Business Matters is a monthly column on the changing landscape of business and development in south Denver. If there are any inquiries on new developments in your area, or if you are a local business wishing to highlight an upcoming milestone, email Kailyn Lamb at klamb@coloradocommunitymedia.com.

Developments

South York Apartments

A proposal to turn two properties, 2445 and 2455 S. York St., into apartments is under review by the city of Denver. The properties are currently houses. According the city website, the building would be five stories with 44 units. The proposal also includes 38 parking spots.

Arte Bella

Another plan under review by the city of Denver would convert a parking lot at 434 Santa Fe Drive into an apartment building. The city website lists this building at a proposed three stories with nine units. The building would have six parking spaces.

Business

Openings

Dryland Sports Co.

A gym focused on injury prevention opened in December at 1435 S. Holly St. The gym was launched by a group of parents whose children are in competitive sports. According to the website, one of their daughters was injured playing soccer and became injured again shortly after being given the green light to return to the sport.

Dryland focuses on preventing burnout as well as injury prevention. Classes are offered for specific sports or training routines such as skiing, soccer, conditioning and more. Dryland also offers recovery options such as a sauna and compression therapy.

We Work

We Work leased 18,000 square feet from the Finance House in Cherry Creek, 205 Detroit St. It will be the ninth location for the company in the Denver area. We Work offers co-working spaces for individuals or small companies. It is headquartered in New York City and has office space available across the country. We Work will take the second and third floors of the Finance House, according to the Denver Business Journal.

The company’s website lists the Cherry Creek location, but does not have leasing information available at this time.

Unravel Coffee

In the same complex as Dryland, a new coffee shop is set to open this month. Unravel Coffee will open at 1441 S. Holly St. in the Virginia Village neighborhood. Owners have a short post on the shop’s website.

“We meet up daily with expectations of service and escapism through this wonderful beverage we know as coffee. Complex, yet simple when done right,” the post says. “Unravel Coffee is set to provide a new collaborative experience from the very first plantings of a coffee shrub to the remnant in the cup.”

Untuckit

Colorado is getting a second Untuckit shop, which offers casual shirts meant to be worn untucked. The men’s clothing brand is set to open a shop in the Cherry Creek Shopping Center early this year. The other Untuckit store is located in the Park Meadows mall.

The Cherry Creek Shopping Center has the store listed as “coming soon” on its website. It will be located on the lower level of the mall.

American Grind

American Grind, which first opened in Avanti Food & Beverage in 2017, is moving to a brick-and-mortar location near Washington Park this spring. The restaurant will be located at 431 E. Bayaud Ave.

The restaurant is owned by the same people who own The Way Back in the Berkeley neighborhood. American Grind is a burger restaurant, which also offers a vegetarian item. American Grind is currently still open at Avanti Food & Beverage.

StretchLab

A California-based stretching studio is heading to Cherry Creek next month. The studio will be located at 3201 E. Second Ave. StretchLab offers assisted stretching meant to counter imbalances or tightness in the body, according to the website. It can also help people with flexibility and range of motion.

Hoja

Ben Susnick’s new culinary creation Hoja is now open at 1284 S. Pearl St. Susnick is best known as the owner of Base Camp Provisions, a frequent food truck seen at the South Pearl Street Farmer’s Market. The space is cozy but light and bright with wooden tables and cactus decorations on the walls. The kitchen is open like a deli to the seating area. Out back, for when the days warm up, is a nice patio area still slightly under development.

The menu ranges from the decidedly south-of-the-border, breakfasty chilaquiles to matzo ball chicken noodle soup. Also offered is an assortment of hot and cold drinks. Susnick also said Hoja has received approval for a liquor license, which will enable him to offer beer, wine and select cocktails. Hoja is open every day except Mondays for breakfast and lunch. You can visit its website Hojadenver.com for more information.

- Tom Snyder

Closings

Mile High Comics

Mile High Comics in Glendale near the Cherry Creek Shopping Center closed its doors at the end of December. The store was on the upstairs level of a shopping center at 760 S. Colorado Blvd. The store moved its inventory into its 8-year-old store at 4500 Jason St. in west Denver.

Mile High Comics first launched in 1969. Owner Chuck Rozanski started the company in his parent’s basement.

Changes

Carmine’s on Penn

Carmine’s on Penn, a family-style Italian restaurant, celebrates 25 years in West Washington Park this month. The restaurant will have specials and prizes throughout 2019 to celebrate the anniversary. The restaurant is located at 92 S. Pennsylvania St.

Denver Drumz

A longtime Congress Park drumming school has moved to the Baker neighborhood at 420 Broadway. Owner JB Maroncelli wrote on the Denver Drumz Facebook page that he outgrew his space in Congress Park and is hoping the new space on Broadway will bring more visibility to his drum school. He expects to open the first week of this month.

The space is 5,000 square feet and has room for studio space and band rentals.

Maroncelli launched a Go Fund Me in 2017 to help raise money for the new space. So far, he has raised $1,000 of a $10,000 goal. For more information, visit https://bit.ly/2UhQJE2.

Cho77

The former South Broadway restaurant opened its doors downtown late last month. Cho77 closed at 42 S. Broadway in September, and reopened in January at 1555 Blake St. Cho77, which is operated by ChoLon Restaurant Concepts, offers Asian-style street food.

BorraCho Tacos, which is owned by the same restaurant group, is open in the former Cho77 space.

Aviano Coffee

A second Aviano Coffee shop has opened in Cherry Creek North. The new location is at 215 St. Paul St. The other location, at 244 Detroit St., has been there since 2010. The company opened its first shop in 2006.