participate in flight and flight-related activities.
Just last year, Wings joined forces with the Jeppesen Aviation Foundation to create the Wings Over the Rockies Captain
For more information and to plan your visit, go to wingsmuseum.org.
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Holiday Highs W
e have so many awesome cannabis goodies to share with you this season, we decided to sneak another gift guide into this issue. We can’t wait for you to try some of these dank, delicious goodies.
Sugar High
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Don’t get me wrong; Sugar High isn't exactly breaking the mold with what they offer: mini-cookies, sweet candies and chocolates, and gummies. But, they do a great job with flavor, consistency, and dosage to create a really solid, reliable, and delicious product. You really can’t go wrong with any of their flavors! Check out sugarhigh.co for more specifics.
The industry is currently a bit overrun by CBD companies. Everywhere you look, a legal-in-50-states CBD company is offering cannabis oil to soothe all types of aches and pains. Break out of the norm with some of Blue Forest Farms’ amazing products. From hemp gummies to hemp pills, pet CBD tincture to pet treats, Blue Forest Farms has a little bit of everything. To learn more, go to blueforestfarms.com.
As if the microdose products weren’t enough, Sum also offers Macrodose tabs. When you’re looking to kick back and relax after a long day of focusing at work, these tabs are the perfect, calorie-, smoke-, and vape-free way to relax at the end of the day. Visit summethod.com for more info and to find locations in Colorado.
O U T F R O N T M A G A Z I N E . C O M // 2 5
r Coping fo You are Not Alone. Aurora s y a d i the hol Mental Health is Here for You. Sponsored Content
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or LGBTQ+ people, the holidays can at times be stressful, often evoking anxiety and depression. Living authentically brings added challenges with family, especially if you don’t feel safe being “out” or are not affirmed for who you are. This year, COVID-19 has added another level of hardships and complexities. Whether you are having a family meal or interacting virtually, one of the first things you can do is make a commitment to yourself—you are important. Cultivate self-care every day. Take a walk. Do something you enjoy each day. Practicing mindfulness can also be part of self-care. It can help give a grounded, in-the-moment feeling, diminishing anxiety, negative thoughts, frustration, impatience, and anger. Try sitting in a relaxed posture, feeling your body’s sensations. Take three long, deep breaths, breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth. Try doing this exercise every day. If you are feeling isolated, reach out to a friend or family member whom you feel safe with virtually or give them a call. COVID has left so many feeling alone. An important part of self-care is staying connected to others.
If you are going to spend time with family who may not be aware of your sexual orientation or gender identity, decide which family members you plan to be “out” to and how you plan to tell them. Do what is best for you. Whether that be a phone call or telling them in person, have a trusted ally available to support you. If you plan to introduce your partner to your family, either in person or virtually, be prepared. If in-person, speak to your family ahead of time about sleeping arrangements. If a video or phone call is not going well, plan for what you will do. It is good to have boundaries and to surround yourself with those you trust and who affirm you. It is OK to spend your holidays, virtually or in person, with friends and family who affirm and support you. If you have family members who are non-supportive, it is okay to not interact with those people until they are receptive and respectful of your authentic self. If you need additional support, finding a mental health professional you trust is essential. Aurora Mental Health has some good options and is here to help. Call 303.617.2300, or visit aumhc.org.
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BENNY'S
301 E. 7th Ave. Denver (303) 894-0788 bennysmexican.com Happy Hours:
RAD DRAG DRIVE-IN
Photos by Juilius Garrido
I
t was a cold, windy, November night, but that didn’t stop the OUT FRONT foundation from transforming the Aurora Town Center’s parking lot into 90s realness. With special guest Yvie Oddly taking the stage, host Evelyn Evermoore keeping us entertained, and plenty of talent on display all night, people were granted a reprieve from the horrors of the pandemic for the night, from the safety of their cars.
3 0 \\ D E C E M B E R 9 , 2 0 2 0
! N I ! E N I V ! I E R N I V D I E R G V D A I R R G D D A R RAG D DR A R DD AD RA
PRIDE
MANY THANKS
DRIVE-IN EVENT
to Town Center at Aurora and our generous sponsors for making this event possible!
U O YO T T H G BROU
BY:
HIGH LEVEL H E A LT H
& COUNTING
FLOWER INDICA - SATIVA - HYBRID
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CARTRIDGES
1st Place
LL GR RA
D AN
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OVE
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