DENVER — Over the past few months, Denver7 has been reporting on some of the challenges facing businesses across the city.
Many businesses, from clubs to bakeries, have been forced to close, with owners citing crime, construction and rising rents as reasons for their closures.
Mutiny Information Cafe is the latest business to decide to leave the area and relocate elsewhere.
“We can’t afford to stay where we are anymore. The neighborhood is changing,” said Jim Norris, co-owner of Mutiny Information Cafe.
His shop, a staple for more than a decade in the South Broadway neighborhood, hub of Denver’s counterculture scene, is planning to open a new location in Englewood, a few miles south on the same road.
Norris said it will have the same atmosphere as the previous location.
“Maybe it’ll be less chaotic, more organized and focused on the things we really enjoy. We love comic books, we love coffee,” he said. “We have chess clubs, poetry readings, things like that. So there’s a community aspect to it.”
Norris told Denver 7 that the decision was driven by rising taxes and rent, but that wasn’t the only reason, as a move to Inglewood was more attractive.
“Inglewood has just gone all out. They want small businesses. They adamantly want local businesses here,” Norris added. “When you walk here, you know it’s a lot safer to walk the streets here.”
local
Downtown Denver businesses facing mounting revenue losses amid encampments
Just a few doors down from Mutiny’s new store is Fancy Tiger Crafts Co-Op, which also recently relocated from South Broadway in Denver.
“The rent was really the biggest decision. There was a little bit of construction going on and stuff that affected our business a little bit, but rents have skyrocketed over the last few years,” co-owner Judy Gerke Gilbert said. “We know that it’s getting harder to staff with crime going up and people feeling unsafe and things like that. This area has a lot less of that. It’s really quiet, it’s really peaceful. The rent is cheaper but the vibe is the same,” she added.
We shared these concerns with the Broadway Merchants Association, who issued the following statement to Denver 7:
The Broadway Merchants Association continues to support over 100 small businesses on Broadway, and events such as the Broadway Halloween Parade bring over 30,000 people to restaurants, bars and retailers. Over the past four years, Denver has seen payroll taxes skyrocket, a significant increase in the minimum wage, rising interest rates/rents, and an ongoing homelessness crisis. These factors are directly related to Denver’s current business climate, which is extremely challenging. Broadway’s vacant storefronts have increased 30% in one year. We are calling on the Mayor’s Office and City Council to find a way to support small businesses with tax and regulatory relief. Until the City decides to support small businesses, vacant storefronts and businesses will continue to move out of Denver.
Luke Johnson, Public Relations Officer
Norris is excited about this new chapter, but hopes the city of Denver will do more to help other businesses survive.
“I hope that Denver embraces small business and understands the impact it makes,” he said.
We have raised these concerns with Denver Mayor Mike Johnston, whose office issued the following statement:
“Supporting the local businesses that make Denver so unique is a top priority for Mayor Johnston and the City, which is why we will continue to reduce street homelessness and improve public safety and accessibility through All In Mile High. Mayor Johnston will continue to work with business owners and City Council to ensure local businesses can stay and thrive in Denver.”
Mutiny Information Cafe will be open in Denver until September 22. A new location will open in Englewood on October 4.
Coloradans Making a Difference | Featured Videos from Denver7
At Denver7, we’re committed to making a difference in our community. We listen, we lend a hand, we keep our promises, and we stand up for what’s right. See us in action in our featured videos in the playlist above.
