Local Business Spotlight: Palma Cigar Company

Readers of this marvelous online publication know that I am a big fan of locally-owned businesses. Businesses started by an entrepreneur that believed they had something unique to offer the marketplace--And apparently do, since their businesses are viable.

One of the key benefits of living in the "vibrant" Cole Neighborhood (They were calling it sketchy but they couldn't sell any homes there) is that it so close to downtown Denver. It's literally a quick bike ride away, and of course, there are all kinds of cool restaurants, bars, and businesses down there.

One really neat independently-owned business is Palma Cigar Company, on 22nd and Larimer in LoDo. I came across it last year when I saw his cigar-store indian on the side of the street and noticed his signage promising "hand-rolled cigars".

Turns out the proprietor of Palma Cigar Company, Clay Carlton, is an expert barber and provides some of the best haircuts you'll find in downtown Denver. And it turns out that he just doesn't sell hand-rolled cigars, he actually makes 'em himself! Now whether you like cigars or not, I think you'd agree that it's pretty darned cool that this guy went to the trouble of training under a Cuban master roller to learn his trade. That's like a karate student training under Bruce Lee. Pretty cool stuff. Clay actually goes down to the Dominican Republic every few weeks to source his high-quality tobaccos for import. So just like the big name cigars, he controls his product from selecting the tobaccos, to blending them, and hand-rolling them.

Palma Cigar has a huge walk-in humidor that like most humidors, smells like heaven. (Why is it that cigars smell so good before you light 'em, but smell so bad after you do?). Palma Cigar has five or six different blends, each very smooth and tasty. Palma Cigars also carries some other big-name brands to complement Clay's own stogies. The shop also has a decent selection of humidors (Lamborghini humidors!), cigar cutters, cigar lighters, and other accoutrements. He'll even do custom cigars for events, weddings, bachelor parties, you name it.

But that's not all. In addition to handmade cigars and expert haircuts, Palma Cigar now has a wine and cigar bar on location. So those of you cigar smokers that have lamented the coming of the smoking ban, you have one place where you can enjoy your cigar with a high-quality Colorado-made wine--Palma Cigar Company.

The final reason why I wanted to write about Clay and Palma Cigar is that he's also the proprietor of Cigars To The Troops, a non-profit that sends high quality cigars to our deserving troops overseas. Oh, and he's just an interesting guy to talk to, as well.

So if you like cigars, you've got to give Palma Cigar's line a try. If you need a haircut in Denver, look Clay up. And if you don't like cigars, or don't have any hair, I encourage you to make the day of one of our awesome military men and women by making a donation to Cigars To The Troops.

Palma Cigar is open Tuesday through Sunday right now. Check it out, and tell Clay how you learned about him.

Changes coming in Cole?

Walking the dogs today, I was surprised to see two upcoming changes in businesses in the area:

First, The Econo Mart is going out of business, and their spot in the Down-and-Out Super building is up for lease. I guess with the recession and all used Salsa CD's and black-light prints of Jesus Christ and Tupac aren't selling like they used to. What do you all think, has Cole transformed enough yet to attract a quality business to the neighborhood, like a bank branch, a Subway, or better yet, a coffee house? Or will yet another Latino thrift store go back in?

Just as interesting was when I walked by the old Tosh's Hacienda/Kiva//Blackberries Lounge building, now being used by Exdo as an annex to their events center. The sign on the North side of the building says "Swallows Video Lounge", whatever that is. It appears it's just using the southwest corner of the building perhaps? Anyone have any idea on this one? I can't find any website or info for this business online.

Pics From A Recent Dog Walk

Boy, you pretty much can't go for a walk in Cole without seeing something funny. I'm going to try to share more of these sights through this blog in the days to come. Here are a couple recent pics:

You usually get more than you bargained  for when you buy a home in Cole. Here, you not only get the house, but a stylish new belt.

Ahh, the Happy Tagger. Sharing peace, goodwill, and  positivity by vandalizing private property all over Cole.

No coffee shop at 37th and Franklin?

Just found this article suggesting the place is for rent again:

http://www.listown.com/parking-storage/dv/200912/138949.htm

Sounds like she's renting both sides (3700 and 3704)...

Hmmm... anyone know the story?

Five Points makes it on South Park

Didn't see this coming, huh?

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/21914329/detail.html?taf=den

Where's a guy supposed to go?

So I just got my District 2 Newsletter, which included notes about the seasonal removal of "portolets" (Porto-Johns, Ameri-Cans, you know) from many parks. And I quote: "It is that time of year when we reduce the amount of portable toilets in our parks since permitted activities drastically drop off until spring."

So long story short, the discrete places for "the regulars" (you know, drunks, riff raff, hood rats, gang-bangers and crack-heads) are going to be rapidly diminished very soon.

