by Luke Schmaltz | Apr 23, 2021 | General Featured
“Rather than turning the page, it’s much easier to just throw the book away.” — Anthony Liccione
by Luke Schmaltz
Sometimes, the greener grass on the other side of the fence is attainable — as long as you’re willing to go 199 miles south (three hours and three minutes by car) to get there. Trinidad, Colorado, is a former mining town with three-or-so centuries of history, a patchwork topography of dilapidation and new development and a lot of potential.
As Denver’s metropolitan growing pains metastasize into cosmopolitan cancers, a few longtime advocates and sworn spouses of the Mile High City are doing the unthinkable — they are eyeing new climes in hopes for a fresh beginning. Once upon a not-too-distant past, Denver was the best kept secret of the Mountain West region. Soon, however, it became a blaring advertisement, then an oversaturated trend, and is now a hyper-capitalized, ultra-modern, less-remarkable version of its former self.
While recent transplants are none the wiser, longtime residents pine for the old times. The days of one-of-a-kind, mom-and-pop joints and relatively safe neighborhoods where you could find a spot to park your car in front of your affordably-priced place to live.
While Trinidad has been patiently waiting like a distressed maiden on the side of the freeway, its rescue had to occur in stronger gestures than just well-meaning sentiments. Those have finally arrived in the strongest form of statement possible: commerce. Movers and shakers not only from Denver but surrounding areas are pouring their assets and creative juices alike into redeveloping a once-thriving metropolis in the effort to contribute to a newly-emerging urban economy.
The Broadway Cabal
Jim Norris and Matt Meygasi of Mutiny Information Cafe are set to open a second location in Trinidad, Colorado.
Jim Norris and Matt Meygasi, co-owners of Mutiny Information Cafe, often look out of their shop’s front window across Broadway at their music venue neighbors, The Hi-Dive. The latter is owned by Curt Wallach and Suzanne Magnuson and has seen South Broadway fluctuate from a booming stretch of business development to its current state of shuttered, Covid-19-induced squalor. The latest commonality between the two teams is not that they share property in an embattled district of Denver, but that they are expanding operations into the untapped and exponentially promising town of Trinidad.
Norris and Meygasi will soon be opening a second location of the locally beloved and internationally infamous Mutiny Information Cafe. Meanwhile, Wallach and Magnuson will be opening a second bar/ music venue in the currently fallow Trinidad Lounge. Wallach and Magnuson have partnered with Denver trailblazer Kayvan Khalatbari as 50/50 owners of the bar and adjacent retail space. Mutiny Information Cafe will be their first tenants.
These migrating enterprises are a testament to the scrappy, independent, forward-thinking character of many Denver DIY businesses, which are disappearing at an alarming rate due to Covid-19 restrictions and the hyper-capitalization that is synonymous with gentrification. In addition to running unique businesses vital to the personality of South Broadway, the proprietors of Mutiny and Hi-Dive possess healthy doses of hope and the desire to work hard to create a better future.
Thus far, the town of Trinidad at large is welcoming new businesses with open arms. Mayor Phil Rico explains, “We are trying to improve our economy and become more diversified. People who want to move down here and open businesses — they are welcome to it. New businesses will boost our local economy and hopefully give residents who are already here some other options that may not be available right now.”
New Beginnings
Kayvan Khalatbari is a Denver business innovator who is expanding his progressive ideas to an untapped market.
Kayvan Khalatbari is a well-known Denver figure in many circles, primarily those of business, art and politics. The former mayoral candidate continues to blaze an entrepreneurial trail across the city, providing jobs, opportunities and outreach. His various ventures include (or have included) a beloved chain of dine-in/takeout joints known as Sexy Pizza, a cannabis dispensary, a consulting business, the widely-revered Sexpot Comedy collective, and more. After years of grassroots community building that was relentlessly countered by an unchecked, city-wide thirst for corporatization, Khalatbari’s gaze began to scan the landscape in search of more fertile grounds for his enterprises.
When asked about the primary drivers that swayed him to expand into Trinidad, Khalatbari explains, “I have trouble sleeping and breathing in Denver, the traffic, and frankly — the number and the type of people that have moved to Denver recently. It’s a lot of folks who seem really excited about the party aspect of Denver while not offering anything to the community, not offering back anything of substance.”
