He moved to Denver to work as a designer of electrical systems. "I didn't have any friends here," he told Westword earlier this year. "I was looking for something to do, some way to get involved in the community. So I started volunteering with SAFER and Mason Tvert." Working with the marijuana advocacy group, Khalatbari collected 1,500 signatures for the I-100 Alcohol-Marijuana equalization initiative in Denver, later dressing up in a chicken suit to harass "Chickenlooper" for then-mayor John Hickenlooper's refusal to debate marijuana policy.
Khalatbari became friends with SAFER assistant director Evan Ackerfeld, and together they opened the first Sexy Pizza in Capitol Hill at 1018 East 11th Avenue. Despite Khalatbari's having no background in restaurants or business (unless you count waiting tables and selling weed and knockoff watches), the pizzeria thrived. Eventually he opened a second location, at 1579 South Pearl Street.
"When Sexy Pizza moved into South Pearl, some people threw a fit and wrote blogs about how we weren't going to fit into the neighborhood," Khalatbari told us in January, noting that he'd opened Denver Relief dispensary a year after the first Sexy Pizza, in 2009. "I don't think people understand how many marijuana smokers there are out there. And that's been the beauty of legalization. We're seeing bankers and politicians and scientists and soccer moms all smoking; there isn't a demographic or race or religion that is immune from having this in their culture. It's as commonplace as alcohol."
And as the money keeps flowing like alcohol at both Denver Relief and the Sexy Pizza stores, Khalabtari stored sponsoring comedy nights and festivals. He'll be busy this weekend, with 4/20 activities around town. And for those hungry after a day of pot parties, a new Sexy Pizza will be waiting. And like the other two, this one delivers.
