The Old Stickley's Space Is Centennial's Bet on Its Side of County Line Road

"Two destination-oriented brands." City staff used those words in July to describe what will replace a single furniture store at Centennial Promenade, the shopping center on East County Line Road across from Park Meadows. The brands are Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurant and L.L. Bean. Their arrival shows a city that has decided to compete for its own side of the road and is willing to give back part of its sales tax to do it.

Several longtime spots on the same stretch closed this summer, so the timing matters. Between those closures and the expected openings, Centennial's south edge will spend a few months with less on it.

What Goes Into 9511 East County Line Road

The building near South Chester Street used to be Stickley's Furniture. Under the plan Centennial City Council approved, the space is being remodeled inside and out and split in two.

• Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurant, at 9511 E. County Line Road: a 12,000-square-foot restaurant and wine tasting area. City staff expect it to be the chain's first Colorado location.
• L.L. Bean, at 9515 E. County Line Road: about 15,000 square feet in the staff summary and about 15,600 in the agreement's definitions. The store is moving here from Park Meadows.

Cooper's Hawk began in Illinois in 2005, when founder Tim McEnery opened the first location. BusinessDen reports more than 75 locations in 15 states, citing the company's website. The city's documents put the count at about 80. Either way, none of them is in Colorado yet, and the first one is going into a former furniture showroom in Centennial.

The new neighbors will share a center that the Centennial Citizen says already includes World Market, Ross and Michael's.

Why a Store Crossing the Street Counts as a Win

L.L. Bean is not new to the area. Its own store locator still lists the Park Meadows location at 8525 Park Meadows Center Drive, upper level, with regular hours. The Park Meadows directory still places it on Level 2 near Crate & Barrel. If you buy hiking boots or a fleece there now, the store you'll go to next year is across County Line Road, a short drive away.

The city counts that short move as a gain. The staff report describes the project as "retaining L.L. Bean within the City's trade area." It also says the deal fits the council's incentive policy because it adds new or unique tenants and "limits cannibalization of retail sales from with the City." Put simply, Centennial wants a familiar store that shoppers already drive to sitting on the Centennial side of the road. It also wants the restaurant to be one nobody can find anywhere else in the state.

City staff say the two tenants together are projected to bring in about $17 million in annual sales. They call that "a dramatic increase from its previous use as a furniture store." Staff also expect more people walking the rest of Centennial Promenade, which would help the stores already there.

How the Deal Pays for Itself

Council approved the agreement unanimously on July 21, the Centennial Citizen reported. It is a performance deal, so the city pays nothing up front. These are the terms listed in the city's council packet:

Set side by side, the numbers explain why council voted yes. The maximum reimbursement is a little over 6% of the private money going into the building. If the cap is reached in four years as staff expect, the owner gets back about $175,000 a year. That means the city would be collecting about $350,000 a year in sales tax from a building that had held a single furniture store, and keeping half of it. Reimbursement depends on the façade and public improvements being built and both tenants being open, so the city pays nothing if the stores never open.

The renderings in the packet show a new front on the building. Staff say the change in appearance "serves to prolong the life of Centennial Promenade." Drivers on County Line will see that new façade before anything else changes.

The Same Strip Lost Several Places This Summer

The new tenants arrive after several places on this side of town closed. Westword's August roundup lists these Centennial closures, all within a short drive of the Promenade. One of them has since reopened.

The Rock Bottom closure in Centennial lines up with the Highlands Ranch location's closure in the same list. Westword noted that together they ended 35 years in business for the brand. The Centennial building, a few doors down County Line Road from the old Stickley's space, has no announced replacement.

Chicago Mike's had a long run, and the family's goodbye was posted on the door. Westword quoted it: "After many incredible years of serving this amazing community, we have made the difficult decision to close Chicago Mike's. Your support, loyalty, and kind words have meant everything to us."

GeJo's closed for a different reason. According to South Metro Fire Rescue information posted by 5280Fire, crews were called to the restaurant on the morning of August 3 and found a fire in the wall behind a stove. Firefighters confirmed it had not spread, and the Fire Marshal's Office ruled it accidental and related to maintenance work. Westword listed GeJo's as temporarily closed later that month. By the week of October 19, the South Denver Guide reported that it had reopened as "GeJo's Original." The restaurant's website lists GeJo's Original Italian Restaurant & Lounge at the same Dry Creek Road address.

Taken together, the closures show what Centennial is betting against. A brewpub, a bowling-and-dining spot and a longtime family restaurant closed for good within a few weeks, in the same part of the city where council had just agreed to help pay for a new restaurant. Westword's September roundup lists no new openings on either County Line Road or Dry Creek Road in Centennial.

Which Dates Are Firm and Which Are Not

Here is where each date stands.

1. November 23 for Cooper's Hawk. BusinessDen reported on September 30 that the company plans to open that day. November 23 is a Monday, the start of Thanksgiving week.
2. "This winter" for Cooper's Hawk. The restaurant's Centennial location page uses that broader wording and offers a sign-up list for grand opening news and first access to reservations.
3. No date yet for L.L. Bean. The Park Meadows store is still listed as open, and no date has been announced for the move.
4. June 1, 2027. Under the city agreement, both tenants must be open by this date to qualify for the reimbursement.

The Cooper's Hawk page already lists the planned hours. Monday through Thursday it will be open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. It also lists a "Wine O'Clock" happy hour with small bites starting at $10. The weekend 10 a.m. openings mean brunch, so the restaurant could draw people on Saturday and Sunday mornings, when a furniture store or a brewpub would see little traffic.

That covers the stated goal. The city wants people coming to its side of County Line Road for dinner, wine and a store they might otherwise have visited at the mall. Over the next few months you'll be able to see whether the new façade, the sign-up list and the holiday-season target date turn into an open dining room.

If you've shopped and eaten along County Line Road for years and you're wondering what this change means for your home's value, or for a move you've been planning nearby, The Solera Group can talk you through it. We follow these small changes to the commercial edge of Centennial because they shape how a neighborhood feels to live in, and we're glad to share what we're seeing. Contact Us.