by Mark Smiley
Elvis In The Building: Elvis Presley, seen here eating a “Fools Gold” sandwich at the Colorado Mine Company in Glendale, once boarded his private jet from Memphis and flew 1,000 miles to have a midnight snack in Glendale.
The “King of Rock and Roll” Elvis Presley died on August 16, 1977, at his home in Graceland purportedly sitting on a porcelain throne in his bathroom. The cause of his death at age 42 was cardiac arrhythmia, i.e. a heart attack. Some of his admirers have blamed his death on the “Fools Gold” sandwich from the Colorado Mine Company in Glendale, Colorado, while others have blamed it on the potpourri of drugs that flowed through his system at the time. But fans claim the “Fools Gold” sandwich was, in fact, deadlier for the heart than almost any drug.
The sandwich consisted of an entire loaf of sourdough bread with massive amounts of peanut butter and blueberry jam along with crisp bacon. The sandwich was an alternative, fun staple at the Colorado Mine Company which was an upscale steak, lobster and prime rib restaurant in the heart of Glendale. On East Virginia Avenue, p
Good Old Days: The Colorado Mine Company was a hot spot along Virginia Avenue in Glendale in the 1970s and 1980s.
rofessional athletes, rock stars and other celebrities hung out at the establishment when they came to Denver during Glendale’s entertainment heyday in the 1970s and early 1980s.
The Colorado Mine Company was owned by Buck and Cindy Scott. The Lift Nightclub was across the street and Mr. Lucky’s was next door, which was purportedly owned by the Detroit mob. Adjoining the Colorado Mine Company was Glendale’s Municipal Wastewater Plant. The restaurant had large bay windows which looked out upon a scenic pond that, in fact, was a wastewater pool but, in the moonlight, appeared highly romantic.
The Colorado Mine Company under Buck and Cindy’s aegis began in 1971 with 16-year-old chef Nick Andurlakis, the progenitor of the “Fools Gold” sandwich at the food helm. “We took off pretty good. We were doing 2,000 dinners per night,” said Andurlakis. The restaurant in its heyday served the 2,000 meals nightly at 400 tables.
The restaurant closed with the demise of the oil boom in 1982. Among the celebrities who hung out there were Clint Eastwood and his wife, Davey Jones the lead singer for the Monkees, as well as actor Telly Savalas. But there was no greater star at the time than Elvis Presley, who visited the restaurant on eight different occasions.
Although Elvis is gone, Andurlakis is not and, in fact, owns and operates Nick’s Café at 777-1/2 Simms Street in Golden. Elvis memorabilia adorns the walls of his café with a story behind each picture. Every year on Elvis’s birthday, January 8, many of the King’s fans flock to the café to partake in the “Fool’s Gold” Sandwich.
Elvis loved the sandwich so much that on February 1, 1976, he took his private jet to Denver in order to have a midnight snack. Elvis arrived in Denver and was greeted at 1:40 a.m. by Buck and Cindy Scott of the Colorado Mine Company carrying 22 fresh Fool’s Gold Loaves. He was then escorted to the restaurant by a platoon of Denver police officers led by Jerry Kennedy, then Chief of Police of the City and County of Denver.
Elvis ate three 8,000 calorie sandwiches and gave two to his daughter L
Still Serving: The “Fools Gold” sandwich is still available at Nick’s Café in Golden. He is pictured here holding the original Colorado Mine Company menu and the original platter he served the sandwich on to Elvis. Nick Andurlakis has operated his café for 32 years. It is open 5 a.m. to 2 p.m. every day.
isa Marie. Andurlakis still has the platter on which he delivered the five sandwiches.
Andurlakis remembers Elvis fondly. One time, Elvis noticed that Nick was looking at and admiring his necklace. Elvis took it off and put it on his neck telling him it was now his and no amount of protestations from Andurlakis would deter him. Andurlakis has never taken the necklace off from the time it was given to him by Elvis except for an operation when he was given no choice in the matter.
The cost of the sandwich at the Mine Company was $37.95, but on the menu it was stated, “This price is negotiable. (Inflation is killin’ us!).” Andurlakis states that Buck and Cindy would tell the waitresses that anything over $20, they were to keep for themselves. Since the waitresses were often extremely attractive and the normal male consumer may have been drinking prodigiously they often got more than the list price of $37.95.
Elvis impersonators love to stop by Nick’s Café and partake in the sandwich. Cody Ray Slaughter, an award-winning Elvis Tribute star, who has appeared on such shows as the Late Show with David Letterman, was recently in town appearing at the Lakewood Cultural Center. He reports that you cannot perform for several hours after consuming a “Fools Gold” sandwich as the peanut butter stays with you for hours.
In light of Glendale looking forward to bringing back its entertainment district along Virginia Avenue, to be titled Glendale 180, members of the Greater Glendale Chamber of Commerce are hoping to lure Andurlakis back to Glendale for a special event. Sometime during this occasion, the mayor might present him a key to the city. No better way, it is thought, to bring Glendale’s past and present together.