After an incredible summer road trip to check in with our teams in Raleigh, Houston, San Diego and Atlanta, we’re squeezing in another stop. Get ready to soak in the sights of beautiful Denver, Colorado with David Liken, store team leader at our Glendale store.
David, you’re a Denver transplant. What do you think of the Mile-High city?
Where to start? The people, food, gorgeous views and landscapes are all amazing. But I grew up in southern California, so for me, one of the very best things about living in Denver is the changing seasons. We get to enjoy the flavors of all four seasons, but without the extremes. I really look forward to the snow, because I know winter won’t be terrible. You can get by with just a hoodie any day of the year. And, with an elevation exactly one mile above sea level, we’re literally close to the sun. So no matter what time of year, don’t forget your sunglasses. Or do, and we’ll help you find a great pair—our store sells more sunglasses than any other Target in the country!
Fall’s in the air. What are the best ways to enjoy Denver this time of year?
Here, fall’s all about spending time in the beautiful outdoors. My team is very active, and we definitely take advantage of all the parks, trails and open spaces in the area. We each have our own interests: I’m a big golfer—that elevation I mentioned earlier really helps my game! And we have marathoners, road and mountain bikers and die-hard skiers—you can head into the mountains and ski year-round here. The adventurous even do some “bouldering,” or rock climbing sans equipment. Adrenaline junkies also love the ziplines, coaster slides and other thrill rides at Glenwood Caverns, 14,000 feet above sea level in the Rockies. And there’s no better place in the world than Red Rocks Amphitheater for an outdoor concert—you can’t believe the view and acoustics, and it’s all made by mother nature. But the biggest highlight of fall? Football season. The Denver Broncos are huge. And their fan base is only growing coming off of last year’s Super Bowl win.
How does your team prep for the big games?
We literally plan our schedules with Broncos games in mind. We have to be ready with Broncos gear and coolers, grills and groceries for tailgating ahead of the games. We know that come kick-off, almost everyone’s at Mile High Stadium or watching the game, and as soon as the game ends, we’re ready for another rush of guests. Denver’s among the best craft brewing scenes in the country, so we really focus on our craft beer assortment, bringing in all the local favorites and seasonals from Breckenridge Brewery, New Belgium, Renegade Brewing and more. The number one comment we get from guests is about our excellent local brew offerings. Locals also love Boulder Sausage’s brats, so we’ve been able to bring that in-store for them as well. We’re proud of Denver and our community, so we jump at the chance to bring in local stuff that our guests love.
Speaking of community, how do you give back?
Our entire team loves to give back—and we have so much fun volunteering. We just teamed up with one of Target’s wellness partners, KaBOOM!, to build a brand new playground for the REACH Charter School and Sewall Child Development Center campus—in a single day! And we look for unique ways to use our skills—for example, our cake decorators help kids at the local children’s hospital decorate cookies. One of my daughters spent time at the children’s hospital, so any volunteer events that support their work is near and dear to my heart. Volunteering is part of who we are—and is a big part of why I love my job!
Mountain scene by Rich Grant and Mile High Stadium images are courtesy of Visit Denver.
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