Denver Water HATES
Small Businesses
My experience running a bootstrapped, drive-through cafe on Colfax during Denver Water's Lead Replacement Program
Published: December 04, 2024
Updated: December 09, 2024
I'm writing this on Wednesday, December 4th at 10:06 pm - defeated by the day's events. Here's what broke the camel's back.
I spent the previous night, Tuesday, wrapping up logistics for a new menu launch which, at Lilac, is a highly-coordinated effort that spans multiple weeks. The next day, we opened and immediately started training on the new items. Every menu launch is nerve-wracking as we learn our way around the new recipes, but it's exciting nonetheless.
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We opened at 6 am and it was a busier morning with lots of interest in the new drinks. After a little while, I went to the back to send emails and do paperwork. After an hour or so, I checked on the numbers, and to my surprise, sales had completely fallen off.
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I walked outside just to see that Denver Water had blocked off all access to and from our cafe. Surely, this was a mistake. I waved down some of the construction crew who passed me off to other crew members. Finally, they notified the foreman who told me that my entrances were going to be blocked off and there's nothing they could do.
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At 8:30 am, after two and half hours of being open, I sent the staff home and told the remainder of the staff not to come in today.
The thing is: we've been battling this construction for months now. Our sales have declined exponentially ever since Denver Water started blocking traffic. Since September, we took a 5% decrease in sales and 22% since August. ​​
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With the help of The Fax Partnership, a non-profit supporting businesses on Colfax, we got a response from Denver Water Community Relations about the possibility for financial relief:
Oh, and by the way, DEDO doesn't provide financial relief for Denver Water-related projects. A quick glance at the hyperlinked website lists the projects that DEDO supports. I called to verify this information as well.​​​
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So, where do we stand now?
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We shortened our hours and opened an extra day to combat our declining sales.
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Two weeks ago I called Denver Water customer support requesting a phone call with a supervisor.
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A week ago, I called with the same request.
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Today, I called with the same request.
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My ongoing experience with Denver Water has forced me to speak up. It's unacceptable that this government entity would disregard the impact of their actions on small businesses. I believe that by raising awareness and advocating for change, we can create a more supportive environment for small businesses. I urge Denver Water to listen to our concerns and take steps to make things right.
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Support us by purchasing gift cards! They make great gifts, don't expire, and are valid on all of our products :)
Update: December 09, 2024
A Denver Water supervisor contacted me on Friday, December 6th. They said that the situation has been escalated and I will be getting a call back. I am still waiting for the call.
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9News journalist, Janelle Finch, recently covered our story. In a statement, Denver Water said that they didn't "expect the additional closure tied to a different project yesterday[.]" This different project is also associated with Denver Water. Clashing construction projects and constant miscommunication sounds like a project management nightmare.
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Denver Water also says that they've "shared the details and the situation with [their] project teams for further review." Sorry, but this isn't enough. Denver Water should "further review" their immediate financial responsibility for the destruction that it's caused (and will cause) on small businesses.
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On the lighter note, the outpouring support from the community has been truly heartwarming. From advice, to bearing the construction, and purchasing gift cards, we're so incredibly grateful for all of our awesome customers.