Denver’s Antique Row

Native Denverites will remember the venerable businesses that were located in wonderful old buildings on South Broadway.  Ford Motor Company, The Gates Rubber Company, and Bredan Creamery are some that come to mind.  Some of these historic buildings remain, and now the area along South Broadway from Alameda to Evans is locally known as Antique Row.  There are actually a variety of shops and services along this stretch of South Broadway, and it’s fun to make this an all-day excursion, especially if you like browsing and reminiscing.

You could begin your day by stopping at Corvus Coffee Roasters, a decidedly modern coffee shop, perhaps enjoying a caramel latte, while you watch (and smell) coffee beans being roasted.  It was interesting to watch the barista as he would stop and smell the beans about every thirty seconds (the old fashioned, human approach), but then would enter data into a laptop hooked up to the roaster.

You’ll encounter every genre and type of antiques and collectibles as you wander through the shops on South Broadway.  For those old enough to remember, an old typewriter will remind you of how hard you had to press each key in order for it to print the letter, how slow it was, and the fact that there was no Delete button.  Mistakes were laborious to fix.  Remember when bringing coffee to work meant making your own at home, and carrying it to work in a red plaid thermos with a plastic cup for a lid?

Some shoppers will delight in finding colorful, decorative metal lawn ornaments, old windows and doors, vintage lighting and custom furniture.  Others will discover old toys, dolls and teddy bears.  Still others will enjoy Victorian era furniture and vintage books, clocks and watches and numerous other curiosities.

Check out Denver’s Antique Row!