Fifteen years ago, Pam Schenck-Kelly had to miss one of the pivotal moments in the birth of Park Meadows mall.
Nordstrom opened with a sold-out gala that attracted the area’s biggest bigwigs, but Schenck-Kelly (then just Schenck) had to miss the fine-feathered festivities.
She ditched her gold-beaded Nord strom dress in favor of work clothes to help out some retailers who were having construction issues.
“It’s the only real regret I have about opening,” Schenck-Kelly said.
Since opening day Aug. 30, 1996, Schenck-Kelly has helmed the mall management as senior general manager. She’s survived through three owner-management changes with seven chief executives.
The Hahn Co., which also developed Larimer Square and the Tivoli, built and opened Park Meadows, labeled Colorado’s only retail resort (gag). Hahn merged with Trizec to form TrizecHahn. The Rouse Co. acquired Park Meadows and then, in the largest real-estate transaction in the United States, Rouse sold all of its holdings to General Growth Properties in 2004.
As the retail reporter for The Denver Post back then, I covered Park Meadows’ arrival in the marketplace ad nauseam, some would say.
Being the first shopping center to bring Nordstrom and Dillard’s to the area was no small feat. Park Meadows had many department stores in its heyday: Nordstrom, Dillard’s, Joslins, J.C. Penney, Foley’s, Macy’s and Lord & Taylor. That number has shrunk to five, including Dick’s Sporting Goods, after the consolidation of department-store companies.
Park Meadows celebrated its 15th-anniversary milestone Tuesday with a pancake breakfast for the community. It fed 500 folks and donated some of the proceeds to charity.
“I worked my entire career to get to a property like Park Meadows,” Schenck-Kelly said. “I’ve always protected the brand and believed in what I do.”
Chef shift.
The Sandoval Restaurant Group, led by chef Rich ard Sandoval, has taken over the operations of food- and-beverage services at the Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa at Beaver Creek Mountain.
Sandoval’s company, which operates 30 restaurants in the U.S. and three foreign countries, will take over management of the Restaurant Avondale, Market Avondale, the Lobby Wine Bar, the pool and all banquets and catering operations.
East West Partners, developers of the Westin Riverfront, has had a 10-year relationship with the Sandoval Group, owner of Zengo restaurant in Denver’s Riverfront Park.
The chef also owns Tamayo in Larimer Square, La Sandia in Northfield Stapleton and the Vistas at Park Meadows.
Thomas Salamunovich, chef/owner of the Savory Group, has sold his ownership in Restaurant Avondale.
Happy decade!
GroundFloor Media recently celebrated its 10 years as a Denver PR firm with a party at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science for several hundred of the company’s closest friends.
Laura Love-Aden started the company in her basement, and it has weathered the dot- com bust and recession and has managed to continue growing the company.
In honor of the anniversary, GFM will expand its Get Giving community donation program to donate a total of $10,000 — $1,000 for each year of service — to local charities.
Eavesdropping
on a young Denver Zoo visitor to another: “Look, that animal is blending in. He has camel flies!” “Do you mean camouflage?”
Penny Parker’s column appears Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday. Call her at 303-954-5224 or e-mail pparker@denverpost.com.
