Denver LGBTQ-Owned Business Guide

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By Ramon Muniz

Jennie is an incredibly kind hearted and enjoyable person to work with. Her photography speaks for itself with her incredible use of space and color. She creates eye popping imagery that will surely make you look back on one of the most important days of your life with pure joy. She can make the most intimate space feel grand and fill wide open shots with so much love you get lost in the beauty. She takes time to hear the vision of the couple to ensure she personalizes a package that is in no way cooke cutter. I am so excited to have her shoot my wedding this Pride month.

If you have a friend that swears they could never eat vegan, take them to Watercourse. Watercourse is comfort food in a way you have never experienced. Not only is the food incredible but it is ethically sourced. Their use of Colorado local vendors is also a nice selling point but not as big of a selling point of the loaded truffle fries. I love that they can serve people with many dietary restrictions. I especially appreciate the exclusion of artificial dyes which are in almost everything we eat these days.

I love tattoos! The self expression is so freeing, but the experience can be scary. I am not afraid of the physical pain of a needle but more the intimidation that comes with walking into a shop filled to the brim of toxic masculinity. I have personally only ever been tattooed by women and when my latest artist moved to Europe, I thought my days of fresh ink were done. Enter Disruptive Ink. The beautiful airy atmosphere (that is missing from many shops) feels welcoming and inclusive. The pops of color allow for anyone, no matter if its your first tattoo or 100th, to be inspired.

What is more fun than drag queen brunch? Well, drag queen bingo, of course! Hamburger Mary’s is a staple of Denver. Mary’s antics have crafted a fun, friendly, and inviting place to enjoy a burger, a show, and good company for what seems like gay ages! There is something fun to experience at Mary’s any day of the week. Even if there isn’t an event, the Barbra-Q Bacon Cheese Burger is reason enough to visit.

My number one requirement when it came to planning my wedding was the cake has to be delicious! I have every confidence that the Pie Queen is going to deliver. Chocolatina Q Dessert is not only a performer, but an award winning pastry chef. Sitting down with the chef, Martin (Chocolatina), to discuss flavors, textures and design was a fun experience and made me not only hungry but made me even more excited to tie the knot. The Pie Queen can bake a cake (or pie) that is sure to knock your socks off, but if that isn’t enough for you, she also sings! Even if you’re not throwing a big party you can still order a personal pie/performance delivered by Chocolatina herself.

With four dogs, it's hard to find a treat that is suitable for all of them. It seemed like every treat I tried before Yitto Paws would make at least one dog sick or flat out refuse to eat it. I was buying multiple treats at a time and had to be very conscious of which dog got what treat. My friends reached out to me and asked if I had tried their treats, Yitto Paws. They sent me a few packages and the rest was history. The treats come in three flavors, peach, blueberry and strawberry. Peach is my favorite. Yes MY favorite. They use all human-grade organic ingredients. All three flavors are enjoyed by all four of my dogs, too, which I guess is a plus.

Cameron is incredibly charismatic and kind. He helped me buy my first home in 2015 when I had no idea where to even start. He is professional, smart and always has a plan to help get the best bang for your buck. When it comes time to it, he isn’t afraid to be honest about the faults of a property, and he never let me settle. When I was ready to sell, Cameron was obviously my go to. He not only gave me great tips to sell my home, but he made finding a new home as low pressure as possible. I recommend him to everyone.

When you hear HOA you think, “necessary evil” or maybe just evil. It wasn’t until I met Mark Richardson, my soon to be husband, and 1/3 owner of 4 Seasons that I saw all of the passion and dedication that goes into running an HOA. 4 Seasons is a Denver owned and operated company that has been in business for 15 years. The three diverse partners saw that way bigger companies were not meeting people's needs and decided to do something about it. Not only do you get 24/7 on-call services, but you get a full team of dedicated individuals who make your property feel more like a community.

When I got engaged, it was in a big way, in front of a ton of people on stage with the one and only Christina Aguilera. It was by far the most incredible thing that has ever happened in my life. Well, you know who was in the audience? Denver’s own lifestyle expert David Bondarchuck. You may recognize him from his many TV appearances including HGTV, Food Network and Martha Stewart. After witnessing the proposal, David set out on a pursuit to find us in order to cater our wedding. After weeks of searching, he tracked us down and became an instant friend. Beyond his incredible skills in the kitchen is his dedication that speaks volumes. Incredible menu, a ton of knowledge, and overall a fun person to get to know.

My grandpa Ben owned a Mexican restaurant called Benny’s in my home town before I was born. I never got to eat there. I find a lot of comfort in Benny’s in the Cap Hill Staple for this reason. Benny’s is a go-to for my specific taste of comfort food. Hot plates, hearty portions and 15 flavors of margaritas. If you want me to help you move, go on a hike, or need a ride to the airport…a bribe of Benny’s is your surefire way to get a yes from me. The wonderful homey atmosphere probably comes from the fact that they have been family-owned and operated for over three decades. Did I mention they have 15 flavors of margaritas?

Dr. Tran is one of the sweetest people you will ever meet in healthcare. He has a true passion for oral health, believes it is a partnership, and understand that half of the work is done at home. Going to the dentist can be a scary experience, not to mention intimidating. This can be exacerbated by having to schedule multiple follow ups for crowns or fillings. Dr. Tran has a welcoming environment that offers same-day single crown visits, general and cosmetic dentistry as well as some emergency appointments. Maybe you’ve been considering braces to improve your confidence, but a mouth full of metal sounds like torture. Well Dr. Tran is also certified in Invisalign. A straighter, healthier smile is one of the best investments I have ever made in my life.

Strolling through Denver’s legendary Wash Park with a cup of Wash Perk Coffee makes for an incredibly Instagram-able moment. You can flip your Rachel and sing smelly cat while you enjoy your delicious cappuccino or if you're me, iced coffee and delicious pastries, and never feel out of place. A cozy environment with patio seating in a residential neighborhood make this the perfect place to have coffee at home away from home.

If you’re looking for a pub with a cool atmosphere, Wild Corgi is for you. Pub food gets a bad rap, I mean it tastes incredible but the presentation almost always makes you feel like you should be shame-eating in your closet. That is not the case at Wild Corgi. The food boasts the same tastebud exploding flavor you expect from a pub, but with beautiful presentation. You can eat your Corgi Tenders with confidence while enjoying a round of Geeks Who Drink. Once restrictions relax, they will also be holding dart leagues!