Fair enough, but it's not the permitted activities that are the problem... it's the non-permitted (and even illegal) activities that are the problem. (Again, drunks, riff-raff, hood rats, gang-bangers and crack-heads.) I'm no physician, but when you pretty much live on a streetcorner, and consume a quart of Kentucky-D every hour or so, you're going to have to go at some point.

Where's a crack-head or drunk go to the bathroom when these toilets are removed? I'll tell you, because I know it first-hand. They go in your back alley, or worse yet, right out front. Even on your neighbor's house. And it's not always that quick number one we're talking about. (Nothing like seeing your neighborhood drunk defacate on your neighbor's house... A happy Memorial Day it was!).

But then again, this guy did it two doors down from his own house. "I really had to go..." he said. There likely could be a "portolet" on every corner in Cole and you'd still see "the regulars" doing their business in public.

Like looking forward to the changing of the leaves in fall, winter in Cole has a unique charm all its own.

Progress on the 3700 Block of Franklin is happening fast!

Has anyone been over on the 3700 block of Franklin lately? I posted a couple weeks ago how the cool old building on the NE corner of 37th and Franklin was being fixed up. Also, a duplex on the block just got a very tasteful flip. Now the awesome old "Railroad Overall Laundry" building is being renovated. No idea what the story is, but guessing it will be a residence like the similar building a few doors north. Looks like it's already on someone's radar, too. Boy, that block is changing fast! Great stuff!

Halloween in Cole

Nothing says "Halloween, Cole Style" like spooky police tape...

Denver weighs security vs. privacy as cops focus cameras on crime - The Denver Post

City Councilman Doug Linkhart, on DPD's placing crime-prevention cameras in high-crime areas of town:

"The public has a right to be wary," Linkhart said

Of what? Of getting caught on tape picking their noses? These are cameras temporarily placed in high-crime, public, right-of-way areas. Don't get it. If you aren't up to no good, why would you care if there's a camera taping you as you walk or drive by?

So what you're saying, Doug, is that criminals' civil liberties are more important than fighting crime?

Full article here:

Denver weighs security vs. privacy as cops focus cameras on crime - The Denver Post

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Denver Metro Crime Statistics Released

If you haven't checked it out, and want some interesting (though hardly enlightening) reading, I highly recommend all residents take advantage of the citywide crime data available at the City of Denver website.

You can see the trending of crime by category citywide, and by neighborhood. For example, here are the most recent breakdowns for Denver and for Cole.

What can we learn from these numbers? Well I'm clearly no expert, but I get a sense that it's hard to take the data at face value, though folks on both sides do. When crime goes down, it's a victory for COMP-STAT policing, and our police in general. When crime goes up, it's spun by Alisa and the "Coalition" to say that our police aren't making any progress, and are just upping harassment.

No secret that I'm pro-cop, and applaud DPD for all their efforts in the challenging cultural melting pot that is Cole and urban Denver. Some interesting stats in the latest updates (Comparing YTD statistics for 2009 versus the same period in 2008) for Cole:

• Aggravated assault is up 13.6% (Is this an actual increase in crime, or an increase in reported and/or documented crime? Meaning, is activity about the same, or even down, but a higher percentage of riff-raff are getting arrested?)
• Burglary is down 20% (I don't get this one. I'm a firm believer that burglars target homes where they have a good shot at getting something of value. As more affluent residents move in, there are more desirable possessions in the homes, like laptops, TV's, bikes, etc. Cherry Creek has some of the highest burglary rates in the city, historically. Are there a bunch of criminals living there? No, but there are a lot of desirable possessions to be had there.)
• Theft from motor vehicle up 42% (I believe it. Again, nicer cars, with PDA's, CD's and other desirables in them than in the past)
• No arrests for prostitution in either year during this period (Seriously? I don't know about you, but I see an occasional hooker, not as many as in previous years, but they're there. But I know it's really hard to catch one "in the act", thus generating an arrest that can be documented. But the problem is much less than it was a couple years ago along Bruce Randolph and by the Down-and-Out Super.)
• Disorderly Conduct up 200%, from 3 to 9 cases. (Again, there aren't more drunks today than yesterday, but I think people are stepping up and not tolerating that kind of behavior as much anymore.)

I've said it before and will say it again, I think we'll see crime "statistically" continue to increase in certain areas as more affluent and law-abiding citizens move into Cole, for some time. And those statistics will be used by "activists" like Alisa and the "coalition" to point that DPD's tactics don't work.

But anyone that isn't completely blind can see that the quality of life, safety, cleanliness, and appeal of Cole is better now than ever before. We're making progress, with the help of the DPD. And I'm very grateful for their help.

Thanks for reading.

