In-and-Out Burger Is a Go for Downtown Lakewood

Although I'd heard a while ago that the corner of Wadsworth and Alameda was under consideration for one of Denver area's first In-and-Out Burgers, there was a long period when nothing seemed to be happening. 

Well, things are happening now, as evidenced by the construction happening on the corner, as well as the banner hanging out front. Woot!

Now, I first heard about In-and-Out Burger in the 1980's, when high schools friends who'd moved to Colorado from California regaled me stories of the chain's burgers. I also recall a cheerleader I knew who coyly modified the In-and-Out Burger bumper sticker in her locker by carefully cutting out the "b" and the "r" in "burger." Such was the 80's.

It wasn't until the mid-90s that I actually tried an In-and-Out Burger-- and it was good! So I'm pretty happy to have one in my neighborhood to keep me out of McDonald's.

That said, the architecture is pretty standard fast-food design, the building on a small pad with lots of room around it for a drive through and parking. The building does front Wadsworth, and the drive-though looks as if it will be hidden behind the structure, which I suppose is a sort of win. But it's a lot of asphalt.

It also seems likely, at least in the short term, that downtown Lakewood's In-and-Out Burger is going to drive some horrendous traffic our way.

Time to brace ourselves for lots of people with the urge.

Plans on Paper: Belmar Residence Inn and Belmar Block 6 Multifamily Residence

As 2020 draws to a close, downtown Lakewood has begun to see signs of life after a long and dreadful year. A handful of new freestanding stores will soon be opening at 100 S. Wadsworth, including a Living Water Car Wash and a Sherwin-Williams paint store. This strip of undeveloped land between Wadsworth Blvd. and The Villas residential neighborhood has seen a number of proposed development plans appear on paper over the last ten years, including townhomes, a gas station, and an In-and-Out Burger. None got past the planning stage until now.

Another project that currently exists only on paper is one to build a Residence Inn at 470 S. Teller St. This undeveloped parcel is located in the heart of Belmar and was previously under consideration for development as an office building. This is a key parcel in Belmar, and I'd be very happy to see a hotel there, as it would bring in guests who would be likely to shop and eat in downtown Lakewood. How likely is this project to actually happen? I don't know. The city of Lakewood's Planning Department was looking at it as early as last March, so it may be frozen in place until the pandemic wanes and the hotel industry figures out what travel looks like post-pandemic.

A plan was also submitted this year too develop 7221 W Virginia Pl. as a multifamily residence. The undeveloped parcel also sits in the center of Belmar, between Target and the proposed Residence Inn. For a while there was talk of developing this site as an upscale retirement home, but that plan appears to have fallen through.

I'd love to see both these parcels developed, as filling in these parking lots would complete much of the original vision of Belmar. For example, a pair of 3+ story buildings on these parcels would complete the street wall around Belmar Square, defining the park's boundaries and giving it a sort of "hidden gem" feeling that's common to parks in European cities, where you can be walking one minute in a dense urban district, only the next to come unexpectedly upon a neat and orderly oasis of green.

Again, we'll just have to see if any of this goes from a mere plan on paper to actual construction.

Locust Cider Coming to Belmar Plaza

It feels like a million years since last January, which is also the last time anything seemed to be going right with Downtown Lakewood, America, or the world. 

Belmar has felt like a ghost town for much of 2020. During the mandatory shelter in place orders, the lights were literally turned off throughout the shopping district. Cars gathered dust in the parking lots, untouched and undriven for weeks. Store shelves were emptied at Target and King Soopers. It became hard to find toilet paper, bleach, meat, milk.

Then, as the nation reckoned with protesters demanding an end to police brutality and affirming that Black Lives Matter, storefronts in Belmar were literally boarded up by owners fearful of looters. 

Later, as the virus spread unchecked and the economy plunged into depression, a dozen or so businesses in Belmar shut their doors permanently. 

Yes, it's been quite the year. 

So when a sign appeared on the boarded up Crazy Mountain Brewery space, I couldn't help but feel like a weary traveller who has stumbled across single flower sticking up in a field of snow. 

Locust Cider is based out of Washington state, but has locations all over the western US. They specialize in flavored ciders like Dark Cherry, Pineapple Smoked Pepper, and Hibiscus, but make a traditional dry cider as well.

Now, I love hard cider. The first time I encountered it was as a university student in Wales, where cider was the preferred drink of coal miners, fisherman, and other hard-working types. This was over thirty years ago. Since then, I've sampled ciders in England, France, and Spain. Some are sweeter, while others are indistinguishable from a dry sparkling wine. But cider was always hard to find in this country. 

That's changed in recent years. Our own local Lakewood event, Cider Days, has for several years now hosted a cider tasting event, and Denver's RINO is home to several boutique cideries. But the thought of a cidery in downtown Lakewood, right on the Belmar Plaza, has me flashing back to my days wandering the streets of Europe.

If, that is, restaurants and tap rooms are allowed to stay open. The coronavirus is currently spreading uncontrollably in Jeffco, with Lakewood as the hottest of hot spots. New restrictions could be announced any day. It's a brave bet, opening a cidery in the middle of pandemic, just as the weather outside is getting cold. But if Locust Cider does open, I'll be there, mask on, to get a case of bottles to go.

The Retail Apocalypse, Belmar Edition

It's the end of the world, or at least, it's looking that way in Belmar, with vacant storefronts on every block. Among the dead are lots of big chains, including Victoria's Secret, Sur la Table, Jos A. Banks, 24 Hour Fitness, Lane Bryant, and Charming Charlie. There are still a number of little boutiques that are holding on, but few customers to be seen inside. They may be among the walking dead. The only businesses that seem to be riding out the pandemic are Belmar's restaurants, although they're all operating at reduced capacity. Given the slim margins of the food industry and the Governor's emergency decree limited the sale of alcohol, I can't imagine many restaurant owners are feeling good, either. 

Governor Issues State-Wide Order to Shelter in Place

Downtown Lakewood Shuts Down Ahead of Fast Spreading Virus

Much of Downtown Lakewood is now shut down on account of the fast spreading coronavirus, even before the issuance of any county or state wide health closures.

Most restaurant have switched over to online orders and carry-out, and I've heard that the fine folks at Mile High Wine & Spirits are taking orders by phone and delivering to your car. I also saw that Runner's Roost is still selling running shoes via curbside pickup and home delivery.

Target, Whole Foods and King Soopers are still open, and stock levels are beginning to look better now that the panic buying has eased. I was able to buy milk and eggs yesterday, and saw some of my fellow customers leaving the store with toilet paper and paper towels. There's still no sign of many anti-viral cleaning products, however.

Crazy times.

Bare Shelves in Downtown Lakewood

Well, folks, paper towels, tissues, bleach, wipes and, yes, toilet paper are completely gone from everywhere, including our local Target and King Soopers. Along with canned goods, meat, milk, and other staples.

This shouldn't be a surprise to anyone who has been paying attention-- panic buying first hit Hong Kong and Singapore over a month ago, and Italy two weeks ago.

Still, it seems like a lot of America has fallen prey to the phenomenon known as normalcy bias, the tendency for people to believe the status quo is forever, and therefore to underestimate the likelihood of a disaster and its consequences. As a result, instead of buying a bit extra each week for the last few weeks (as epidemiologists have been recommending since late February), everyone ran out at once and stocked up in anticipation of mandatory stay at home orders.


The good news is that I saw lots of stocking going on yesterday at Target when (while carefully maintaining the CDC's recommended six feet of distance from other people) I was shopping for eggs and bacon. Maybe someday soon there will even be toilet paper to buy.