Boot Hell

Until people get the message, Olson says, the booting will continue.

Lisa Rogers, the owner of Common Grounds, believes the end is in sight. She's seen this kind of thing before. It usually happens when someone from the outside comes in without taking time to understand how Highland works.

"The property managers of that plaza have never been from the neighborhood," she says. "They don't get involved. They don't join the neighborhood association. But once a year, they get upset and harass everyone. We've been here seven years and we see it every year."

And every year, her employees warn the customers. In that way, Rogers says, the crackdown is healthy.

"It's not such a bad thing to remind people that those parking spaces belong to the plaza," she says. "Once a year, it's okay to remind people, 'Don't park there all day if you're not going to get pizza and a video.'"

But she laughs at the suggestion that Common Grounds and other shops are somehow hurting Highland Plaza.

"We bring their businesses business," she says. "Customers visit all the stores. We work together."

Despite the arrival of Axis Commercial Reality and the private boot man, Rogers and her neighbors will try hard to make sure it stays that way.

Mike Drumm still needs his morning fix. And he'll still drive to Common Grounds to get it. The boot hasn't changed his mind about that, or about many of the businesses on 32nd Avenue.

"This is a cool area," he says. "It's one of the fairly unique commercial districts in Denver. It's got a warm architectural feeling and a lot of independent businesses. People take a lot of pride in that it's a nice place."

But it has changed his mind about parking--and shopping--at Highland Plaza. The landlord already has $50 of his money. The next time he needs a slice of pepperoni, a helping of chow mein or a Friday-night video, he'll think twice before giving them more.

"This is just a cheap and scuzzy way to pocket a lot of cash," he says. "This guy is taking advantage of the fact that this is a popular place and preying upon unsuspecting people. In Cherry Creek--where they're booting people, too--maybe they can make a case for a shortage of parking and for taking this vulturous attitude. But here, that's just not the case. There's always parking at that plaza. Always. I don't have a bias against other businesses, but I have one against that plaza. Whatever their intent was in the beginning, it's going to backfire now.