Arvada Small Business Spotlight
We’re lucky to have so many amazing small businesses in Arvada, and we want to help you get to know them a little bit better. That’s why we’re starting a monthly Small Business Spotlight to showcase these unique gems.
Past Small Business Spotlights:
February 2025, Outside the Box | March 2025, Odyssey Beerwerks | April 2025, Electric Cherry | May 2025, Sage Spade | June 2025, The TRN
July 2025: | LUKI Brewery | 14715 West 64th Ave.
Celebrating 5 vibrant years and over 200 beers created, it’s Luki Brewery! What started as a homebrew hobby inspired by family, circus history, and a love of Colorado beer culture has grown into a beloved neighborhood gathering space. Owners Jeff and Cammy Smith, longtime residents of the area, planted roots close to home and built a brewery that feels more like a second living room—where regulars become friends, events spark connection, and the beer menu constantly evolves. As they mark this milestone with a colorful celebration and look ahead to the rest of 2025, LUKI remains a shining example of what makes small businesses in Arvada so special: community, character, and a whole lot of heart.
1. Congratulations on FIVE YEARS this month! Take us back, WHY did you choose West Arvada for the brewery? Was it an easy decision to open in this location?
It was very easy to choose this area because my wife Cammy and I live here! We’ve been residents in the Village of Five Parks for nineteen years and know how slow things have developed on the west side of town in terms of food and beverage choices. We were incredibly lucky to find a space in our area to put down roots for the brewery.
Part 2: Your name is so unique. What is the story behind it?
Like many other breweries, my wife and I started as homebrewers back in the day. LUKI, pronounced “loo-key”, is just the combination of our daughters’ nicknames... Lulu and Kiki. It was cute to name our homebrew “brewery” that way when they were little, and it stuck. Now that they are 18 and 21 years old, there is a lot of eye-rolling when they are called by their nicknames while visiting the brewery.
2. If someone has never been to your brewery, how would you describe it?
We’re an award-winning brewery featuring our family's past from the Roaring 20s era of the circus. My great-grandparents toured with the Ringling Brothers circus. Freida was a snake charmer and elephant rider, and Richard was an advanced ticket seller. However, we don’t have scary clowns or overly bright colors and lights in our space; instead, we offer a contemporary take on a classic time in America. We’re pet-friendly, offering comfortable spaces and a beer menu crafted by the community, inspired by 90s Colorado beer culture, which Cammy and I enjoyed firsthand in Boulder.
3. What is the FAVORITE beer that you have ever brewed…and why? (It can be a “regular” or a special brew….! But, I would like only one and the reason why!)
It’s so hard to pick, and by the time our anniversary party starts, we will have brewed 214 different beers. But my all-time favorite is Tuba Cheer. A light Golden Lager inspired by Buffalo Gold, a beer we used to drink back in the day. It’s a new seasonal now going into its third year this fall. It began and continues as a partnership with the University of Colorado Marching Band Alumni, known as the Silver Buffs. Cammy and I were both in the CU band – it’s how we met – and now both our daughters are at CU in the band as well. A very full-circle moment!
4. Talk to us about the latter half of 2025…you do so many fun events! What should we absolutely put on our calendars for this year? Are there any new developments to save the date for?
This weekend (July 18-20, 2025), for our fifth anniversary, we have chosen the theme “Five Years in Full Color.” It’s a weekend-long event featuring new beers, a luau version of our popular Karaoke night, live music, and a ton of art. We have a splatter paint tent, DIY tie-dye t-shirts with our limited-edition anniversary design, and a community canvas. Just buy a drink, and you get to paint on a canvas that we’re turning into a can label and glassware.
After that, we continue our rotation of trivia, hobby board gaming, Final Fridays live music, and starting back up in the fall, our popular Thursday Night Football Bingo.
We’re working on a special trivia night on September 6 to support and raise money for the Friends of Majestic View Nature Center. We’ll be brewing a special fresh hop IPA for the event, with all proceeds going to support the classroom construction.
Then we have our annual CU Football watch party on September 12 with a visit from the marching band!
Seasonal festivities like Oktoberfest and our annual Cirque du Snow festive Winter programming!
We routinely post our events on the Visit Arvada website and LUKI’s event webpage, so be sure to check often!
5. What do you love about owning a small business in Arvada?
The camaraderie of everyone getting to know each other… from other businesses to regulars at LUKI. After five years in our location, we’ve watched families grow and change. We’ve watched love blossom and have hosted wedding events. We’ve seen many regulars become great friends with each other outside of the taproom. With Arvada pride and a tight-knit community, we’ve created a Cheers-like experience where people can relax and bond with one another.
6. Everyone knows the challenges facing all small businesses right now. How can the Arvada community support you the most this year?
Visit frequently! We rotate our menu throughout the year, so what we have one visit can be mostly different from what we have the next month. Additionally, we’ve expanded our Hard Seltzer flavors and introduced numerous non-alcoholic options to the mix. With a variety in the menu, an energetic team behind the bar, and events going on all the time, we are an easy option for easy-to-get-to entertainment.