DENVER — Welton Street Cafe and Coffee at the Point were two fixtures in the Five Points neighborhood that are no longer there. But a new shop has become a rallying point to keep the character and community alive, despite the changing city around it.
You're in good company with Little Bodega, a one-stop-shop to get a wide range of essential needs.
"You can come in, get a roll of toilet paper, candy bar, drink," said Little Bodega owner Natasha Butler. "Maybe some detergent and a sandwich, and you kind of have all your needs covered."
The hybrid retailer and deli just opened in March 2023 but has quickly become a gathering place.
"We've done really well," said Butler. "We had a grand opening party in April, and that really got the word out to people that we're opening and ready for business."
Butler said a variety of refreshments and drinks draw people in.
"Kombuchas, energy drinks, sodas, Gatorade, water," she said.
But, once customers are through the door, it's about connection. She gets business from the nearby apartments, construction workers, and passers-by looking for a quick lunch or refill on household items.
"I want them to come here and feel a sense of home, a sense of community," said Butler. "Like they've got friends here."
"[Customers] come in. They razz us a little bit. Joke with us. Tell us what they need. Tell us what we could be doing better, and I love that."
Her hospitality has reinvigorated a neighborhood desperately needing a boost.
"I wanted to be in Five Points," said Butler. "It's a historical Black neighborhood. I'm half-Black, and I wanted to offset some of the gentrification happening here and continue hiring people of color."
It's a business borne out of evolving times, but keeping stock of the charm that built the area in the first place.
"I definitely feel like I'm filling an essential need in the community," said Butler.
