Denver nightclub entrepreneur Michael Olsen was ready for metro dwellers to don dancing shoes and shuffle off to Cherry Creek North when he proposed putting a dance club for “mature” adults into the old Tambien space at 250 Steele St. last year.

But his dancing days darkened when Cherry Creek residents showed up at the liquor-license hearing en masse, voicing strong objections to a dance spot in that location as the building backed up to residences.

Olsen, who goes by his initials M.O., was stymied from moving his dance dreams forward when the city’s department of excise and licenses denied the dance-cabaret license in April.

But M.O.’s dancing feet didn’t sit still. Instead, the founder of Hush (now Wicked Garden), at 14th and Larimer streets, pressed on with a new site at 231 Milwaukee St., the former home of Bar Luxe and Manhattan Grill.

This time, M.O. and minority partner Mark Berzins of the Little Pub Co. sailed through the liquor-license process without objections.

The goal is to open Cherry, a daily dance club for 30- to 50-somethings. M.O. aims to open Cherry on Dec. 1.

“What we want to be known for is providing a fun and friendly atmosphere for grownups that want to dance,” he said. “We’ll be doing mixology with innovative cocktails, events for local charities, fashion shows and positioning ourselves as an exclusive venue for private events.”

M.O. wants to fill a niche that’s not being met in Cherry Creek, where the sidewalks tend to roll up when restaurants close around 10 p.m.

Cherry will be open from 4 p.m. to midnight Sunday through Wednesday, and 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. Thursday through Saturday. Free valet parking will be provided, and a strict dress code will be enforced.

“It will be an exclusive club,” he said. If you know somebody who knows somebody “that will help” with getting in the door.

“It really will be one of a kind, not only for Cherry Creek but for the whole metro area.”

Burger biz.

Greenwood Village- based Red Robin Gourmet Burgers is getting into the build-a-better- burger-quickly business with the launch of Red Robin Burger Works — a fast-casual version of the full- service restaurants — on Nov. 21 at Northfield Stapleton.

The introduction of this new concept seems to herald Red Robin’s intention to compete with Smashburger and other low-cost booze and burger operations.

Burger Works will offer the same one-third-pound patties served in the regular RR restaurants with various topping options for $5.99. Beer and wine also are on the menu.

Red Robin plans additional Burger Works locations on the Auraria and Ohio State campuses in the spring.

Sage award.

Denver hotelier and city shaker Walter Isenberg, president and chief executive of Sage Hospitality, has been named a 2011 Circles of Change honoree by Seeking Common Ground, a nonprofit dedicated to building peaceful communities worldwide. Isenberg was recognized for creating corporate- citizenship initiatives at Sage, as well as for being the co-founder — along with his wife, Christie — of Concerts for Kids, a charity that funds children’s initiatives.

EAVESDROPPING

Two women:

“I can’t stand house plants. I kill them all.”

“I like them, but I forget about them. My plants have to learn to take a joke.”

Penny Parker’s column appears Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday. Call her at 303-954-5224 or e-mail pparker@denverpost.com.