DENVER — A new claw arcade is testing its luck on a stretch of Broadway that has seen a number of businesses close in recent years. The owners can’t wait to get more people in the doors.
“This huge idea came from my wife,” said Jay Chen, who opened with his spouse, Emma, in early September. “This kind of business was popular like 10 years ago in Asia, but in America it just popped up in the last few years.”
Claw Den is located at 250 N. Broadway, in a space that formerly housed The HeadSpace, a clothing and gift shop. The arcade is filled with claw machines, where players can win stuffed animals and other prizes. Customers can keep their winnings or collect credits on a membership card to trade in for larger items.
The arrival of Claw Den drew a warm reception from the Broadway Merchants Association, which represents more than 200 small businesses along the corridor. Luke Johnson, the association’s president, said merchants have been shaken by closures of the past 18 to 24 months but are energized when new, unique businesses open.
“We’re pumped. We’re excited. We love that it’s unique,” Johnson said. “I can totally see that as something where people are down here doing something else, and they're walking by and are like, ‘Oh my gosh, that looks awesome. We got to go in.’”
The association is pursuing a Business Improvement District that would give merchants funding through property tax to address issues such as street cleaning, trash receptacles and security. It would also be an additional revenue source for the Broadway Halloween Parade, which has been struggling to stay afloat over the past few years.
Denver City Council approved the measure in August and it will be up for vote on the ballot in November.
“Broadway is not going anywhere,” Johnson said. “We are excited about the improvement district because we know a lot of businesses on the street need assistance, and we need the street to be safe and clean.”
Even with the difficulties many businesses have seen along Broadway, Chen is still optimistic. He’s already has returning customers, and he’s trying to make it a space where the community can come together.
“I'm so excited when people come in, not only one time, but when they come back and bring more friends,” Chen said. “That means, at least what we did, they liked it.”
