Retail At Union Station Reflects Colorado Style

The Daily Meal Staff|July 17, 2014 7:16 pm EST

DENVER (CBS4)- As Denver redevelops Union Station one of the main goals is to make it not only a hub for transportation, but also to make it a destination for shopping and fine dining.

"People love this building. It's an iconic building and they felt it's part of Colorado history," said Pat McHenry, a partner at Larimer Associates who worked on recruiting the shops and restaurants featured at the station.

Union Station (credit: CBS)

McHenry said planners held public meetings to get a better idea of what retail should go into Union Station. The public asked for convenience, unique gifts, and food and beverages available at all times of the day.

"They really hoped that the tenants and businesses there were Colorado-based businesses," McHenry added.

(Credit: CBS)

The partners at Larimer Associates worked to put together a variety of fun and functional shopping and dining options all owned and operated by Colorado business people. These are the shops at Union Station:

– Bloom

– 5 Green Boxes

– Tattered Cover

– Acme Burger & Brat Corporation

– The Cooper Lounge

– Fresh Exchange

– The Kitchen Next Door Community Pub

– Mercantile

– Milkbox Ice Creamery

– Pigtrain Coffee Company

– Snooze an A.M. Eatery

– Stoic & Genuine

– Terminal Bar

"Terminal Bar is all about Colorado craft beer," said Joe Vostrejs, a partner with Larimer Associates who worked on the Union Station project.

Stoic & Genuine, Mercantile, and The Kitchen Next Door are all helmed by well-known Colorado chefs. Snooze is a popular breakfast and brunch restaurant with locations in several Denver neighborhoods.

The Kitchen Next Door Union Station (credit: CBS)

"We try to be very selective about where we go to. But Union Station is just an icon in the city, and to even have the opportunity to go to it was just a gift...an honor," said Adam Schlegal, a co-owner of Snooze, an A.M. Eatery.

Schlegel describes Snooze as breakfast and lunch redefined and served in a fun and friendly atmosphere. He says the chain takes pride in its responsible sourcing of food. The expansion into Union Station creates a new venue for the restaurant and offers a new kind of clientele.

Snooze opens its 7th location at the renovated Union Station (credit: CBS)

"Obviously there are a lot of folks going through there, so we expect to do a lot more take away options for folks," Schlegel added.

"Almost all of the tenants are customizing what they're doing at Union Station because of the unique nature of the customers that will be going through there," McHenry told CBS4.

Bloom by Anuschka is also planning something new for Union Station. The Cherry Creek retailer offers flower arrangements, but also sells furniture, gifts, jewelry, art, and home décor items. At Union Station, owner Anuschka Pashel will have a flower kiosk as well as a store front.

"It's a beautiful space. It has the beautiful crown molding and the 20 foot ceilings. And you can really hang up beautiful rugs and display art in a nice way," Pashel told CBS4.

Bloom will join 5 Green Boxes and Tattered Cover to offer gifts, as well as grab and go items to travelers and shoppers alike. The goal of this redevelopment is to make Denver's Union Station not just a great place to pass through, but a fun final destination.

"It has appeal to everyone, not just travelers, but people who live and work in the area. But also suburbanites who may just want to enjoy downtown for a night," Vostrojs explained.

Destination Denver: The New Union Station
Watch the CBS4 special report that features the history and future of the Denver landmark on Friday, July 25, at 6:30 p.m.

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–Written for CBSDenver.com by Special Projects Producer Libby Smith