In honor of the upcoming Denver Coworking Week (May 16 – 20)--which is a full week of celebrating Denver’s growing coworking space with free coworking days plus fun activities–I want to highlight my top five coworking spaces in Denver. Even though I have not talked about coworking much on this blog, I have tweeted about it quite a bit over the years (I even have a Twitter list called Coworking Rocks!). I began my journey into the coworking world in late 2011/early 2012: I LOVE the concept of sharing a professional working environment with others and building that community. Once I started my first business in 2012, coworking spaces became a lot more enticing to me (versus working from home or hanging out at a coffee shop).
I chose these five coworking spaces in Denver because either I was/is a member of the space, or I have visited the space for a day pass and enjoyed the vibe. What I love about all five spaces is that they are locally owned and operated and maintain great atmospheres in their spaces to foster community growth.
Check out these five superb coworking spaces in Denver:
I’ve known Kristin Glenn of seamly.co since the days of Revolution Apparel in 2012, when they launched their Kickstarter for the Versalette. I was immediately hooked on the idea: a piece of clothing that can be worn 15 different ways?! Sign me up!
Last year, Revolution Apparel closed down and Kristin and her cofounder Shannon Whitehead went their separate ways. Kristin started up seamly.co here in Denver and ever since, I’ve been one of their hugest fans! I LOVE the company’s mission in making sustainable clothing, and each piece of clothing usually has multiple ways to wear it. I am all about convertible fashion since that helps me reduce the number of clothing items in my closet.
I’m clearly on my way to buying all of the company’s clothing!
Definitely a rad sweatshirt! (Photo courtesy of seamly.co)
In terms of this fall season’s newest offerings, I am most looking forward to the Moto Sweatshirt, which is currently running on Kickstarter to raise money to purchase the awesome Canadian-made fleece material for the shirt. I don’t know about you, but I am LOVING the asymmetrical zipper and the fact that this shirt sounds so super-warm!
So go ahead, go support this awesome company and buy some great, sustainable clothing.
Hearing Jonathon’s story really inspired me to attend his walking trips around the Denver Metro area. I have met so many incredible people on these walking excursions: people I wouldn’t have met if I had stuck with my usual crowd at startup events. Walk2Connect has grown to many followers these days, considering the organization has expanded to include more daily walking trips throughout the Denver Metro area (such as Park Hill Sunrise Walks, Five Points at Dusk, and many more) in the past year.
Got to hold an egg-laying hen at last year’s Walk2Connect Farm-To-Table Experience in Wheat Ridge!
My favorite Walk2Connect trips have been walks where a bit of local food-making is involved, such as the Wheat Ridge Farm-To-Table walk last summer: we walked to several farms in Wheat Ridge and collected ingredients to make pizza at Right Coast Pizza after our walk. The beer and the delicious pizza were all well worth the nine miles of walking!
I really hope more Denver-area residents get to experience Walk2Connect at least once in their lifetimes. The walks are a great alternative and active way to meet new people in your neighborhood, city, region. Plus, Jonathon’s personality is so infectious with his laughter and impeccable enthusiasm for life. You’ll be glad to have met Jonathon and the other walkers on your next trip: they’re sure to change your life.
Wearing my high-top pair of Pakems this past winter.
This post is part of a series of Support Local pieces on my blog. To check out other posts in the series, check the category “support local”.
I don’t quite remember how I came across Pakems late last year: could have been another random Twitter find. Pakems is a Colorado-based company that makes portable shoes for after skiing/snowboarding and general travel for outdoor sports. From the Pakems website:
Pakems are lightweight, water-resistant, packable shoes engineered to take anywhere. They feature lightweight rip stop fabric, rubber soles for traction, and a strapped bag for packability.
I got myself a pair as an early Christmas present and I certainly have enjoyed this purchase. I’ve worn Pakems during the snowstorms earlier this year and they held up with their waterproof promises. The shoes are also good for slick sidewalks since I hadn’t slipped in my Pakems when I wore them. The high-top shoes are great to keep my ankles warm, although I may cave and buy a low-top pair for other reasons, hehe.
High-top Pakems in Lumberjack Plaid.
Pakems has shoes both for men and women, which come in a variety of colors and patterns. Each pair comes with its own carrying case so you can store away the shoes after you use them. Super fun!
Might be cute to see Pakems make kids’ shoes in the future. For now, I say buy a pair for yourself and check them out. Ski season may be winding down in Colorado, but that shouldn’t stop you from buying a pair for summer vacation hiking and other outdoor activities.
Pakems are currently sold in-stores at only a few locations, but you can always order your own pair on their website! Heck, why don’t you take a stab at the giveaway ending today? You just might be the lucky one.
***DISCLAIMER: I received a discount on a pair of Pakems, so in no way did the company offer me a free pair. This post is written from my own free will, so it is not a paid advertisement from the company. 🙂
I first discovered Cafe Max back in mid-March on my way to get a pedicure. I do not remember what was there before the cafe; I just know I walked by and looked up and realized the cafe was there. I went on to my pedicure and asked the staff if they knew of anything about their new neighbor next door. “Oh, it’s a nice place; they have sandwiches, coffee, and other things.”
After the pedicure, I decided to scope out Cafe Max…and the rest is history (haha). I met Max on that first visit, and since then, we’ve become close friends along with his partner, Yuki. There was a period of time in late summer/early fall where I was at the cafe nearly every evening, doing work or keeping company with Max and his employees. I have joked that I am Cafe Max’s “biggest investor” because of the cash I have spent on the cafe’s offerings.
View of Cafe Max from the back table.
When people first walk into Cafe Max, they immediately feel transported to another place in the world: I have heard patrons call Cafe Max a “European-style cafe”, or “This reminds me of San Francisco/New York City.” Max will take any of the above: he wanted to bring a different concept of a cafe to Denver. Raised in the Bronx, Max has lived all over the country doing public relations and working at restaurants, so he has experienced a lot of different business environments. Cafe Max’s mission is to “provide nourishment and inspiration, inside a stylish environment that balances eclectic worldliness, with a welcoming sense of place. ”
At Cafe Max, patrons experience a cozy, almost “living room”-like environment: there are magazines and books available to peruse while patrons wait for their food or drink. The menu itself is different from what folks would expect in Denver: instead of the same ol’ pastries, Max has all unique desserts, either made in his kitchen or from local businesses (e.g., Humble Pie). In addition, Cafe Max’s menu has breakfast items (served all day!–my favorite!), continental plates, and coffee products (French Press, Cappucino, *authentic Cafe con Leche, and strong, bold cold coffee from La Colombe). If coffee isn’t your preference, there are also teas from all over the world to choose from; both caffeinated and herbal teas are available. Cold drinks include San Pellegrino sodas and sparkling water, organic juices, and unique offerings of beer and wine.
prezzolini prosecco at Cafe Max; what a cute little glass!
Cafe Max’s menu items are also accommodating to those with a gluten intolerance, having dishes and desserts gluten-free. Some items are also lactose-free.
I have practically eaten my way through the whole menu over the course of the past nine months: my favorite dishes are the Frittata w/organic greens, the Organic Salad w/goat cheese, and the Prosciutto Panini (also served with organic greens). The entrees are light and prepared to order. Cafe Max is not a place to grab-n-go quickly; Max and Yuki want patrons to linger, take some downtime at the cafe between business meetings, errands, etc.
Cafe Max is open on Mondays thru Saturdays from 8:30am to 10pm. On Sundays, the cafe closes at 6pm.
