Meet Sheli Gilman | Owner of Sapphic Collective & Part Owner of The Pearl

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sheli Gilman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sheli, how do you think about risk?
Risk taking has been very prevalent in the decisions I have made. I don’t believe that anyone can do anything in life without risk. I am quite an action oriented person, and tend to make decisions or have opinions very quickly, so risk goes hand in hand with that sort of thing. I love taking risks in life, it feels very motivating and powerful to make a decision based on my intuition. I tend to trust my gut, so that has guided the risks I have taken in my life/career. Calculated risks are probably the best way to describe how I move about life/ in my career.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I’m proud to be the co‑owner of The Pearl —a sapphic bar, café, and venue developed from the roots of Pearl Divers and Mercury Cafe. I am also the founder of Sapphic Collective, a network that brings sapphic-centered events to life. For The Pearl: after Blush & Blu closed Pearl Divers filled an urgent need, opening in December of 2024 with events that centered sapphic people, trans folks, and people of color. I first spoke with the other owners about joining them in hopes of a new location in January of 2025. Since April of 2025, we’ve moved into the historic Mercury Café venue as The Pearl, preserving beloved events —like poetry slams, swing dancing, and open-mic nights—while adding in sapphic and queer‑centered energy and events. Sapphic Collective creates curated events—from Pride parties to meetups and themed socials—designed by and for sapphic folks. It’s community-first and volunteer driven. Sapphic Collective allowed me to meet so many cool people and it got my foot in the door to becoming a part-owner of The Pearl. Seeing The Pearl’s events fill rooms, build chosen family, and foster deep connections has been very rewarding. It’s definitely been anything but easy; I quit a generally stable corporate job as I was building the momentum behind Sapphic Collective. I had an extra job in the service industry as I worked on it, and had to quit that as I started working on The Pearl, which had/has no guarantee for a stable income. I learned a lot of lessons on the way, as I have only been doing this for a year! My life has completely changed. I have definitely learned to lead with my values, and learned how to adapt to different situations very quickly; there is something new every day! I want the world to know that we exist because community matters—The Pearl isn’t just a bar; it’s a sanctuary, a creative hot spot, and a lifeline for queer, trans, sapphic, and BIPOC folks.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Eat: The Pearl, Chubby Cattle, Corner Beet, The Wild Corgi Pub, Pho Duy Denver, Lik’s Ice Cream, Cafe Miriam, Linger, Rio De Minas, City O’ City
Drink: The Pearl, Hudson Hill, Thin Man, The Crypt, Skylark, XBar, Don’s Tavern, Run For The Roses
Visit: Cheesman Park, Wash park, Denver Art Museum, South Broadway, Nature and Science Museum, Walk Around RiNo, Aquarium, Museum of Modern Art, Hike, Horsetooth Reservoir

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
This is a super difficult thing to answer for me. My family, friends, and community have all been so wonderful and supportive! I would love to dedicate this shout-out to everyone who’s shown up to the Sapphic Collective events and have been showing up for the LGBTQIA+ community, especially during this time. Their presence, encouragement, and energy have been the heartbeat of everything I do. Whether they’ve connected or created alongside me—they’ve made all the difference. I would never be where I am without the people who surround me.
A special shout-out also goes to the original owners of Pearl Divers who took me in and gave me the chance to do something that I had been really striving towards. They saw potential where others might have hesitated, and they opened the door for me to partner with them in a physical space; The Pearl.

Website: sapphiccollective.com or thepearldenver.com

Instagram: sapphiccollectivee or thepearldenver

Image Credits
Sam Burger
Bare Bonez Collective