"We have absolutely loved being a part of this community and getting to know our neighbors. In conversations we’ve had with these neighbors, we realized that by not using the Five Points name, we were participating in the diminishment of the Five Points neighborhood," the Fort Collins-based brewery wrote in a Facebook post last week. "We are proud to have our first Denver Brewhouse located in one of its oldest neighborhoods. We will continue to engage the Five Points community, create an inclusive space, and offer a guest experience that reflects the quality and intention we put into everything we do here at Odell Brewing.
"While we are still a proud member of the RiNo Art District," the brewery concluded, "our brewhouse is part of the Five Points neighborhood." Odell opened the brewhouse in 2018 as its first expansion in Denver. Last month, Odell opened a second Denver location in the Sloan's Lake neighborhood.
Odell Brewing opened its Five Points location in 2018.
Westword
The naming issue, which weaves its way through everything from race and economic classes to history, development and gentrification, has simmered for more than a decade, but reached a boiling point in the past three years, even prompting a change.org petition last year dedicated to dumping RiNo altogether in an effort to "reclaim our spaces."
"Our decision to rename Odell Brewing Five Points wasn't driven by any one group in particular. It actually began as an internal suggestion," says Odell marketing director Alex Kayne. "We also noticed that our partners at the RiNo Art District had incorporated Five Points into their street signage. Over the years, we've had many conversations with local artists, regular customers and our neighbors about Five Points and the importance of its rich history as a Denver neighborhood. We were up front about how we were considering the change, and we were struck by the support we heard from folks in each conversation."
