Jeremy Spira has enjoyed a long history with Denver’s Broadway corridor. Now, he has a unique opportunity to shape its future.
As a kid, he would order greasy diner food from the now-shuttered Swift’s Steakhouse at 8 South Broadway. As an adult, he played with his band at several Underground Music Festivals. 10 years ago, he moved to the neighborhood, where he now raises a family.
Earlier this month, he bought one of the best-known spots on the corridor: 2 South Broadway. The corner building is the former home of the Mutiny Information Cafe, an underground book, record, comic and coffee shop that has since moved south to Englewood.
“I think the whole neighborhood's kind of felt that loss and the opportunity to purchase the building came about and on paper it looked good, so that took the chance,” he told Denverite.
Spira, a real estate investor with family-owned KEW Realty, bought the 115-year-old building for $1.5 million. Within a few weeks, he got to work on renovating the building, starting with a free giveaway of the thousands of books that Mutiny left behind when they vacated the space in 2024.
Once the space is ready, Spira hopes to find a local business that can fill the gap Mutiny left. Neighbors who visited for the book giveaway clamored for anything from another bookstore to a bodega to a music venue to a restaurant.
Spira says Broadway is 'on the up.'
A believer in the promise of Broadway, Spira said he saw the Mutiny building as a way to have a stake in the community.
“I don't think there needs to be more corporate investment in the area, I don’t think it needs to be demoed and turned into another box loft apartment situation,” he said. “There's room to improve it and keep costs low.”
Broadway businesses have been raising alarms about the status of the corridor for years, with many saying the transition out of the pandemic has been difficult. Many longstanding businesses have left, with some citing rising rent and costs. The Underground Music Showcase moved to the River North Art District, a decision some described as a betrayal. (A new artist-run festival called Blucifer’s First Rodeo is hoping to fill that gap.)
The community responded to ongoing difficulties by forming a general improvement district last year — utilizing property taxes from residential and commercial properties along the strip to fund improvements, marketing and more.
While Spira said he would’ve bought the building with or without the GID’s formation, he said he’s noticed a change in the energy around Broadway.
“I think there's a lot of energy from the community to get involved and I think it's reinvigorating the area,” he said. “I think it's a good time to be there and be a part of bringing Broadway back to its original character and essence.”
