Sustainability at Stanley: The Quiet Work of Giving Back

Stanley Marketplace has always been a little bit of a recycling story. Before it was home to more than 50 Colorado businesses, it was an airplane hangar, a sprawling piece of Aurora's industrial past that could have easily ended up as dust and rebar. Instead, it got a second life. That spirit of reuse, of making something good out of what's already here, runs through a lot of what happens under this roof. 

Earth Day is a good excuse to pause and point at the work, but the truth is our tenants are practicing sustainability every day. Not for the applause, just because it's the way they've decided to run their businesses. Here's a look at some of the sustainable businesses at Stanley Marketplace and what they're doing to give back. 

Annette: Farm-to-Table Dining in Aurora 

At Annette, sustainability starts with where the food comes from. Chef Caroline Glover sources from a long list of local Colorado farms including Delaney, Esoterra, Switch Gears, Croft Family, Monroe Organic, Ela Family, and more. Food scraps get composted, and the restaurant donates monthly to Zero Foodprint, a nonprofit that funds farmers transitioning to climate-beneficial practices. It's a small, steady contribution that adds up. 

Mr. B's Wine & Spirits: Plastic-Free Bottle Shop 

Mr. B's is 99% plastic bottle free, which is a quiet kind of radical in an industry that leans heavily on single-use plastic. Beyond their own shelves, they seek out producers who farm and bottle with the same care, winemakers and distillers thinking about the land, the people, and the long game. 

Zero Market: Zero Waste Shopping in Aurora 

Zero Market might be the most literal expression of the whole idea. Over 1,200 products, almost all of them package-free or refillable. Bring in your empty containers and fill them with bulk pantry goods, eco-friendly cleaning supplies, bath products, whatever you need. The shop started out of frustration with how hard it was to buy everyday things without a pile of plastic. Nearly a decade in, they've made zero waste shopping in Denver a lot more convenient. 

Molino Chido: Local Sourcing, Zero Waste Kitchen 

Molino Chido has built its menu around Colorado producers. The beef comes from Centennial Cuts in Fowler, the masa from Bow & Arrow Corn in the 4 Corners, the bison from Rock River Ranch, the mushrooms from Cannolo Farms, the pinto beans from Van Thuyne Farms in Boulder. Every to-go container, cup, and bag is 100% compostable. In the kitchen, vegetable trim becomes stock. At the bar, pineapple rinds get fermented into tepache, a traditional Mexican beverage, a nice example of how the team turns what most places throw away into something worth serving. 

Friend Assembly: Zero Waste Ceramics Studio 

Friend Assembly runs a zero-waste clay studio. Every scrap gets reclaimed, tossed into buckets, and run through a pug mill (imagine a giant pasta maker) so it can be used again. Pieces that don't sell or come out a little imperfect don't get tossed either — they head to the Free Pot Spot, where anyone passing by can take one home. It's a simple loop: nothing wasted, and a little bit of art out in the world. 

Aktiv: Built to Last

Aktiv takes the long view on clothing. They partner with brands focused on sustainability, fair labor, and minimizing the environmental impact of the fashion industry, which sits as the second highest industrial polluter in the world. Every piece on their racks is chosen for quality and durability, designed to be worn for years instead of replaced every season. It's a quiet pushback against the disposable wardrobe model, and a better deal for your closet and the planet.

Boychik: Sustainable Wines and Organic Spirits 

Boychik's beverage program is built around producers who farm and bottle with care. Their list highlights biodynamic vineyards that treat the land as a living ecosystem, organic wineries committed to healthy soil and recycled materials, and distilleries sourcing grain from local farmers. It's a thoughtful approach to what ends up in your glass, and a nod to the people growing and making it.

The Bigger Picture: Sustainability at Stanley Marketplace 

None of this is flashy. Nobody here is claiming to have figured it out. But composting scraps, reusing clay, cutting plastic, sourcing from the farm down the road, pouring wine from a vineyard that treats its soil like a living thing — it all adds up. And it's the kind of work that only really happens when a community of small businesses decides, together, that it's worth doing. 

Thanks for shopping, eating, making, and showing up here. Happy Earth Day from all of us at Stanley Marketplace.