Quaint gift shop becomes anchor of Cherry Creek North Business District

There are 222 retail and service businesses in the Cherry Creek North Business District. Ninety percent of them are small businesses, and sixty-four percent of them qualify as micro businesses, with 10 employees or fewer. Many of them are locally owned, and sixty of them have been in business longer than 15 years. The Artisan Center falls into a lot of those categories.  It's located at the corner of 3rd and Detroit, and it's been there for 47 years. 

"We are one of the last corners in Cherry Creek that hasn't been developed, and has no plans of being developed," said Dominique Roark, Community Relations, Marketing, and Donations Manager for the Artisan Center. 

This woman-owned small business is filled with an eclectic mix of cards and gifts, which include pottery, jewelry, and much, much more. 

"We source as much as we can from Colorado," Roark explained. "And then we will source from different parts of the country. Small artisans that we find are unique."

Like most retail shops, the holiday shopping season is an important time. It's their busiest season and sets the stage for the next year.  But the Artisan Center is more than just a gift shop. Over the years, it's become a gathering place for neighbors, an anchor in the community. 

"It's really watching the neighborhood grow and change and being that constant," Roark added. 

The Artisan Center is a constant that offers personal service and free gift wrapping. It's a retail experience that may have you feeling nostalgic.

LINK: Winter Wanderland

While you're shopping, check out Winter Wanderland at Cherry Creek North. It's a collection of free outdoor events celebrating the holidays.