Rebecca Marroquin just opened Pure Elevations Canna-Spa & Salon in September.
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Denver’s first cannabis spa, Pure Elevations Canna-Spa & Salon, opened its doors in September, but just weeks later, its founder, Rebecca Marroquin, is already fighting to keep the business afloat. The cannabis hospitality industry is expensive, with a lot of barriers and federal regulations, and Marroquin quickly learned that securing a license was just the beginning.
Marroquin's journey into the cannabis world started three years ago, about two years after Colorado began allowing cannabis hospitality businesses. But her connection to cannabis goes back much further.
In 2011, while studying massage therapy, Marroquin survived a serious car accident that left her with a broken neck and several fractures. Because she was pregnant at the time, doctors chose not to operate and instead prescribed a long list of medications. But the side effects became overwhelming.
“I would start to get sick, and then they would give me more medications. Eventually, I started getting so sick that I ended up losing the baby,” Marroquin recalls.
Struggling with anxiety and depression, she turned to cannabis and found it offered relief. That experience sparked her dream of creating a space that combines wellness and cannabis. “Using weed really helped, and that’s why this place exists. I want to help other people,” she says. “And not just people with anxiety. We can help so many people on so many levels, from depression to even eczema to cramps.”
However, opening her THC-friendly spa wasn’t easy. She faced numerous bureaucratic challenges, including navigating both federal and state regulations. One of her first hurdles was finding a location for the spa, which ended up being at 185 South Santa Fe Drive, not far from Denver’s Art District on Santa Fe. But the regulations around cannabis hospitality locations made it difficult to secure a spot. “With the regulations and the setbacks, this is the only place that we honestly could open,” she says, pointing to the rules that prohibit cannabis businesses near schools, churches, and other such places.
Once she had a location, Marroquin needed city and state licenses. Colorado’s approval came first, followed by Denver’s last fall. While she initially hoped to open in April, delays pushed the launch to September. And even once Pure Elevations opened, people weren’t aware it was there. Strict state advertising rules meant she couldn’t put up the sign she wanted, so it sat locked in a spare room at the spa.
Pure Elevations offers a unique experience, with everything from relaxing massages to THC-infused hair and nail treatments. Guests can enjoy products from a full-service cannabis bar or relax in the outdoor lounge, which has fire pits for the winter. But despite this appealing setup, Marroquin is worried the spa may not make it to winter.
“We have accomplished so much, and it’s so scary right now because the last month has been really slow and the costs are so much," she says. "Nobody realizes the cost of insuring a dispensary, not including all of the licensing fees, our employees, taxes — it’s so hard.”
Still, Marroquin is determined to keep going. “I don’t want to have come so far and then have to shut down before we even have a chance of success. That’s our biggest fear," she admits.
“Five years ago, if you would have asked me if this place would even exist — no,” she reflects. “So to think what this place could be in five years, I can’t tell you...but the sky is the limit.”
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