Coffee Shop Coming to 37th and Franklin

The neat old building on 37th and Franklin that has been a drug store, brothel, day care, and most recently, residences, is being re-modeled to be a coffee shop. Interesting location, but the building could be really cool in this use. I actually used to live here and always thought it would be neat if the owner, Nancy Greene, re-purposed it for commercial use at some point. It'll be a tough road, since so few people work in the area to support the coffee shop in non-peak hours, but I'll certainly support 'em as much as I can (assuming the coffee doesn't suck).

A Practical Use for Ghetto Tumbleweeds

Ever been out walking your dog, and either they "take care of business" more times than you have bags? Or, if you think "Hey, Snuggles just went #2, there's no chance he'll need to go on this walk...", but he inevitably does?

One nice thing about living in Cole, is that when you're in a pinch like this, there inevitably is a plastic bag (or "ghetto tumbleweed" as my neighbor so cleverly called 'em) blowing by.

Black ones come from the liquor store on Bruce Randolph and Downing, and are most prevalent for obvious reasons. White ones come from the Down-n-Out Super. Regardless of what color they are they certainly come in handy.

Like getting water from an Agave plant in the blistering heat of the desert; or finding a wild blackberry bush while starving in the sticks, Ghetto Tumbleweeds can be quite the life saver. I wouldn't put them on my list of things I'm most excited about in Cole, but they serve their purpose.

Guess we owe a hearty "thank you" to all those litter-bugs out there.

Curtis Park Flats are on the market, one already sold!

I walked the dogs by Curtis Park today and noticed that the renovations to the old Curtis Park Flats are nearly complete, with "For Sale" signs in each front window. The East corner unit has already sold!

Those places were real problem properties, as this article illuminates, so this is very encouraging for Curtis Park--Park and neighborhood. And good for us over here in Cole, too.

It's also a good sign that affordable--Relatively affordable, at least--housing is still available as the neighborhoods change.
The Change keeps on coming!

The Larimer (Not So) Hot House Sunday Brunch

My wife texted me the other day after heading downtown to work to let me know of a new restaurant just south of our neighbhorhood on Larimer--The Larimer Hot House. It was a new joint in the building formerly home of Espo's Gelato.

Readers of this blog know that I am all about local, independent businesses and try my best to support them whenever possible. That can mean discovering some really great places (Walnut Room, Curtis Park Creamery, etc.) and some real stinkers (Casselman's--Where I was assaulted on grand opening night--Or the several gas-station barbecue joints on Bruce Randolph, etc.).

This place looked very encouraging. The name and a stylish logo (with flames) suggested spicy food (which is my passion), or at least grilled or smoked meats.

I immediately went to their website and was surprised to find that it was just a sandwich and breakfast joint--Nothing spicy, and nothing that I could find relevant to the name "hothouse". Perhaps they don't have air conditioning?

Their sandwiches looked interesting enough, though they're going to have a hard time beating Walnut Room's, which I think are the best in town. But we also were excited to see that they had Sunday Brunch.

My wife especially is a big fan of brunch--Though I'm not quite sure why, as they consistently seem to disappoint, or be mediocre at best. I'd just as soon go eat Mexican, but that's me. We definitely used to enjoy the second generation brunch at Kiva, where they had some really interesting and tasty items on the menu. But of course, Kiva is gone.

The brunch was listed on their website to include: "Scrambled Eggs, Hash Browned Potatoes, Applewood Smoked Bacon, Breakfast Sausage, Sliced Fruit Assortment, Bagels & Cream Cheese, Refried Beans, Jalapeno Black Beans, Warm Tortillas, White Corn Tortilla Chips, Vegetarian Green Chili, Pork Green Chili, and Fresh Salsas". Sounded interesting to me, once again, because of my love of spicy and tasty fresh Mexican-style food.

From the website, we were already a bit bummed that they didn't offer my wife's requisite brunch beverage, mimosas. But, I thought, on the bright side perhaps limiting ourselves to the orange juice and agua frescas would lead to a more productive Sunday (and a cheaper bill!).

So we ventured out today to try the Larimer Hot House's brunch. We drove up to the place and noticed no other cars there--A bit concerning, but I know they are new and we should give them a chance, even if we were the only ones there. Walking in, we were greeted at the door by Jen Reyna, one of the partners. She was friendly, and escorted us to the tidy, if plain patio to the North of the building. She explained their brunch menu, and took our drink order. There was one other party in the rather vast dining room--A couple with two boys fueling up before heading to the Rockies game.

We headed up to the brunch, only to be instantly disappointed. When I read a brunch menu, I typically think what they list on the buffet is just a sample of what they have--In this case, what the Hothouse had out was in fact FEWER selections than they mentioned on the website. No tortilla chips, no bagels, and the "fresh fruit assortment" was a single small bowl of mixed fruit. Nothing else to be found.

