The Local Drive’s inaugural location in the Catalyst building in RiNo last year. (Courtesy The Local Drive)
The Local Drive is taking over Stanley Marketplace’s hangar, setting up its third location as the brand looks to franchise.
The RiNo-born golf simulator bar is targeting a fall opening for what will be its largest location yet, and feature sand volleyball courts in a bid to make the business less seasonal.
“Stanley Marketplace, weirdly enough, was actually on our radar before we ever opened the first location,” Local Drive founder Winston Manley said. “That place, it’s an institution and it’s a very successful location and area. It’s a logical place to work and the more I got to know about it, the more we wanted to be there.”
Winston Manley, left, and Joe Lynch
In 2021, when Manley and friend Joe Lynch were searching for their initial spot, Stanley Marketplace lacked space. So the pair settled on the Catalyst building at 3513 Brighton Blvd. in RiNo, where they opened in 2022. They added their second location a year later at 110 Emery St. in Longmont.
It was through connections he made in Longmont, Manley said, that he remembered Stanley Marketplace, which is located in northwest Aurora.
“Not only the ecosystem of the 50-plus other businesses, but also all of the apartments that have gone up and are nearly fully occupied,” Manley said of Stanley Marketplace. “That’s going to provide this development and that location the demand we need. We’re incredibly happy with the RiNo location and our landlords. But this neighborhood is progressing a little slower than we’d like. As everybody can tell, most apartments aren’t open or filled yet.”
The hangar in Stanley Marketplace, which dominates the west side of the building, sandwiched between OPENair Academy and Comida Cantina, has served as a longtime event space.
It’s about 9,500 square feet, but Manley plans to build a mezzanine to add a second floor. There will be golf simulators on both levels, allowing for private events to take an entire floor. The hangar, Manley said, will still keep its charm as a throwback to when the marketplace building was an airplane manufacturing facility for Stanley Aviation.
Outside the hangar’s large doors on the west, The Local Drive will have a patio and sand volleyball courts. Manley said that is an effort to address the seasonality that comes with indoor golf simulators — the busiest season is the winter, when golfing outside isn’t an option.
Doors to the former hangar space that The Local Drive will occupy in Stanley Marketplace. (Karoline Leonard/BusinessDen)
Overall, Manley said, the location will have three bars — two indoor and one outdoor — as well as a stage to host concerts and a pro shop. It will be 25,000 square feet, counting both the indoor and outdoor space.
“I really think what they’re going to do is round out the Stanley Marketplace experience by having that entertainment option,” said Ally Fredeen, Stanley Marketplace general manager. “We know especially now more than ever in the retail climate that experience is everything. And so having this entertainment driver, it’s something that we don’t have now.”
Fredeen and Manley declined to specify details about rent and the renovation cost.
The Local Drive uses $60,000 Trackman golf simulators, which will cost about $60 per hour to rent, the same as the bar’s other locations. The business offers leagues and memberships, Manley said, so it wants to keep prices across locations the same, except for a few specialty offerings at each location related to private parties and spaces.
Standard golf clubs are free to use, but higher-end ones are available to rent.
Manley said they haven’t decided on what to charge for use of the sand volleyball courts, but he is considering making them free, since the intent is to grow foot traffic.
After opening its third location, Manley said he wants to shift his focus toward franchising the business, a process he’s already started and is preparing to go live with this year. Manley said he’s already received interest for locations outside of Colorado.
“Retail, in general as an industry and as a sector, is getting hurt pretty bad right now,” Manley said. “We want to solidify our operations on all three locations and see where the market and economy goes. Franchising is a completely different arm in my mind, and that is something we’re looking forward to and where most of my focus has shifted.”
The Local Drive’s inaugural location in the Catalyst building in RiNo last year. (Courtesy The Local Drive)
The Local Drive is taking over Stanley Marketplace’s hangar, setting up its third location as the brand looks to franchise.
The RiNo-born golf simulator bar is targeting a fall opening for what will be its largest location yet, and feature sand volleyball courts in a bid to make the business less seasonal.
“Stanley Marketplace, weirdly enough, was actually on our radar before we ever opened the first location,” Local Drive founder Winston Manley said. “That place, it’s an institution and it’s a very successful location and area. It’s a logical place to work and the more I got to know about it, the more we wanted to be there.”
Winston Manley, left, and Joe Lynch
In 2021, when Manley and friend Joe Lynch were searching for their initial spot, Stanley Marketplace lacked space. So the pair settled on the Catalyst building at 3513 Brighton Blvd. in RiNo, where they opened in 2022. They added their second location a year later at 110 Emery St. in Longmont.
It was through connections he made in Longmont, Manley said, that he remembered Stanley Marketplace, which is located in northwest Aurora.
“Not only the ecosystem of the 50-plus other businesses, but also all of the apartments that have gone up and are nearly fully occupied,” Manley said of Stanley Marketplace. “That’s going to provide this development and that location the demand we need. We’re incredibly happy with the RiNo location and our landlords. But this neighborhood is progressing a little slower than we’d like. As everybody can tell, most apartments aren’t open or filled yet.”
The hangar in Stanley Marketplace, which dominates the west side of the building, sandwiched between OPENair Academy and Comida Cantina, has served as a longtime event space.
It’s about 9,500 square feet, but Manley plans to build a mezzanine to add a second floor. There will be golf simulators on both levels, allowing for private events to take an entire floor. The hangar, Manley said, will still keep its charm as a throwback to when the marketplace building was an airplane manufacturing facility for Stanley Aviation.
Outside the hangar’s large doors on the west, The Local Drive will have a patio and sand volleyball courts. Manley said that is an effort to address the seasonality that comes with indoor golf simulators — the busiest season is the winter, when golfing outside isn’t an option.
Doors to the former hangar space that The Local Drive will occupy in Stanley Marketplace. (Karoline Leonard/BusinessDen)
Overall, Manley said, the location will have three bars — two indoor and one outdoor — as well as a stage to host concerts and a pro shop. It will be 25,000 square feet, counting both the indoor and outdoor space.
“I really think what they’re going to do is round out the Stanley Marketplace experience by having that entertainment option,” said Ally Fredeen, Stanley Marketplace general manager. “We know especially now more than ever in the retail climate that experience is everything. And so having this entertainment driver, it’s something that we don’t have now.”
Fredeen and Manley declined to specify details about rent and the renovation cost.
The Local Drive uses $60,000 Trackman golf simulators, which will cost about $60 per hour to rent, the same as the bar’s other locations. The business offers leagues and memberships, Manley said, so it wants to keep prices across locations the same, except for a few specialty offerings at each location related to private parties and spaces.
Standard golf clubs are free to use, but higher-end ones are available to rent.
Manley said they haven’t decided on what to charge for use of the sand volleyball courts, but he is considering making them free, since the intent is to grow foot traffic.
After opening its third location, Manley said he wants to shift his focus toward franchising the business, a process he’s already started and is preparing to go live with this year. Manley said he’s already received interest for locations outside of Colorado.
“Retail, in general as an industry and as a sector, is getting hurt pretty bad right now,” Manley said. “We want to solidify our operations on all three locations and see where the market and economy goes. Franchising is a completely different arm in my mind, and that is something we’re looking forward to and where most of my focus has shifted.”
