As cliché as it may sound, Washington Park — both the neighborhood and its namesake park — has something for everyone. Serious athletes and weekend warriors have their choice of jogging paths, volleyball leagues, tennis tournaments, and a fully equipped rec center. Nature-lovers enjoy the ponds, flower gardens, and geese watching. Families play with the kids at the playground, take a turn in a paddle boat, ride bikes together, or throw the Frisbee with the dog. We especially love this district for these reasons, but also for the variety of great spots for catching up with a friend over coffee or lunch, and shopping at one of the charming boutiques afterward.
Here are our top five picks, all of which just happen to be located on the same block of South Gaylord Street!
1. Devil’s Food Bakery
You can’t go wrong with either of these sister eateries, so pick your poison depending on the time of day. If you’re heading over in the morning, go for the bakery. With its retro diner-style storefront, framed plaid wallpaper, and a no cell phone policy, you may feel like you’ve walked into your grandma’s kitchen. Even though the visual vibe of the bakery evokes a simpler time, the freshly made palmiers, lavender tea lattes, and sweet and savory “pop-tarts” suggest otherwise. Grab a seat on the patio and get ready for a sinfully delicious experience.
If you’re in the neighborhood at lunch or suppertime sit in the dining room for a hearty quinoa salad with roasted seasonal vegetables or some carb-heavy hand-cut pappardelle pasta will surely hit the spot.
2. Sport’s Plus
Run by brothers, Zack and Alex, this multi-faceted store is a sports junkie’s paradise. Selling both new and used equipment and apparel, you can find anything from custom-dyed lacrosse sticks to high-end mountain bikes to the newest trends in lawn games (have you tried Spikeball yet?). If that snowboard you bought a few years ago hasn’t gotten much use, or your daughter quickly grew out of those brand new inline skates you bought her for her last birthday, bring them in. Sport’s Plus will appraise and resell them for you. While you’re at it, you might as well bring your tried-and-true items in for fixing. Restringing tennis rackets, bicycle tune-ups, and sharpening skate blades are a few of the many services offered.
3. Wish Boutique
The owner of Wish Boutique, a native Denverite, has made it her mission to ensure her clients are the best dressed in the city, all while encouraging philanthropy through “girls night out” parties. If you’re looking for fundraising ideas, gather your girlfriends for an after-hours shopping session. No need to feel guilty about splurging on that new pair of jeans you’ve been eying, because 10% of the private party sales will be donated back to your organization. To top it off, party favors and drinks are on the house!
P.S. We also love Wish’s sister store, W Boutique, just a stone’s throw down the street. Or, Wish Gifts hostess gifts.
4. The Paper Lady
Today, one can reasonably argue that the handwritten letter has been replaced by texting, and social media has largely supplanted the traditional marketing flyer. However, despite its derelict Facebook page and unclaimed Yelp account, the staying power of this quaint little shop proves that paper is still very much a part of our otherwise technology-driven lives.
Going strong for over 35 years, The Paper Lady’s passion for the written word is undeniable upon seeing the array of greeting cards, stationery, notepads, writing utensils, and more. Whether you’re planning a wedding, sending out a birth announcement, or looking for personalized notecards for professional correspondence, the staff will guide you and help you find exactly what you need, even if you’re not sure what that is.
5.Homegrown Tap & Dough
Have a hankering for Italian food for dinner, but don’t want to miss the Rockies’ game? Enter Homegrown Tap & Dough. While seated on a repurposed ski lift bench suspended from the ceiling, you can watch the game on a big-screen TV, devour a gourmet pasta dish or wood-fired pizza, and wash it all down with your choice of over 20 on-tap beers. Bring the kids along and play some old-school arcade games or head out to the patio for some corn hole between innings.
If you love this upgraded sports bar as much as we do, you can justify all of that carb loading by joining their weekly 5k “fun run” through Wash Park. After burning off last week’s meal, a beer will be waiting for you at the finish line — and it’s on the house!
If you’re still not sold on South Gaylord Street, its festival lineup will surely seal the deal. You won’t want to miss the annual Farm to Bottle Festival at the end of September, where a $45 general admission ticket gets you an afternoon of live music and unlimited tastings from local breweries, wineries, and distilleries. Since we never tire of locally produced food and drink, live music, and family-friendly activities, we also suggest keeping a day open every year to kick off the summer at the South Gaylord Memorial Weekend Festival.
If this sounds like your picture-perfect neighborhood, maybe it’s time to consider moving to Washington Park! Get in touch by filling out our contact form or giving us a call at 720-935-0412, and we’ll be happy to help you find your new home!