Instantly I heard the sound effect from SNL's Debbie Downer, as I knew we were in for a profoundly disappointing meal for the $13 each (plus beverages!) we were about to pay.

Tamales, Chilaquiles, some more fruit selections, ANYTHING would have been a nice addition. But as my Mom always said, "Eso si que es". (It is what it is.) I thought perhaps the quality of the food items that were there would make up for the limited selection, so I dove in to make myself two breakfast tacos...

The "warm tortillas" came right out of a bag, and were mediocre. The scrambled eggs had a bluish hue to them that was a bit alarming, and they tasted bland. The "jalapeno black beans" tasted like they were from a can. The refried beans, according to my wife, were "clearly not from a can, as beans from a can taste better". Ouch. The two kinds of green chili (vegetarian and pork) were better than the creamy orange goo that passes for green chili at most places in Denver, but wasn't on par with the premier green chilis in Denver (think Jack And Grill, or Blake Street Tavern on Thursdays). The bacon and sausages were your standard breakfast buffet fare. And finally, the "fresh salsas" consisted of two choices--A bland roasted tomato salsa, and a marginally tastier tomatillo salsa. Neither particularly good (though they clearly were home-made) and neither were remotely spicy.

After choking down my unremarkable breakfast tacos, I gave a second look at the bottles of Tapatio on the tables--Perhaps they were there to add some discernable flavor to the meal.

So we paid a total of $28.11 (would have been three dollars more except Jen comp'd my wife's agua fresca for some reason) for what amounted to the free breakfast buffet you get at many mid-range business hotels. Needless to say we were very disappointed. Underwhelmed? Yes. Feel a bit ripped off? In honesty, yes. And while Jen thanked us for coming in, she never asked "how was everything." I am always uncomfortable complaining, but I would have appreciated that question so I could simply tell her "Quite honestly, we were really disappointed." We didn't need our meals comp'd or whatever, but I think she needs to hear some feedback early on that can perhaps help them succeed. Because I would like nothing less than for them to figure things out and become a viable business in the area.

I can't help but compare the experience I had here with one I had on Friday with another local joint--This time Large Marge's Cheesesteaks in Lakewood. Their website isn't much to look at, nor is their simple, take-out and casual dining room, but their staff was super-friendly, the food exceptional, and the value was good too. This is the kind of place we need in North Denver. Not another over-priced, poorly-executed sit-down dining restaurant. Oh, so yes, be sure to check out Large Marge's in Lakewood if you like a good cheesesteak from time to time.

We won't be back to the Larimer Hothouse for brunch, though we likely will give their lunchtime sandwiches a try sometime. Hopefully they're far better than their first attempt at brunch. Otherwise, it won't be long before I'll be potentially writing about yet another business at 2810 Larimer, where the Hothouse used to be.

So in summary, the verdict is still out on the new Larimer Hothouse Restaurant. But for brunch, don't bother.

Wild night in Cole?

Came across this walking the dogs tonight.

Good article about the (slow) redevelopment of the nearby Welton corridor.

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_13107276

The Ice Cream Man

Well, with the city pools closed, kids back in school, and football season starting, it's clear that summer is fading into fall. And that means no more "ice cream man".

I grew up in a rural area, far from any city of any scale. So I have to admit I enjoy hearing the ice cream man come by all summer in Cole, as I didn't have that as a kid.

I have to also admit that every time I hear the ice cream man, it makes me think of Eddie Murphy's Ice Cream Man bit. If you haven't heard it, and aren't easily offended by Murphy's profanity-laden style of the time (this was 20 years before Doctor Doolittle, mind you), you should check it out:



Farewell, Ice Cream Man. See you next year.

3447 and 3449 Marion Street Are Ready For Sale!

I'm so thrilled to say that Darryl Nylund, the flip guru of Cole, has his new duplex at 3447 and 3449 Marion Street ready to go. They should show up on the listings in the next two days.

Yet another problem house fixed up and being sold to (hopefully) good new neighbors.

I don't have the specifics, but I think he's selling each side of the duplex for around $150k or so? Pretty much new throughout, 2br 1ba, each with a one-car garage and a deck on the back. Look pretty nice (especially the bigger one at 3447).

Interested? Or know someone looking in Cole right now? Have 'em call Darryl at 303.386.5549.

And tell him CNM sent you...

You know your house is a nuisance when...

Even Google's Street View tells the entire story of your property.

When your home is in such a state of disrepair (or "renovation" as the owner calls it) for four years, that this is the Street view photo the Google truck captures:



Or, if unsavory characters are loitering around, drinking, buying and selling prohibited substances, or soliciting prostitution frequently enough that said characters show up in the Google Street View:



This property is such a neighborhood gem. In fact, there was a Gang member on gang member stabbing at the property just two weeks ago. Too bad we couldn't catch that on Google Street View.