Community leaders look for more funding to help struggling businesses on East Colfax amid ongoing construction

DENVER — When Nancy West was looking to open a metaphysical shop in Denver 27 years ago, one particular building on Colfax and Adams caught her attention.

"I've always loved Colfax. I've always found it just a really vibrant street,” she said, “so it's been a good fit.”

Nearly three decades later, her shop, SpiritWays, has seen all sorts of things on East Colfax Avenue as it continues to endure the test of time — and change.

“We've seen shops come and go and restaurants come and go,” West said.

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Now the latest businesses to say goodbye is Middleman and Misfit Snack Bar, which is just a few doors down.

“We decided to sell the business after a rough year in general,” Middleman owner Jareb Parker told Denver7.

Denver7 has been following-up on the progress of the $280 million East Colfax Bus Rapid Transit Project. Middleman and Misfit Snack Bar are some of the first businesses to feel the effects that ultimately led to closure.

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While Parker said there were other factors that led to their decision to close, the traffic barrels along the road certainly didn’t help.

“I talk about the construction in terms of the final nail, but it's a really big nail,” he continued.

Denver7 went to Monica Martinez, the executive director of The Fax Partnership—a decades-old nonprofit whose mission is it strengthen and support the businesses and residents that call Colfax Avenue home while advocating for equitable development.

The organization is now also in charge of managing grants to help small businesses on Colfax Avenue stay afloat.

“It's true. The businesses are being impacted. If you drive Colfax, you see there's cones everywhere. There's construction. It's hard to get in the door if you're a customer,” said Martinez.

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The City of Denver awarded 21 grants of up to $15,000 dollars to eligible businesses during the first round of its Business Impact Opportunity Fund applications earlier this year.

Now, Martinez told Denver7 The Fax Partnership is in the process of awarding around 21 more BIO Fund grants in the coming weeks— but acknowledges it's not a huge sum of money.

“Right now it's a tough budgeting season at the local government level, federal dollars have diminished dramatically. So it's a really a case of, how do we bring more philanthropic dollars to this kind of work supporting local businesses,” Martinez said.

It’s something The Fax Partnership continues to explore.

Business owners like Parker say the extra help will prove to be crucial as construction moves eastward.

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The project is still in its early phases and will continue for another two years.

Middleman, he said, is currently in the process of being sold to a new owner.

“If they continue it on, I'd be, you know, ecstatic about that,” he said, “I want to see this, our block, continue to grow and pull people into that neighborhood.”

Meanwhile, West—who’s seen decades of change on the block—offered this advice to her neighbors along Colfax Avenue:

“Just stay positive and talk to people and put the best spin on it possible,” she said.

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