Giant French Chef

We've said before how some murals exist all on their own, while others reflect the business that resides in the building serving as the canvass. Such is the case with the giant French chef on the side of Encore Catering in Englewood.

Okay, truth be told, I don't know if this guy is French. He could be Italian. Heck, he could be an Australian with a penchant for thin mustaches. Whatever the case may be, he clearly doesn't have a problem with sippin' a bit of the vino while cookin' up dinner.

This mural is located at 3139 S Broadway in Englewood, on the north side of the building.

Historic Englewood Post Office and Mural

Probably most folks wouldn't consider a post office to be a destination when visiting a place. However, if you are someone interested in history, you might want to stop by for a quick look at the historic post office in Englewood. It's not like going to an amusement park or something...but there are a few interesting things to see.

The post office was built in 1938 as a New Deal construction project. Up until then, Englewood's mail came through Denver, but the suburb was growing rapidly and in need of its own services. It was the first federal building constructed in Englewood. A big groundbreaking event took place in 1937, complete with speeches and a performance by the Englewood High School Marching Band.

Beyond the classic architecture of the building itself, the most unique feature of the post office is the mural in the lobby. Once upon a time, many post offices had murals but they are tough to find now. Very few still exist, and even fewer exist in their original locations. 

The mural was created by Boardman Robinson, who is considered by many to be the founder of the American mural movement. This is his only post office mural and one of only three of his murals that still reside in their original locations. The mural is called Colorado Stock Sale. It was completed in 1940 and is actually based on the artist's second idea for the piece. The sketches submitted for the first were deemed too "frivolous."

The US Postal Service decided to close the Englewood post office in 2010, but the outcry from the community caused a quick change of plans. Eventually, the building ended up on the National Registry of Historic places.

This historic structure, and its historic mural, are located at 3330 S Broadway in downtown Englewood.

Twin Dragon Mural

Many businesses around the Denver area have made their exterior walls available to artists for murals. A lot of these murals are left up to the imagination of the artists, but occasionally they do relate to the business that serves as the canvas. Such is the case with this piece on South Broadway (SoBo).

On the north side of the Twin Dragon restaurant in Englewood, you will find this unique mural featuring, you guessed it, twin dragons! Find the mural at 3021 S Broadway in Englewood. I hear the food's pretty tasty, too!

Alleys of the Santa Fe Art District

There's more to Denver's Santa Fe Art District than what you can see on the main street. While the galleries are well worth a visit, if you venture into the alleys behind them, you will find an amazing array of sanctioned street art. I admit, it can feel a bit weird wandering through the alleys, but if you're the adventurous type, you should definitely check out some of these pieces for yourself.

Murals on Santa Fe

Well, it's become more difficult to go out and experience things again, cuz, you know, COVID and stuff (I'm so tired of saying that). So, I haven't been out much recently. However, a few weeks back I did head out and take in some of the murals you can check out in the Santa Fe Art District. The area has a lot of unique galleries and restaurants, but just walking the sidewalk will expose you to many wonderful murals. Here's just a sampling of some of the pieces you can find on Santa Fe between 6th and 10th.

Reinke Brothers

Halloween is just a few weeks away! At this time of year, there's no better place to visit than Reinke Brothers, right in the heart of downtown Littleton. To say this is the ultimate stop for ghoulish gear in the Denver area is a big understatement.

The history of Reinke Brothers spans over 50 years. It begins with the store's namesakes creating their own makeshift haunted houses and charging neighborhood kids pennies to ride through in a shopping cart they caught while fishing. The first official Reinke Brothers haunted house took up residence at Englewood's Cinderella City mall in 1984. However, as long as I've been in Colorado, the brothers' have been a fixture of downtown Littleton, in a store with a haunted house facade.

If you think the outside of the building is wild, wait until you see the inside. There are thousands of costumes for sale, from floor to ceiling. The store also features a wide variety of horror props, and supplies for performers such as jugglers, magicians and clowns.

The store also continues to celebrate where it all began. A portion of the store contains the Reinke Brothers Haunted Mansion, which seeks to terrify Denver area residents each fall. Even when it's not Halloween season, the store features many large and scary figures, some of which may even start to talk to you when you aren't expecting it.

Even if you find the building too scary to enter, you can still enjoy the outside of the store, which features a few slightly macabre murals...and one of John Lennon. Go figure.

You can find Reinke Brothers at 5663 S Prince Street in downtown Littleton. As their sign says "It's not just a store, it's an adventure."

Under the Bridge

On a recent visit to downtown Castle Rock, south of Denver, I happened upon some slightly hidden bits of artwork. In Festival Park, you will find a trail that takes you underneath Perry St. There on the underside of the bridge, you will find some silhouettes depicting various outdoor activities. 

The opposite side features a number of tiles painted with various images and messages from the children of Castle Rock. Of course, those kiddos are twentysomethings now, as many of the tiles seem to have been dated in the year 2000.

Both of these displays could stand to have someone give them a bit of a cleaning, but it's still fun to find these hidden bits of artistic expression. Festival Park is located at 300 2nd Street in downtown Castle Rock, Colorado.

Mural - Family Star Montessori

Denver is a fantastic city for street art and murals. On one of my recent excursions, I came across this piece that graces the south side of Family Star Montessori, located at the corner of Federal Blvd and 22nd Ave in Denver.

This mural was painted by street artist Bimmer Torres with assistance from a group of youth from a local detention facility. The colors of this beautiful piece really pop in the Colorado sunlight. Find it at 2246 Federal Blvd in Denver.