Edgewater Public Market Aims for Fall Opening

The municipality of Edgewater takes up less than a square mile of land just west of Sloan's Lake, completely surrounded by Denver, Wheat Ridge and Lakewood. A big chunk of that territory will soon become Edgewater Public Market, a shopping center with a 50,000-square-foot food and retail hall as its focal point.

The entire project, running from 20th to 22nd avenues off Depew Street, is the work of LCP Development, a company specializing in urban infill, mostly within Denver city limits. Jonathan Bush, one of LCP's founding principals, explains that the main market hall, situated on the north end of the property, was once a King Soopers, but the building has been vacant for more than twenty years and has been owned by the City of Edgewater since 2004.

That vacancy will come to an end this fall when sixteen food vendors and eight retail businesses take up residence in the spacious building designed by Meridian 105 Architecture. The main food hall, on the east end of the building, will be anchored by Roger's Bar, a two-level establishment run by the founders of Brass Tacks and the Curio Bar (inside Denver Central Market). A 2,200-square-foot rooftop terrace will be part of Roger's, complete with a gleaming 28-foot Airstream trailer that will serve as the rooftop bar.

A coffee island operated by Amethyst Coffee holds a center space in the hall, surrounded by counter-service stalls. Many of the businesses are food truck operations, and this will be their first permanent location, including Moontime Crepes, the Ethiopian Food Truck, Slideshow Sliders, Arepas House, Mac Shack, Rock N Lobster, Gyro King, Lucky Bird and Happy Cones Co. Others, such as Ajinoya Ramen, Lazo Empanadas and Barbed Wire Reef, are offshoots of current brick-and-mortar eateries. Carnivore Tacos is a new concept from Barbed Wire Reef, and Monna Pizza comes from the owner of Pasta Pasta Pasta in Cherry Creek.

The west end of the hall will be occupied by a number of retail businesses, including Depew Liquor (which is moving from its longtime home at the far end of the parking lot), Queen City General Store, Zero Market (which also has a store at Stanley Marketplace), Fleur d’ Henri (which makes CBD products), My Make Studio (a decorate-your-own cake shop) and Velvet Wolf, Timber Wolf and Little Wolf (boutique clothing for women, men and kids, respectively).

At the far west corner, Barquentine Brewing Company, named for a class of sailing ship, will brew beer with Belgian focus from brewer/co-owner Kyle Knudson, who comes from Joyride Brewing just three blocks away.

The entire hall will be covered by a common consumption liquor license, so shoppers and diners will be able to carry alcoholic beverages throughout the building and onto the patios and rooftop.

The project was launched two years ago, and Bush explains that all stages have gone smoothly, including obtaining licenses and permits from Edgewater. "You always hope that the city is as invested in the success of a project as you are — and they have been," he notes.

The entire development beyond the market hall also included three other buildings — two freestanding units that could become restaurants, and a shopping strip that will hold a fitness studio and other retail units. Green areas with lawn and trees will add to the draw for dog-walkers and neighbors coming on foot and on bikes, but there are also more than 400 parking slots — a real rarity in modern urban developments. And a courtyard area between buildings will host summer movie nights beginning next year. Other eye-catching elements will include outdoor murals created by Denver-based artists.

The group expects to open the market hall in late September or early October. Look for the sixty-foot neon sign announcing Edgewater Public Market above the onetime-derelict grocery store.