Business Owner Invests in the Stanley Marketplace Community

There are unique stores at Stanley Marketplace that have become cornerstones of the space, and recently, one of the store owners has made a second investment in the community-focused shopping area.

Ashish Tyagi and his wife, Shalini, opened Nouveau Home in June after they purchased the space from the owners of the previous shop, Sterre. The couple immigrated to the U.S. from India in 1999 for Tyagi’s job as a software engineer before he decided to become a business owner.

Nouveau Home is not Tyagi’s first shop in the marketplace. In September of 2024, the couple purchased Trunk Nouveau after Tyagi, who owns several liquor stores in Aurora and Parker, decided he wanted to expand his businesses. “I wasn’t looking for a gift store, but I was looking for a retail store. And then I came across the listing for Trunk Nouveau,” Tyagi said.

He quickly fell in love with Stanley Marketplace. “It’s inside the marketplace, so it’s a safer and more secure place to be in as a business,” said Tyagi, who also appreciates the social buzz of the space. “When we came in, the parking lot was full, and there were a lot of people inside. There’s such great foot traffic and community feel that you don’t get in big malls.”

This community feeling extends from the shoppers to the other shop owners. “All the store owners know each other and will help out each other and talk to each other,” he said.

He also feels that the history of the building fits perfectly with what Trunk Nouveau sells. “It’s where old meets new,” said Tyagi. “The building is a little older. It has the old-world charm, and it has new stuff inside.” So, when Tyagi found out that Trunk Nouveau’s next door neighbor was selling the space, he grabbed the opportunity to expand.

Tyagi hopes that Nouveau Home complements the unique gifts that Trunk Nouveau is known for, while focusing more on goods for the home like dishes and pillows and knick knacks.

And as a business owner in an era of tariffs, Tyagi understands the difficulties that come with keeping people interested in shopping at boutique retail stores. “Big box stores have the money and power to negotiate and to change their supply chain as quickly as possible; the challenge is to keep in front of the big box stores and the online businesses.”

Growing Garden Excitement

There are vegetables and herbs, as well as sunflowers taller than some of the students. The garden at Isabella Bird Community School was a big success this year. Families planted and weeded all summer and early fall as part of the school’s mission to “be kind to self, others, and the planet.”

The garden beds are surrounded by colorful tiles that were the result of a collaboration between the school sustainability team and the art teacher and were created to represent the students’ love for their school and the garden.

The sustainability team also planted several trees and thanks to a grant written mostly by students, brought back school-wide composting. In response to the garden in particular, the school was certified as an EcoSchool this summer by the National Wildlife Federation.

Taking Time to Sit on Benches in Public Parks

In today’s fast-paced, screen-filled world, it’s easy to overlook the simple joys of slowing down. Twenty-three-year-old Central Park resident Eli Dunn is on a mission to change that—one park bench at a time. Ironically, he’s spreading the word through social media.

The idea took root when Dunn was traveling abroad after high school. On a difficult day in Croatia, he sat on a park bench to think. In that quiet pause, he realized everything would be okay. That moment became the seed for Project Sit Down: an Instagram page encouraging people to pause, reflect, and reconnect.

“Sitting on benches can bring balance to our lives,” Dunn said. “Everything moves so fast today. Letting your mind wander—or even letting yourself be bored—is such a great tool.”

When he returned to Denver last spring, Dunn wanted to expand the idea to help build community. “But you can’t fit a bunch of people on a bench,” he joked. Instead, he launched the Denver Picnic Club, inviting friends and strangers to gather on blankets, share food, and enjoy being outside together.

Over the summer, Dunn hosted 13 picnics in parks across Denver. “It makes you feel like a kid again,” he said. “It feels great being outside, making new friends.”

To learn more, follow @manwhositsdown1 on Instagram.