'What Creates That Community': Small Businesses Watch Dreams Come True

By Joel Hillan

DENVER (CBS4) - In 2017, Small Business Saturday shoppers spent an estimated $12 billion at local retailers across the country. Local retailers appreciate the attention and the reminder to support local small businesses.

"The thing that I love about coffee is that everybody loves coffee, it cuts across all lines," said Douglas Naiman, he is the co-owner of Aviano Coffee.

"One of the main things that makes us unique is that we still hand-prepare our drinks from scratch."

Naiman grew up in Denver and has been coming to Cherry Creek North since he was a kid. Recently he opened a second location in Denver's Cherry Creek shopping district.

"I never thought it could happen, and it did. It's kind of a dream come true in a way."

Jenny Starkey with Cherry Creek North Business Improvement District says out of the 260 retailers in Cherry Creek North, 175 of them are locally-owned small businesses.

"It's a unique area where there's something for everyone and small business really is what creates that community for us here," she said.

"There's just gorgeous things everywhere you look," said Laura Colangelo looking around The Brass Bed, fine linens & furnishings store she manages. "My aunt started the business 42 years ago. and now both of my cousins own the store."

They buy items from around the world, and bring them back to Denver.

"It's nice when you shop local because the money stays in our local economy and in our local community."

A community that has come to mean so much to Colangelo.

"We have a lot of repeat customers, and they become like family to us for so many years that they are shopping, so it makes us proud."

To learn more about some of the businesses in Cherry Creek North, you can visit: https://cherrycreeknorth.com/doing-business/small-business-spotlight

Joel Hillan anchors CBS4 This Morning on weekends as well as reports stories for CBS4 News at 5 and 6 p.m. Follow Joel on Twitter @joelhillan.