Molly O’Brien

When I walked into Prismajic’s hidden speakeasy-style cocktail outpost, the Night Owls Bar, I felt like I was stepping straight into a fantasy land—just one dropped into the middle of a mall outside of downtown Denver.  Feelings are the focus at this imaginative, curiosity-driven experience, where an extensive menu of cocktails and mocktails have been specifically designed to take you on a “sensory adventure.” It’s the creation of Prismajic, an immersive arts company whose in-person experience at the Colorado Mills mall also includes the adjoining Shiki Dreams, a permanent art installation that taps into each sense through interactive exhibits.  To get inside, you can easily enter through the Colorado Mills mall. But for a more enchanting introduction, look for the A-frame sign that’s sometimes set up in the alley; if you’re lucky enough to spot it, you can ring the gold buzzer and slip in through the “secret” back entrance.  During my first visit, I was immediately blown away by the incredible amount of thought put into making this space feel like you’re in another realm; the design falls somewhere between a supernatural, enchanted forest and a sophisticated sort of Victorian-era space where you know debauchery is about to ensue.   “There is a pronounced juxtaposition from the bold and bright outside world into the cozy, dimly lit warmth and magic of [The Night Owls],” says cofounder and chief creative of Prismajic, Jennifer Mosquera.  Thirty-seven local Denver painters, scu