Lauren Coleman, a former local Denverite, has planted new roots in southern Colorado with a roadside motel but continues to dream big with her first project in Lakewood.
The hotel entrepreneur is behind the real estate development company The Sursy (a southern term that means souvenir), whose focus is on creating shoppable motel concepts. Coleman, who was responsible for revamping the White Swan Motel on west Colfax, is now just as excited for her latest investment in a revitalized roadside motel in Del Norte, the Mellow Moon Lodge.
While she can’t take credit for the modern update the motel recently received (this credit belongs to the property’s previous owner, Jessica Lovelace), she fully plans to showcase her hospitality expertise by offering exciting upgrades and programming at the property.
The 15-room vintage motor lodge was re-envisioned to capture the spirit of travel and community. While small in size, it holds a big place in the community as a communal space not just aimed at putting heads in beds but rather a place for gathering and socializing.
It’s also part of her bigger plans to create shoppable motels. Envisioning a shoppable boutique motel, Coleman plans to display local artists and creators in the rooms along with an on-site retail boutique marketplace. “We plan to take the rooms to the next level, layering in art and elements of Colorado by carefully considering where we source our produce, our shampoo and conditioner and even where we get our sheets,” says Coleman.
Aiming to bring the locals and travelers together, Coleman also plans to include events such as farm-to-table dinner parties along with friendly gatherings inside the old bike shop turned cocktail lounge and shop, named Wella + Wayne. The rowdy roadside shop and lounge captures a 70s cowboy vibe that draws in the area’s local history while incorporating today’s modern elements with a rose-colored disco ball and cow skull decor.
The idea for fusing retail and hospitality in the form of shoppable motels came soon after Coleman moved to Denver in 2017. “I wanted to be an outlet for creatives,” Coleman said. After being rejected by every hotel she pitched her idea to, she decided to start with outfitting and merchandising Airbnbs, always with the concept of shoppable motels as the end goal.
So as a side hustle to her full-time job at Denver7, Coleman staged Airbnbs to be shoppable, in exchange for managing the property. Merchandising the artwork and using QR codes, she created a space where guests could shop on demand during their vacation stay.
Looking to take her dream further, she connected with the 40 West Arts District in Lakewood, who at the time were proposing to save the run-down motels in the area, including the White Swan Motel.
“I was bullish about the property. This was exactly the type of motel I wanted to execute my shoppable motel dream,” she said. But in the midst of being under contract, the bank pulled its funding smack dab in the middle of the pandemic, requiring her to shift her focus.
Putting her dreams of a luxury shoppable boutique motel on hold, she decided to enter into a master lease with Jefferson County Human Services to offer the motel as a housing option for those experiencing homelessness.
As it stands today, even with its minor updates, Coleman says the motel cannot live on as it is, so there are major plans to redevelop the property into a boutique hotel for paying guests. Her humanitarian hospitality efforts with Jefferson County Human Services Foundation will continue through 2023 with plans to break ground in the spring of 2024 and a target grand opening date on Memorial Day in 2026.
While the motel will need a total overhaul, she fully plans to recreate elements of the original motel based on some old photos she received of it back in its heyday. To forever continue her charitable efforts, guests will be charged a “humanitarian hospitality” fee that will go to Jefferson County Human Services. In keeping with the shoppable theme, she plans to create an app that guests can download and purchase the artwork and merchandise during their stay.
Coleman dreams big and marches forward in pursuit of designing and refurbishing old roadside motels into dream destinations and shoppable locations, all in hopes of forever changing the landscape of Colorado hospitality.
Mellow Moon Lodge is located at 1160 Grand Ave, Del Norte.