LANDLORD PUFFS ON THE IDEA OF POT DISPENSARY

The Cherry Creek North shopping district conjures up images of
boutique buying, tress de-stresser hairdressers, hip eateries and
pesky parking meters.

But a medical-marijuana dispensary thrown into that mix of tenants?
What is landlord Aaron LaPedis smoking?

"I just started to entertain maybe renting out my empty space to a
medical-marijuana dispensary," he said about the empty storefront
with the "for lease" sign at 313 Detroit St. "If it's legal and
upscale, and they don't make my windows look horrible, I have no
issue with it."

LaPedis has had the space on his hands ever since he decided to move
his Gallery of Legends and Dreams to a space he's renovating at 2727
E. Third.

"Ever since I put 313 Detroit up for rent, I've had about 30 to 40
medical-marijuana people ask to rent it, and I said, 'No,' " he said.
"But because I can't find anybody else, I would rent it to one of
them if somebody came to me with the right terms." He's quick to add
that he will not invest in a medical-marijuana business, but stay
strictly the landlord.

Tam O'Neill, who's owned Tam O'Neill Fine Arts at 311 Detroit for 14
years, said she's not against seeing a medical-marijuana dispensary
as her new neighbor.

"I'm sure they can put a high-end spin on it somehow," O'Neill said.
"This will be something new for Cherry Creek for sure, but we'll roll
with it - no pun intended."

Arrivederci Gelazzi.

Gelazzi, the jazzy gelato joint on Larimer Square, closed last week
after Larimer Associates opted not to renew the store's lease.

Five years ago, when Gelazzi approached the Larimer folks with its
concept of operating an ice cream store with a liquor license, Joe
Vostrejs and his associates liked the idea.

"We liked the use, and thought it was creative - particularly they
way they integrated alcohol into the concept was kind of cool," said
Vostrejs, Larimer Associates' chief operating officer. "But in our
winter months, the volume (of business) is so low. Ice cream shops
work better in neighborhoods where rents are lower and they're near
where families live."

Larimer Associates intends to sign a fashion-retail store in that
space, according to Vostrejs.

"We're obsessed here with maintaining a balance of food and beverage
places and fashion and retail," he said. "If a good chunk of the
(empty) Z Gallerie space goes to food and beverage, we're motivated
to change over some of the other spaces to fashion and retail."

Vostrejs said he's negotiating with a higher-end restaurant - that
will come from out of this market - to take over a large portion of
the former Z Gallerie. The rest of that space will go to a fashion
boutique.

"We hope to have a lease signed by the end of the year," he
said.

Galleries galore.

Janan Creative Arts and Gallery has moved from its former Tennyson
Street location into temporary quarters in the former Andrisen Morton
Women's store at 210 St. Paul St. in Cherry Creek.

The gallery, which is open through Jan. 15, houses the works of more
than 18 local artists, with prices ranging from $7 to $17,000. The
artists, building owner, entrepreneurs and friends are contributing
artwork, and sharing in the operations and cost. More info:
303-399-3556.

The seen.

David Bromstad, host of HGTV's "Color Splash" and a "Design Star"
winner, staying at The Ritz-Carlton Denver last week.

Eavesdropping

on a woman at Capital Grille: "When people ask me, 'What's your favorite
food? Mexican? Italian?' I say, 'Lots.' "

Penny Parker's column appears Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday. Listen
to her on the Caplis and Silverman radio show between 4 and 5 p.m. Sundays
on KHOW-AM (630).