As a front-seat witness to gentrification, Khalatbari pulls no punches. “I’ve seen a lot of things I really enjoyed about Denver fall by the wayside [such as ] music venues, restaurants, and friends moving away. When I’m in Denver, even before the pandemic, I largely just stayed at home and had friends over. There’s nothing unique about it anymore. It’s pretty much in line with other major cities in terms of the types of places it has to hang out in and the types of people you’ll encounter. That’s what’s unique about Trinidad. I think, in a lot of ways, it’s more diverse than Denver.”
Khalatbari clarifies that he is in no way dismissing the city that has been so good to him and is quick to recognize Denver’s enduring merits. “I don’t want to make it sound like I despise Denver. I still love Denver; it has given me everything professionally that I could have ever asked for. I still live there most of the time, my girls still go to school there, I still have businesses there … but it’s just run its course and as I get older it makes sense for me to plant roots in a place that’s a little more long term, you know, for my mentality and my sanity.”
Moving forward, Khalatbari has purchased several properties in Trinidad that require varying degrees of remodeling, repair and TLC. Among these are The First Baptist Church, a large retail space in the downtown area, the Trinidad Lounge, an historic train depot, and a residential property. The local community is tight-knit and includes families and business interests that have been established in the area for generations.
Natural wariness of strangers aside, Khalatbari explains that the reception of himself and other outsiders looking to contribute to Trinidad’s development and revitalization has been overwhelmingly positive. “In the eight months I’ve been here, I’ve had conversations with probably half the city council, and I’ve met with tons of people across the city and for the most part everyone has been very supportive. I’ve been overwhelmed with the people in this town supporting wherever they can, wanting to collaborate, wanting to do good things, to feel the energy — it’s pretty palpable around here I’d say.”
Khalatbari underscores the importance of working with the Trinidad community and other outside investors so that, moving forward, the city as a whole can avoid becoming just another hyper-capitalized, unattainable swath of Colorado gentrification. “There’s a genuine fear of this becoming another inaccessible place in Colorado. One of the reasons I moved here is to see this town that has so much potential, but hasn’t had the investments, come to life while avoiding that sort of an outcome. I work a lot with worker cooperatives and employee-owned businesses. It is capitalism, sure, but it’s the shared economy capitalism. My pizzerias are employee-owned, and I would love to see that kind of model take hold in a place like this.
Wally’s World
Trinidad, Colorado is a city of 9,000 people, most of whom are ready to embrace redevelopment.
Wally Wallace is the Economic Development Director for the City of Trinidad. What the city planners may not have known when they hired him is that he’s also got a creative streak that makes him a seriously valuable asset to the city’s future. A comedian and a musician, among other pursuits, Wallace’s excitement about the city is infectious. He has a litany of proposed events queued up for consideration including Spaghetti and Western festival (an homage to the city’s Italian population), comedy events, themed bicycle rides and a weed-picking enthusiasts’ initiative to rid the town of goat heads.
He mentions Fisher’s Peak State Park — the recently-opened massive open space project that is now the second largest state park in Colorado. “They are projecting that this could potentially bring in up to $15 million into this community per year,” Wallace explains. “We are working on an interstate trail system where people will be able to hike and bike back and forth between Colorado and New Mexico.”
Wallace is responsible for introducing Khalatbari to Trinidad and explains how another Denver innovator — Dana Craw-ford — is making waves locally as well. Crawford is famous for the renowned and highly successful remodeling of Larimer Square and Union Station in Denver. She is currently spearheading the $18M remodel of the Fox Theater in Trinidad, which is a near-exact small-scale replica of NYC’s Carnegie Hall.
Send In The Skilled Tradespeople
The Downtown Trinidad Development Group welcomes Denver businesses and skilled tradespeople alike.
Meanwhile, across town, Karl Gabrielson, the director of the Downtown Trinidad Development Group is looking at the big picture. Similar to Mayor Rico, Khalatbari, and Wallace, he acknowledges the concern that updating the city might erase its small-town feel. “We are a long way from there,” he explains. “We are still in the early stages of redevelopment, but the conversation has begun.” He explains. “Trinidad has been boom and bust over and over again and we need to look at long-term sustainability — to develop a business environment that can level out those ups and downs.”
