5280 Magazine

I wish I could like this magazine. Really, I do. But I just can’t. I get that magazines have to make money too. But with 5280, the stories get lost in the chase for the dollar.
For example, I purchased (I gave up my subscription long ago) the recent issue about «Best Public High Schools,” – because I wanted to read about what the best high schools in Denver are doing. The article contains one (!) page about 20 schools. That is not enough space for a decent paragraph about a school. Don’t pitch the magazine as containing an article about Best public high schools when it doesn’t. It is a story about education in Colorado, how impossibly hard teachers have to work to keep up, how education can be changed, with a small, unclear summary of some of the top schools at the end.
Compare that to the pages and pages about «Independent Schools» later in the rag (which are paid for). Of course, the «independent schools» probably appreciate that their public counterparts are given short shrift.
This happens in all the «Best» issues. Doctors, lawyers, restaurants. If you can pay, you will be featured. Again, I get that the magazine needs to make money, too, but 5280 is not in the business of journalism, it is in the business of paid promotion. Find your information elsewhere.

Looking forward to an awesome relationship with 5280! Love the magazine!

Not only a great local magazine — who’s who and what to do in the mile high city, they also know how to throw a great party.
I love know what’s going on in my city, and I love meeting new people and 5280 helps me do that.
I went to the 5280 Single in the City event and this is definitely a don’t miss Denver –to-​do. Cool people, great food and cocktails — a great reason to dress up and shake your booty in the Mile high. Oh, and hey, meet some singles in your city.

Edited 3÷3÷10
Wow. Only a few days after I post this review, my latest copy shows up via special trip by the post-​man. Why? My address has suddenly changed by one number. What the _​_​_​_​?
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I live in Centennial, therefore the content of this magazine does not apply to me.
Even if I did get to the city of Denver more often, I find most of the content of this magazine pretentious and pretty boring. It hasn’t persuaded me to leave the confines of suburbia and The Cheesecake Factory at all.
I bought a 2 year subscription when I first moved to Denver and obviously won’t be renewing.

It’s whiter than a cloud, by which I mean, if it needs to be spelled out, that to read it is to think Denver is devoid of minorities, other than criminals. And like a cloud, too, most of its copy is fleeting. It does do the occasional investigative feature, for which it has been justly praised. But it’s long past time to hire a writer of color, and turn her loose on the city’s underreported stories.

5280?
They should call it 5430 instead, as that is the elevation of Boulder.
Ok, so here are my issues with 5430.
#1) They pander to those that are more concerned about where they are seen, versus those that actually go places because of the quality of the food/​shopping/​service, etc.
#2) The articles are written at a grade level that is offensive to anyone that has graduated from college.
#3) The ads. Oh the glorius ads. If I ever need liposuction, rhinoplasty, a lift, a stretch, a bigger penis… I know where to look. Hoorah!
#4) The magazine is catering more and more to the Boulder crowd. I like Boulder, I think it’s gorgeous, but I believe the cover says 5−2−8−0, which just happens to be the elevation of Denver, CO. Who’d think that’s what the magazine would be about? Silly readers.
#5) Have I mentioned the restaurant reviews? How about we check out some cool little spots that serve great food instead of places that have been reviewed MULTIPLE times?
*sigh* I would really hope for more, but I give up. At least the subscription price is only like $ 12. If you’re going to feel ripped off, I guess $ 12 isn’t too bad in the grand scheme.
Why can’t we have a Time Out Denver? Even published every other week. PLEASE…

Beautiful magazine with sometimes interesting articles and often fun articles but here is my major gripe. They basically name every new restaurant as the best new restaurant. They have lost credibility in my mind for reviewing restaurants because they think Asian Mexican Fusion is delicious and frozen tater tots are a specialty of a named restaurant. Not to mention that I went to a frozen custard spot they recommended and it was the worst «ice cream» place I have ever gone to — complete with syrupy sweet fake strawberry «sauce», horrible customer service and lame atmosphere.

Great local Magazine with awesome articles. Especially dig the food reviews! Obvi.

5280 is found in Vitamin Cottage, Tattered Cover, and the homes of most of Denver’s urban elite– who probably subscribe because it might increase their chances of being interviewed for the shiny local mag. It tends to be geared toward the upscale Denver consumer– the recent Reader’s Choice awards gave far too much credit to Nordstrom’s, where people like me who choose between groceries for the month and that $ 200 designer shirt dare not tread.
Despite those flaws, 5280 is affordable and well worth the read. The same issue with the irritating department store praise also featured a retrospective of historical Red Rocks concerts, from which I learned a great deal about the most famous music venue in the state. Go ahead, subscribe, or just pick up a copy next time you’re in Vitamin Cottage and have nothing to read while you munch organic lunch– it’s not amazing, but it’s an educational and amusing use of your time.

So I bought the December issue last year, and the Belmar Mall was offering a free year-​long subscription to 5280 just for dropping a coupon off in their office. So obviously I did it. I love reading about local stuff. I’m not so into the «Dr. 80 210» advertisements, but at least I know the stuff they’re talking about and not thinking «Wow I like that outfit, I’ll have to stop in that shop next time I’m in L.A.»

When I first moved here 5280 was a nice mag, but not the hippest thing. Not the Big Deal that it is now. in fact, it wasn’t even a monthly back then. In recent years, though, it’s reinvented itself as a hip, cool lifestyle magazine.
Yes, at times it can be geared toward the city’s yuppie elite, but there are some real treasures in here. I’m going to have to back up Alex on the endorsement of John Dicker.

Every city has one, and Denver’s «5280 Magazine» is good if you want to make sure that you are doing what everyone else is doing. It has restaurant lists and reviews, city «must do» lists. Interesting articles on things around Colorado and the west… Some a little more racy than others… Like «Where Grace Abounds» by John Dicker in last May’s issue.
The best thing of course about the magazine is seeing other people’s homes and condo’s around Denver… Lets me get jealous and then realize it is possible for me too… Just have to visualize it first. I mean, for $ 12, a subscription is affordable and an easy way to keep up-​to-​date on Denver basics… Or just happen to pick it up in Tattered Cover and read what you want and put it back, whatever works.
* Star one is for a city focused magazine… good for hotels and tourists alike
** Greenie star two is for «5280’s» efforts to move towards a more sustainable look… With new paper stock that is made with 30-​percent post-​consumer and certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.
*** Rated G star is for making a magazine that the entire family can enjoy, that is why I don’t subscribe… If you know what I mean

A respectable magazine, though I wouldn’t recommend a subscription, they can be fun to pick up occasionally and see what is new or recommended in the area.