Leevers Locavore Lands in Denver

The new Leevers Locavore, which opened last month in Denver, is a decided departure for the family-owned grocery business behind Leevers Foods, Colorado Ranch Market and Save A Lot stores.

With an emphasis on locally sourced natural and organic products, including grab-and-go items from area chefs and restaurants; a meat counter stocked with Denver-based River Bear American Meats; Colorado-grown fresh produce; and a bar serving coffee, wine and beer, Leevers Locavore is an entirely fresh concept for the Leevers family, which relocated one of its Save A Lot stores to make way for the sleek new concept.

“We wanted to create a concept where we’d want to shop, eat and hang out,” said Chris Franklin, VP of Leevers Locavore. “We wanted to be a third space—there’s home, there’s work and there’s a third space, where you meet for a coffee in the morning, get some grab-and-go sushi for lunch, and come back for a slice of pizza and beer after work.”

Located in Denver’s Northside, a neighborhood that has experienced dramatic change and growth in recent years, the new Leevers Locavore surveyed more than 1,200 area residents before developing its unique concept.

“Based on our survey of residents and from feedback during construction as people walked by, we knew that the community wanted a grocery store,” said Franklin. “They didn’t necessarily want another food hall,” which have become increasingly popular in Denver.

“We wanted a store where someone would walk in and feel as comfortable at 7 a.m. going to the coffee shop, as they would coming in for lunch or dinner,” he said. “We also wanted a great bar, but a place where you can still have a grocery store experience.”

The result, said Franklin, is a new kind of grocery store that has something for everyone throughout the day. He sees shoppers using Leevers Locavore in different ways—some for everyday grocery shopping, some as a coffee shop, and others for a meal from one of the local restaurants that bring a dynamic foodservice component to the space.

Shoppers can either purchase prepared foods to take home or to enjoy in the 60-seat mezzanine, in what were the old Save A Lot offices. Local pizzeria Basil Doc’s supplies the pies, while Denver-based One Two Three Sushi spearheads sashimi, nigiri and more. Justin Brunson, a local chef and restaurant owner, heads up the Cultured Meat and Cheese charcuterie and deli counter, where deli meats, bacon and sausages are made fresh in-store.

As customers enter Leevers Locavore, they are greeted by a bar serving coffee, beer and wine. The shopping carts, designed by Boulder, Colo.-based Versacart, are equipped with cup holders so customers can enjoy an adult beverage while they shop.

“People initially came in and would whisper, ‘Can I get a beer or glass of wine while I shop?’ Yes, we tell them. It’s legal,” said Franklin, who adds that even with the addition of a neighborhood watering hole, the Leavers Locavore experience is still family-friendly.

“It’s a sip and shop experience, but it’s also a place for milk, eggs and aluminum foil if you need it,” said Franklin, who is a former 15-year veteran of Monrovia, Calif.-based Trader Joe’s. But shoppers won’t find 38 ketchup SKUs at Leevers Locavore, which offers a more curated selection of mostly local items supplemented by select value-based options.

“As an independent, while there are challenges, we can turn some things to our advantage,” he said. “We look for products that are too big for the farmers market and too small for the chains.

“We’re not trying to sell based entirely on price, but rather we strive to be at an intersection of value and quality. You can get an organic ketchup from a smaller artisan producer with a little higher cost involved, and we also provide another option that is at a lower cost and higher perceived value.”

Leevers’ Colorado grocery business goes back nearly four decades. While Leevers Supermarkets was founded in 1938 in Devil’s Lake, N.D., the family opened its first Colorado location in 1983, and today operates Leevers Foods, Colorado Ranch Market and Save A Lot stores in the state.

“This Leevers Locavore is the first of hopefully many stores,” said Franklin. “The strategy is to grow this concept, but not necessarily take the focus away from Save A Lot, with which the Leevers have been very successful with over the years. We see Leevers Locavore as another avenue for growth, not a one-to-one swap."