Summer At Oneida Park
Live Music, Movie Nights, But No Thursday Farm+Flea This Year
By Cara DeGette
GPHN Editor
Hard to believe, but it’s been six years since Todd Snyder and his partner Rick Firmine bought the Oneida Park Center.
At the time several longtime businesses were flourishing along the block, at 23rd Avenue and Oneida Street in the eastern quadrant of the neighborhood. (Longtimers included Park Hill Vet, Spicy Thai II and South Philly Cheesesteak.) But other storefronts stood vacant, and the vibe of the business block was decidedly bucolic.
At the time, Snyder, a commercial realtor, described his plan was to transform the center into a Park Hill-style version of Old South Gaylord or Old South Pearl. Such references to the bustling business blocks near Washington Park left many critics scratching their heads.
Six years later, those critics might be eating their hats. Park Hill Vet has expanded its space, and Spicy Thai II and the Philly cheesesteak joint are thriving. The block is anchored by Esters, a restaurant and pub in the space once occupied by a convenience store. Dang Ice Cream is next door. Three years ago Illegal Pete’s opened its 12th location on Oneida, in the space that had previously been home to several short-lived restaurant ventures: Table Top, Desmond and Red Sauce.
“We got through the Covid scare, and only lost one tenant,” Snyder said. That would be the Yoga + Barre studio, on the north side of the block along 23rd Avenue. Oneida Park Dental Studio took over that space two years ago.
For the past several summers, the business block has held events every Thursday night — first, a farm and flea market, and last year a food truck night. Those Thursday night events will not be happening this summer, Snyder said. The organization that put on the events wanted to move them to Friday nights, which was not the best night for the brick-and-mortar businesses. “I’m the most sad about it ‘cause I loved it,” he said, “but it just didn’t align this year.”
Both Esters and Dang will sponsor numerous events throughout the summer, including live music on the weekends and possibly outdoor movie nights. Esters runs a bus shuttle to several Red Rocks concerts, and also sponsors a big Phish party when the band comes through Denver for its summer concerts. Check the businesses’ Facebook pages for updates.
In addition to those highlighted above, here is the roster of other shops on the block: Oneida Liquors, Zen Den Pet Spa, Torpedo Coffee, The Local Butcher, Love Fashion Nails, Beauty Bee Salon and ATR Automotive.