Restaurant Roll Call: Every Opening and Closing in July

The July story in the restaurant industry was the continuing coronavirus pandemic and its effects on the Colorado economy. A spike in cases created more restrictions for bars and restaurants; the most contentious was the new rule changing last call to 10 p.m. for thirty days from July 21. The results of the past five months of drastically reduced business have been devastating, and establishments of all sizes, styles and popularity continue to shutter. The latest was Fooducopia, the brave little eatery in the heart of residential Washington Park West opened by Tim Lymberopoulos in 2012. "To all of you I have met, thank you for dining at Fooducopia. You were my favorite part of owning a restaurant" the owner said on social media.

Also announcing its closing this week was Gozo, opened by Frank Jolley in 2014 and purchased by Curt Sims and Pam Savage Sims in 2017. "We were able to be one of the best during a time that restaurants were at their apex in this city," general manager Eric Norberg wrote on Gozo's Facebook page.

Other longstanding eateries that called it quits in July were Arada Ethiopian Restaurant, C.B. & Potts, Racines and Vesta.

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Fooducopia was a favorite for brunch in Wash Park West.

Bridget Wood

Despite the current economic hardships and operating restrictions, a few restaurants managed to open, some of them in entirely new locations — going beyond the pop-ups and food hall counters that have been more practical to launch this summer. Brasserie Brixton, Jimmy's on Jersey and Slater's 50/50 all debuted in new locations, and Richard Sandoval's Toro Latin Kitchen, the Black Bear Diner (a chain popular throughout the West), La Milpa, Local Jones and Sullivan Scrap Kitchen all moved where previous restaurants had closed, some of them before the pandemic hit.

So yes there is hope and resiliency in the industry. But there are also hard times ahead, as the Colorado Restaurant Association's July survey indicates. In it, 35 percent of member restaurants reported that they will consider closing within three months if current conditions continue, and 65 percent said they wouldn't make it six months. Their biggest needs, according to the survey, are cash and increased capacity.

Here's our complete list of restaurant and bar openings and closing in July 2020:

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Brasserie Brixton is brand new at 37th and Williams.

Mark Antonation

Restaurants and Bars Opening in July*
Bird Craft and Mountain Dweller (at Outer Range Brewing Co.), 182 Lusher Court, Frisco
Black Bear Diner, 14100 East Iliff Avenue, Aurora
Brasserie Brixton, 3701 Williams Street
The Coop Chicken + Beer (at Wynkoop Brewing Co.), 1634 18th Street
Jimmy's Jersey Street Cafe & Osteria, 932 Jersey Street
Knockabout Burgers (inside Avanti Food & Beverage), 3200 Pecos Street
La Milpa Guisados y Tacos, 840 Lincoln Street
Local Jones, 249 Columbine Street
Luki Brewery, 14715 West 64th Avenue, Arvada
Slater's 50/50, 3600 Blake Street
SoyPinoy and Thai-Kun (inside Zeppelin Station), 3501 Wazee Street
Sullivan Scrap Kitchen, 1740 East 17th Avenue
Toro Latin Kitchen & Lounge, 150 Clayton Lane
Wild Provisions Beer Project, 2209 Central Avenue, Boulder

Restaurants Moving in July
Toast Fine Food & Coffee, 2630 West Belleview Avenue (from 2700 West Bowles Avenue)

Restaurants and Bars Closing in July*
Arada Ethiopian Restaurant, 750 Santa Fe Drive
Bent Fork American Grill,12191 East Iliff Avenue, Aurora
Bru Handbuilt Ales + Eats, 5290 Arapahoe Avenue, Boulder
The Budlong Hot Chicken and Hamburger Stan (inside Zeppelin Station), 3501 Wazee Street
Butcher's Bistro, 2233 Larimer Street
C & C Coffee & Kitchen, 4284 Trail Boss Drive, Castle Rock
C.B. & Potts, four Colorado locations
Dunbar Kitchen & Tap House, 2844 Welton Street
El Jaripeo, 1050 South Havana Street, Aurora
Fooducopia, 1939 East Kentucky Avenue
Gozo, 30 South Broadway
Great Northern Tavern, 8101 East Belleview Avenue
Lacuna Juice & Yoga, 2590 Lawrence Street
Landry's Seafood House, 7209 South Clinton Street, Englewood
Marrakech Grill, 2290 South Colorado Boulevard
Milo's Sports Tavern, 6495 East Evans Avenue
The Night Shift Saloon, 3095 South Peoria Street, Aurora
Paris Crepe, 3926 Tennyson Street
Racines, 650 Sherman Street
Vesta, 1822 Blake Street

*Or earlier, and not previously reported.

Do you know of any openings or closings that aren't on our list? Let us know with a comment, or send an email to cafe@westword.com. See our June Roll Call for other recent activity.