Denver’s first official BumbleSpot is open in Cherry Creek to ease those first date jitters

The “where should we go” back and forth (someone just make a decision, please).

The “will they actually look like their pictures” nerves.

The terribly uncomfortable lull in conversation when you finally meet.

First dates are hard.

It should already be a little bit easier here since Denver is no longer the worst place to find love, at least according to The Great Love Debate. That honor now belongs to Seattle.

So you’re swiping. You’re matching. You’re planning. Now what? The dating app Bumble wants to help Denverites take it to the next step and bring that convo from a screen to IRL.

The city’s first BumbleSpot is now open inside the Moxy Hotel in Cherry Creek. But what does that mean exactly? It means food and drink deals and ice breakers galore that could save even the roughest of first encounters.

“When we think about what our users ask for and what they’re looking for, they want to have a place where they can go on a first date, they can feel comfortable, they know it’s going to be a good environment. They ask us for these suggestions and places to go all the time,” said Andee Olson, Director of Partnerships for Bumble. “BumbleSpots are approved places in every single major city across the U.S. where we put our stamp of approval on that venue, whether it’s a coffee shop, a bar or a restaurant.”

The Moxy is Denver’s first to launch because the two brands have a nationwide partnership, but Olson says more BumbleSpots will be coming soon. To find out where and what the specials will be, users need to sign up for Bumble’s newsletter. And at the Moxy, it’s not just about the romance. BumbleBizz matches can get a complimentary meeting space, too, if one is available, according to Olivia Donnan, Global Brand Marketing at Moxy Hotels.

“They’re a disruptor to the social connections, we’re a disruptor of hotel hospitality, so that’s why it was a great match,” she added.

So how does it work? Just walk in with your date, flash the app and let the games begin — literally. One of the activities is a game of giant Jenga with questions engraved into the blocks. When you pull one of the blocks, you need to ask the question of your date. The ease of answering questions like “What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done” can be cushioned by two-for-one deals on three drink options: the My Fair Lady (Cazadores tequila, aperol, fresh grapefruit, fresh lime, simple syrup), the Queen Bee (Bombay Sapphire gin, lemon juice, honey water, citrus bitters), and the Stinger (GreyGoose vodka, fresh lime juice, Q Ginger Beer, fresh honeycomb).

Some of the city’s most eligible singles attended a launch party for the BumbleSpot Thursday night, including local “Bachelorette” celebs Blake Horstmann and Chase McNary. Unfortunately, they do not come included in the BumbleSpot.

But here are some tips straight from The Beehive on how to better your experience, both on the app and on that first date, since we don’t all find love (or at least try to) on national television. Who knows, you could even match with Horstmann if you keep on swiping.

3 Tips On the App

• You have to be yourself. “The number one thing I tell everyone is you have to be yourself, because the second you pretend to be someone you’re not, you’re not making a real connection with someone,” Olson said.
• You get out of Bumble what you put into it, so fill out your full profile, connect your Spotify and start more conversations.
• When making the first move, ask a question that is a little random, such as “What are three things you’d bring to a deserted island,” or two truths and a lie.

3 tips when you’re on your first date

• Play the games, lighten the mood and answer the Jenga questions, no matter how uncomfortable they may be. The questions have been strategically chosen by Bumble after doing research on the best conversation ice breakers.
• Take advantage of the food and drink deals.
• Interact with the bartenders — they’re trained in improv through Upright Citizen’s Brigade (no joke).

Get that second date? Here are 11 date ideas around Denver. 

The Denver Post needs your support.
Subscribe now for just 99 cents for the first month.

[Read More …]