Colfax and Cream Isn't Your Typical Ice Cream Shop

Denver has a wide range of ice cream shops, but one newer addition to the scene aims to bring something new. "We wanted to create an environment that's a cross between how fun Dutch Brothers is and Zumiez, or like a skate shop," shares Tullie Bailey, who founded the shop with his wife, Senait Bailey. "We wanted to mash those things together."

That vision came to life when Tullie opened the first Colfax and Cream at 1238 East Colfax Avenue in May 2024. Wedged between high-traffic skate and tattoo shops, it offers ice cream, customizable Colfax Refresher soft drinks, milkshakes, Venezuelan pastries from Ajillo's Artisan and Ethiopian-style burritos from Konjo.

In October, Colfax and Cream debuted a second location at 1100 Broadway, and a third is set to open soon at 712 1/2 South Pearl Street.

At the original shop, graffiti-inspired murals from local artists such as Patrick McGregor (@patrickkanemcgregor), Jher (@Jher451) and Chris Haven (@chrishaven) cover the walls. Other artists credited in the design of the shop are KT (@kt_alln), Zaida Server (@zaidasart) and Adam Dumper (@dumplarock).

In the corner next to a fully stocked freezer of ice cream pints is a rack of streetwear T-shirts from the shop's various collaborations. "I'm a huge fan of graffiti, been friends with lots of people," shares Tullie. "I brought these guys in and we started concept-ing the idea."
Tullie's energy matches the vibrant pop-art aesthetic of the shop. Following a long stint as the general manager at some of the city's busiest clubs, including Church, Milk, Vinyl and Bar Standard, his career came screeching to a halt when COVID temporarily shut down nightlife around the city.

"I was at home driving my daughter crazy, so I started working and doing random stuff," he recalls. "One of the things is that I started managing an ice cream shop for Erica at High Point Creamery. When I got there, I really enjoyed the culture of it. I loved the clothes; it kind of reminded me of bartending, in the sense that people come in, pick their flavors, you tell a little joke and, you know, it was lighthearted and interesting."

The space where Colfax and Cream opened its first location had operated as another ice cream shop, Ice Cream Riot, for a decade before it closed in December 2023. When Ice Cream Riot owner Jim McNutt announced his plans to move back to the East Coast, Tullie was ready to tap in. "I came to really enjoy the process, and when the opportunity presented itself, we kind of jumped in and started running," he says.
Despite how unconventional the plan sounded, the Baileys and their team saw a way to create a space that mirrored the places they love to frequent, such as clubs and skate shops, while maintaining a wholesome note that leaves room for community involvement. "We all love ice cream, we all love caffeine. Let's use it as a vehicle to get together with some ideas," says Tullie.

"We definitely wanted a sober place to hang out, you know, because not everyone wants to go to a club or to a bar and be surrounded by the scene that alcohol brings," adds Percie Powell, Colfax and Cream's social media and marketing coordinator.

The shop's customizable drinks rival its ice cream in popularity. They're made using a housemade syrup that relies on green coffee extract and amino acids to offer a cleaner caffeine buzz. "With our product, the Colfax Refresher, it's formulated in a way where it doesn't give you headaches, you get that energy boost you need, but it's truly à la carte," Tullie notes.
Customers can design everything, from the caffeine level to the flavor. Base options include sparkling water, lemonade, pineapple juice, green tea and black tea. Next come bright fruity flavorings; options include mango, guava, peach, pineapple and more. Various toppings are available as well, including freeze-dried fruit and popping boba. "It's like a truly customizable experience. You get to come in and build the drink that you want instead of having to go get a can of Monster or Red Bull," says Tullie.

The shop places an emphasis on community outreach, frequently hosting pop-up events like game nights, album-drop performances, live DJs and clothing vendor markets. It also works with several nonprofits including Network Coffee House, which serves the homeless population, and the neighboring Rainbow Alley center for LGBTQ+ youth and community members.

"We did a two-week program where kids between ten and seventeen — there were about twenty of them — came in and we did a whole marketing plan to show them," shares Senait.

"They came in and they created drinks, and then there was a competition on what the best drink was, and then the best drink got featured on our menu for a week," adds Tullie.

As Colfax and Cream expands, Tullie is committed to creating spaces that stand out by going beyond what a traditional parlor-style ice cream shop is. "For me, when I go to any ice cream shop, they fit under two things; they're either cute and they cater to that cute intention, or it's like an old diner. With anything that you do, whether it's hamburgers or this kind of thing, you can display your cultural interests in it. It should reflect what your interests are," he concludes.

Colfax and Cream is located at 1238 East Colfax and is open 3 to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 3 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The location at 1100 Broadway is open from 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday to Thursday and 7:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. For more information, visit colfaxandcream.com.