SHERIDAN, Colo. — Denver7 | Your Voice popped right next door this week with a visit to Sheridan, a small 2.2-square-mile city with deep roots, local pride, and businesses that make a meaningful contribution to our greater community.
Sheridan, Colorado may be small — home to just around 6,000 residents across seven neighborhoods — but its local businesses and passionate community members have a big impact.
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The city is named after U.S. Army General Philip Sheridan and was officially incorporated in 1890. It is nestled between Denver and Englewood. Today, it stands as a proud pocket of metro Denver, rich in history and hometown resilience.
"I think we're a little bit of a hidden gem," said Andrew Rogge, community development director for the City of Sheridan. "Being a small community, we have two major river corridors that come through Sheridan, we have three state highways, we have the light rail system, a number of bus routes. We have a lot going on."
A hometown for local treasures
Local flavor runs generations deep in Sheridan — just look at Forte Farms. Denver7 found the seasonal store and farmer’s market has an unbelievably loyal following.
Danijel Dukic, who runs the farmer's market, offers unique produce like doughnut peaches, mango peaches, and rare plums.
“A lot of stuff is unique,” he explained. “People here in Sheridan and Englewood and around, they love to come.”
Forte Farms sources its produce directly from its farm in Palisade, and is a staple at 21 local farmers markets throughout the season.
“Peter Forte, the original owner, is 72. (He) is still alive and living on the farm,” said Joe Stoll, Dukic’s father-in-law. “This is a true family-run business.”
Customers come from throughout the Denver metro area — and even the country — for Forte’s famed Palisade peaches.
While Denver7 was visiting, Mary Wilterdink walked up to buy peaches for her grandsons in Ohio.
“I actually have a box that has foam pads with rooms for individual peaches, so they're all cushioned," she said, smiling. "They're not going to bruise. They'll be fine."
Around the corner is another Sheridan treasure: The Polish Pottery Outlet.
“We’ve been in this location for about 15 years,” said Julie Nelson, the store’s co-owner. “Everything is imported from Bolesławiec, Poland. It's on the border of Germany and they’ve been making pottery for centuries.”
The store carries products from six different family-owned factories in Poland, each one bringing authentic, handcrafted ceramics to Denver area shoppers.
“You can’t buy anything like this in a department store,” said customer Becky Watson. “It makes very nice gifts at Christmas and throughout the year.”
The economic power within Sheridan’s borders is small but mighty, and resident Krista Simonson pointed out that many don’t realize this.
“There are a lot of businesses that are based in Sheridan that people have no idea about," she said. "HipPOPs handcrafted gelato pops is based here. And these businesses — they support our community."
Fighting for growth and embracing change
The City of Sheridan has grown from about 5,600 residents to 6,100 between 2010 and 2020, according to the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Despite its small size, Denver7 heard that some people don't shy away from this growth.
Stoll explained that a Starbucks tried to go up on a corner nearby.
“You know, some people and some neighbors don't want change," he said. "So, we're just encouraged to bring that change.”
Denver7's Russell Haythorn asked if he supported that change.
“Oh, one million percent," Stoll responded. "Because why would you want a field of weeds when you could have something beautiful?”
Some of the city's newest development projects in the past few years have included an affordable apartment complex called Bonsai Flats on Federal Boulevard, the River Point at Sheridan retail center, and the King Street Townhomes.
"It's a really great urban renewal project and has been a real boom for the city," Rogge said of River Point.
As Sheridan grows, it also has a keen eye on sustainability. In January 2023, the city approved the hiring of a part-time sustainability coordinator who will help lead the effort to support the city's sustainability plan. The plan serves as the city's "roadmap" until 2030.
Global challenges, local resilience
Even global issues like tariffs and the war in Ukraine impact Sheridan’s business owners.
Nelson, the owner of Polish Pottery Outlet, said the store gets about five to seven 40-foot containers a year full of goods to sell.
"It’s substantial what we have to pay when there’s a percentage for duties, for cargo and everything," she said. "We try to absorb as much as we can, but it definitely can affect our prices a little bit."
Raw material costs have also increased in Poland as the war in Ukraine rages on.
"The factories in Poland — the raw materials have gone up a lot, so they've had to charge a lot more," Nelson said.
Community spirit keeps Sheridan thriving
Forte Farms continues delivering fresh produce multiple times per week from places like Palisade and Rocky Ford.
"We go a couple times a week to Rocky Ford," Dukic said. "So, pick up watermelons, melons. We take two to three trucks every week."
“Sheridan fights for everything it’s got,” Simonson said. “There’s a lot of lower-income (families) here, but they care. In the long run, local is the only way we stay stable through economic ups and downs."
“I love this place, absolutely,” said Wilterdink.
“This is a true Denver community,” added Simonson.
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