Art, Hospitality, and the Future of Downtown Colorado Springs

What does it really take to build a local business in downtown Colorado Springs right now?In this roundtable episode of the Colorado Business Podcast, Clay Ross of Yobel and The Look Up Gallery joins David “Nova” Nowakowski of The Brit Pub and NovaMeets for a real conversation about resilience, risk, community, and the changing landscape of downtown business.Clay shares the story of rebuilding after the fire, searching through 23 possible spaces, and creating a home for artists, ethical fashion, drinks, galleries, and First Friday community.Nova opens up about leaving morning television, stepping into hospitality, helping build The Brit Pub, bringing football culture to downtown Colorado Springs, and learning just how hard the restaurant and pub business really is.This episode goes deeper than business updates. It is a conversation about what downtown needs, why local businesses need support, how community spaces are built, and why the future of Colorado Springs depends on people actually showing up.If you care about Colorado Springs, downtown business, local art, hospitality, entrepreneurship, or the future of the city, this episode is worth watching.Chapters:00:00 Welcome to the Roundtable02:00 Clay Ross on Rebuilding Yobel and The Look Up Gallery06:22 Resilience After the Fire09:56 Working with Your Spouse in Business11:07 First Fridays and Building an Art Community13:07 David “Nova” Nowakowski and The Brit Pub Story21:26 The Reality of the Hospitality Industry27:45 What a Weekend at The Brit Pub Looks Like30:33 Football, Regulars, and Building Community38:05 First Friday at The Look Up Gallery47:37 What Downtown Colorado Springs Needs Next58:52 Why People Need to Show Up Locally01:11:25 Supporting Independent Businesses Downtown01:19:11 Nova’s New TV Show Inside The PubFeatured Guests:Clay RossYobelThe Look Up GalleryDavid “Nova” NowakowskiThe Brit PubNovaMeets