Denver’s newest hangout has a lot happening – a food truck park, craft drinks, local music, coworking, a climbing gym next door and more. This new collective, dubbed Improper City opened in the River North Art District (RiNo) in July.
Hank Grant, the co-founder of Improper City and Rayback Collective, wanted to bring this concept – one that he started in Boulder – to Denver after seeing similar collective spaces: “There was a need for some sort of outdoor and indoor, family-friendly, dog-friendly place that had all of these different components.”
Improper City’s goal is to be a universal place, from hosting work meetings to celebrating with friends, this space is open early and stays open late. Artists can book live music or choose to display their art work within. It’s not a climbing-gym-bar; it’s a place that everyone can find their own aspect to belong. It’s described as “choose your own adventure” by Grant, and they’re adding something a little different than other collaborative spaces.
“We do a great job at setting the tone for what the community wants and needs,” Grant said. “When we pride ourselves on being a gathering place, we pride ourselves on the ability to create ambiance, environment and space that can be versatile, and you can bring a lot of differences together.” Through it all, they hope to form an inclusive place where everyone is comfortable: “We want you here, in the space, having fun doing whatever it is that you want to do.”
Natalie Allen is the Customer Service Coordinator for the Denver Metro Chamber