Jim Horowitz Revitalizes Aspen's Cooper Street Mall with Paul JAS Center

The sun dips below the Maroon Bells, casting long shadows across the brickwork of the Cooper Street Mall, but inside the Paul JAS Center, the air is still, cool, and charged with a different kind of energy. It’s 7:30 p.m. on a Tuesday. The crowd isn’t drunk yet. They aren’t shouting over the bass. They are settling in, adjusting their reading glasses, and waiting for the lights to dim.

This is the new heartbeat of Aspen’s live music scene, and it has arrived with the quiet confidence of a venue that knows exactly who it is trying to be.

Jim Horowitz, the man behind the curtain, has successfully reactivated the Cooper Street Mall. He didn’t just build a room; he built a destination that forces locals to slow down. The space is getting rave reviews, and for good reason. The talent curated here isn’t just good; it’s super award-winning or acutely Grammy-adjacent. You don’t stumble into the Paul JAS Center by accident. You go there with intention.

Picture this: You’re standing in line, holding a ticket that cost more than your weekly grocery bill, but you don’t mind. The staff knows your name. The waiters and waitresses are familiar faces, not just employees. The food, provided by Julia and Alan, is described as delicious, nourishing, and reasonably priced. It’s a stark contrast to the chaotic, sweat-drenched nights at the Belly Up, the hallowed subterranean show-box that has served Aspen for decades.

Here’s the thing though: the Paul JAS Center isn’t trying to replace the Belly Up. It’s complementing it. They yin each other’s yang.

Last weekend was a prime example. The Belly Up hosted the JAS June Experience events, loud and lively, while the Paul JAS Center offered a more refined, early-evening experience. People were venue hopping, hitting the Paul JAS Center for an early show, then making their way down to the Belly Up later. It’s a symbiotic relationship that benefits the entire town.

Andy Paul, the mega donor, and the other generous sponsors have made this possible. But it’s Horowitz who has done the heavy lifting, curating a space that feels acutely local. Intrepid photographer Steve Mundinger, an Elvis Presley look-alike who has documented every single JAS Aspen show, has archived the history of the venue on the walls. It’s a visual reminder of the legacy being built here.

The atmosphere is refreshing. You see familiar faces. You hear the groovy musical stylings spilling out onto the bricks below. You feel the weight of the community’s support. It’s not just a venue; it’s a statement.

And that matters because it changes how we experience music in Aspen. It’s no longer just about the late-night dance party. It’s about the early evening concert. It’s about dressing up, getting down, and being safely back at home in bed by 9:30 p.m. It’s about aging into the music, not just surviving it.

The Paul JAS Center has succeeded in re-activating the Cooper Street Mall. It has created a space where locals can gather, not just as tourists, but as neighbors. It reflects the power of vision, funding, and a little bit of luck.

Outside, the wind picks up, rattling the windows of the mall. Inside, the first chord rings out, clear and precise. The audience leans in. The night is young, but the experience is already complete.