Custom ballerina garment company Luckyleo Dancewear is the latest company to sign a lease at Steam on the Platte, a former warehouse that Urban Ventures and White Construction Group converted into office space in Denver’s Sun Valley neighborhood.
Luckyleo will occupy 3,253 SF on the first level of Steam, which is a short walk to two light-rail stations at Decatur-Federal and West Auraria and has easy access to Interstates 25 and 70.
“Steam’s central location is a huge benefit for us, allowing us to reach fantastic employees within the radius of downtown and grow our business with the central Denver community in mind,” said Heather Walker, one of the company’s co-founders. “The Platte access and bike routes are ideal for us. We are so thankful to have found our company’s new home at Steam in this period of growth."
Luckyleo joins ride-share company Lyft, technology consulting company NIMBL and Ohlson Lavoie Collborative + Davis Wince Ltd. Architecture as tenants at Steam on the Platte. Girls Inc. of Metro Denver operates the Bold Beans coffee shop.
“Luckyleo is the perfect fit for our mix of entrepreneurial tenants,” Urban Ventures President Susan Powers said. “We’re delighted that the owners will be able to take their company to the next level at Steam on the Platte.”
Walker, her sister Chelsea Early, both former professional ballerinas, and their mother, Karen Saari, founded the company in 2014 on the belief that each dancer is unique and deserves dancewear that is as distinct as they are. Every garment is entirely handmade in-house, a rarity in the industry. All of their prints and products are designed by Walker and Early and are exclusive to the Luckyleo brand.
The company, which has six employees, ships handmade garments to individual buyers in more than 40 countries via its online platform. With the move to Steam, company leaders are anticipating expanding their wholesale business, which has garnered interest from the Chinese, Japanese and South Korean markets. The move to Steam will enable Luckyleo to accommodate the expansion into Asia and double its number of employees.
“The move to Steam has been a huge boon in projecting our company’s professional image,” Saari said. “What a perfect place for a growing, thriving business to build an enterprise in central Denver. By surrounding our continued growth with like-minded tenants who work alongside each other with mutual respect and a positive approach to business, Steam is a daily shot in the arm for our entire company.”
Urban Ventures and White Construction Group acquired the property in 2014. The site, originally settled by Russian-Jewish immigrants in the 1880s, once had 25 homes and several businesses on it. It housed the Johnson and Bremer Soap Factory and a rag-baling facility. When Urban Ventures and White Construction purchased the property, there were two illegal marijuana grows operating, and the Evil Souls motorcycle gang had taken over one of the buildings as its clubhouse.
“We’re excited to be joining the community at Steam,” Early said. “The history and dynamic of such an amazing space fits our business perfectly and provides a happy and energetic atmosphere where our growing design company can flourish.”
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