Little Man Opening in Littleton, Where Main Street Stays True to Its Small-Town Vibe

When Little Man Ice Cream was searching for its tenth metro location, at the top of the list was an area the company had been eyeing since 2017 — Littleton’s Main Street.

“It’s been kind of a dream for us,” says Basha Cohen, Little Man director of marketing. “Littleton was, probably out of every opportunity that’s come up, the thing that feels the closest to the Little Man ethos — community, a walking downtown street, and kind of old school.”

That dream will become reality on October 30, when Little Man opens its doors in its new spot on historic Main Street in downtown Littleton. The ice cream joint is just the latest in a string of new restaurants that have debuted along a four-block stretch in the past eighteen months, including the first expansion of Parker's Black+Haus Tavern, another Denver Beer Company and Cencalli Taqueria, as well as new ownership for Grand Station.

In all, about a third of the food and drink establishments on Main Street opened within the past two years, and more are on the way for this once-sleepy corridor. Colorado-based sandwich chain Snarfs is expected to open a spot soon at the west end of the street, and there’s talk of an as-yet-to-be-named pizza spot.
According to Korri Lundock, executive director of the Littleton Business Chamber, this latest round of newcomers marks a much-needed rebound from the pandemic, which ravaged Littleton’s restaurants just as it did the rest of the industry nationwide. “We’ve always had a little bit of change, but Covid wore many restaurants out,” she says. “When they finally got through it, many decided it was time to do something else.”

The businesses that moved on included McKinner’s Pizza (its former home is now Cencalli’s Taqueria), Jackass Brewery (now the Denver Beer Company), and Nook coffee (now about to be Little Man). Snarf’s will be taking over the space formerly occupied by Sukoon, an Indian restaurant.

But unlike other municipalities where corporate chains replaced local businesses in the wake of the pandemic, Main Street Littleton has remained remarkably grassroots. While the street has its share of chains, nearly all are Colorado owned; there are no McDonald's or Sunglass Huts to be found. That was part of the draw for Little Man.

“I think the desire to keep it a small town is very much intact,” says Cohen. “It’s an old-school vibe that has been retained. Thank God the city is not allowing all these historic buildings to get ripped down and turned into green boxes. So everything about it feels inviting. It’s well-designed. It’s got so much heart.”

There are no ordinances prohibiting national chains from moving onto main Street; instead, that “vibe” is the result of a very engaged and selective group of property owners who have curated the type of Main Street atmosphere they want to see.

“We have property owners down here that are very diligent in finding the right tenant or the right fit,” says Lundock. “They don’t just rent to anybody. They are all looking for something that will be different. They guide the right businesses in.”

For instance, Cencalli Taqueria owner Zoe Romero initially planned to open a pizza spot in the former McKinner’s. When she switched concepts to a taqueria, she had to convince the landlord, who was concerned about multiple Mexican restaurants in such a small area. The space now occupied by Denver Beer Company was vacant for two years before the owner of the building found the right fit.
But while the pandemic lockdowns are behind them, these business owners see challenges ahead.

Early next year, Denver Water is scheduled to begin replacing the ancient water lines running under the historic district, tearing up sidewalks and streets. The city is also reviewing options for a broader reimagination of the area under an improvement plan dubbed “Project Downtown.”

Both could have serious impacts. While short-term construction projects like the water line replacement will create only short-term headaches (as long as they stay on schedule), Project Downtown proposals could dramatically reduce the parking that's already at a premium.

But in the meantime, businesses like Little Man that have joined the thriving Main Street scene have nothing but positive things to say about working with Littleton officials and civic groups.

“The city has been incredible to work with,” says Cohen. “Every municipality could take a page out of doing business with this town.”