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Denver Book Society cleared to open in City Park West

Denver Book Society cleared to open in City Park West

Built World Denver, CO local

Former Tattered Cover chief executive's independent bookstore, café, and wine bar secured construction and liquor approvals.

June 5th, 2026: Liquor license issued active

Overview

Updated 1 hour ago

Denver Book Society has cleared the last city hurdles to open at 1700 N Humboldt St. City records show a construction permit filed May 4 and an active hotel-and-restaurant liquor license issued June 5.

Together, the records turn a long-vacant restaurant into a 3,500-square-foot bookstore, café, and wine bar. The business is cleared to operate, but it has not yet opened its doors.

Why it matters

If it opens as planned, City Park West gains an independent bookstore and café in a space that sat empty for years.

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Key Indicators

3,500 sq ft
Floor area of the new store
Square footage of the former Humboldt Kitchen + Bar space, per the project announcement.
2
Regulatory clearances on file
One construction permit filing and one active liquor license were recorded between May 4 and June 5.
Active
Liquor license status
Denver issued an active hotel-and-restaurant license, allowing alcohol sales with food service.

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People Involved

Organizations Involved

Timeline

February 2026 June 2026

3 events Latest: June 5th, 2026 · 3 months ago
  1. Liquor license issued active

    Latest License

    Denver records show an active hotel-and-restaurant liquor license for Denver Book Society.

  2. Construction permit filed for tenant finish

    Permit

    Denver records show a commercial alteration permit for the 1700 N Humboldt St space.

  3. Denver Book Society announced for former Humboldt Kitchen + Bar space

    Announcement

    Spearman and Garvin plan a bookstore, café, and wine bar in the vacant restaurant.

Historical Context

3 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

1971–present

Powell's City of Books becomes a Portland landmark (1971)

Michael Powell opened a small used-book store in Portland, Oregon, in 1971. It grew into Powell's City of Books, a store that fills an entire city block.

Then

It became one of the largest independent bookstores in the world and a required stop for visitors.

Now

Its café and events helped establish the bookstore-as-gathering-place model.

Why this matters now

Denver Book Society's mix of books, coffee, wine, and events is the same model, scaled to a 3,500-square-foot neighborhood space.

1974–2010s

Tattered Cover's rise as a Denver institution (1974)

Joyce Meskis bought a small Denver bookstore in 1974 and built Tattered Cover into one of the country's largest independent bookstores. It hosted thousands of author events and became a civic gathering place.

Then

The store anchored Denver's literary scene for decades and survived the rise of chain bookstores.

Now

Tattered Cover later shrank and changed hands, showing how fragile even well-known bookstores can be.

Why this matters now

Spearman led Tattered Cover before starting Denver Book Society. His new store uses the same community-anchor model in a neighborhood without a dedicated bookstore.

2009–2011

The Last Bookstore anchors downtown LA (2009)

Josh Spencer opened The Last Bookstore in a former bank building in downtown Los Angeles in 2009. It mixed used books, art, and event space in a neighborhood that had little retail foot traffic.

Then

The store drew visitors and helped revive its block.

Now

It became one of the best-known independent bookstores in the country and a model for bookstores as event venues.

Why this matters now

Denver Book Society is making a similar bet: a book-focused gathering place meant to pull people into City Park West.

Sources

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