Between an investment group from NOLA planning to build a boutique hotel and Phil Long Ford Dealership owner Jay Cimino sinking millions into the revitalization effort, it has also become apparent that Trinidad needs housing and tradespeople in order to sustain the effort and provide for new arrivals. By and large, Gabrielson is optimistic, saying “Overall, it’s a great time to experience Trinidad. It’s been overlooked for a long, long time.”
by Luke Schmaltz | Apr 23, 2021 | Glendale City News
“The world is divided into armed camps ready to commit genocide just because we can’t agree on whose fairy tales to believe.” — Ed Krebs
by Luke Schmaltz
Daniel Woldu is a resident of Aurora, Colo., and a member of the international Tigray community. He has family members living in the Tigray region of northern Ethiopia. He watches in horror as online CNN footage (leaked from a soldier-turned-whistleblower) shows a military squadron slaughtering his ethnic peers in illegal extrajudicial executions. He is witnessing the genocide of his people — which is concurrently taking place.
Stateside demonstrations raise awareness of a humanitarian crisis. Photo by Endale Getahun
Woldu is becoming increasingly distressed, as a member of his immediate family traveled to the Tigray region in early September. The region has since been invaded by its own country’s army — an initiative ordered by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. As a result, all communication was completely disabled. Although some telephone service has recently been restored, Woldu endures long stretches of worry — not knowing the fate or whereabouts of his gravely endangered family member. (Identity withheld at Mr. Woldu’s request). Speaking for his Tigray community at large, Woldu explains, “This is something the majority of our community members are facing. They have family members who are stranded and it’s hard to know their whereabouts or even if they are still alive or not.”
The Walls Close In
On November 4, 2020, while the rest of the world was fixated on the results of the U.S. election, the invasion of Tigray went largely unnoticed. The initiative began by blocking the main conduit of goods, services and commerce into the region and by cutting off all telephone and internet connections and shutting down the electrical grid. The Ethiopian National Defense Forces were then deployed along with aerial bombardments. Abiy declared the campaign was a “law and order” operation against domestic terrorists. Yet, the atrocities being committed by Abiy’s forces — which reports confirm as weaponized rape and indiscriminate murder — did not come to light until they were brought to the fore by Amnesty International. To make matters worse, the campaign has been joined by troops from the northern neighboring country of Eritrea, who are acting in allegiance with Abiy’s federal troops. To further complicate matters, Tigray is in an ongoing retributive dispute with militias from the western bordering region of Amhara, who are attempting to annex Tigrayan territories. Essentially, Tigray is surrounded on all sides.
Ulterior Motives
Ethiopian Americans of Denver show their support for their families in Tigray. Photo by Endale Getahun
Although Abiy’s campaign was presented to the global community as a peacekeeping necessity, it is largely recognized that the invasion was a result of long-simmering tensions between Ethiopia’s federal government and the regional government of Tigray. While the conflict is taking place on the other side of the globe, it is having a profound effect on many stateside communities. One such community is the Ethiopian populace of the Denver/Aurora region which includes around 30,000 residents — some foreign born and others first-generation Americans. A small segment of this community identifies as Tigrayan, which is ethnically distinct from other Ethiopian communities. This dynamic makes matters worse for people like Daniel Woldu, as long-held tensions between ethnicities driven by religious differences and cultural bias are being reignited by the conflict in Ethiopia and carried out in American communities. Woldu explains. “Abiy’s propaganda is so that the general population does not feel bad for being complicit with genocide.”
To The Streets
War-torn Tigray region of Ethiopia hits home with Denver/Aurora residents.
For this reason, members of the Tigray community in Colorado and in cities across the nation have taken to staging protests. Their mission is to spread awareness of the humanitarian crisis and to put pressure on American authorities to take action and stop the ongoing genocide of their people. Peaceful protests are taking pace in Washington, D.C., Denver, Los Angeles, New York City, Louisville, Las Vegas, and many others. Multiple marches on Colorado’s State Capitol as well as candlelight vigils at area religious centers are bringing the local Tigray community together, but so far, they have not swayed local officials to appeal to their counterparts in Washington to intervene. The overarching concern of the citizens is that Ethiopian federal troops are not allowing the United Nations into the region to provide humanitarian support to refugees, many of whom they are related to. While this is having some influence, activists like Daniel Woldu are painfully aware that it is not enough. “While they [U.S. Government] have put demands out there,” he says, “they have not been able to stop the [Ethiopian] military.”
To The Airwaves
Denver’s Endale Getahun broadcasts the ongoing crisis in his home country.
Among members of the Denver/Aurora Ethiopian community, journalist Endale Getahun is working overtime reporting the events in Tigray as well as the ongoing protests in communities across the United States. Getahun broadcasts via Ethiopian Community Television and radio station KETO 93.9 FM. He explains that not all stateside Ethiopians are sympathetic to Tigray. “The majority of Ethiopians do not have sympathy for Tigrayans due to predisposed bias,” he says. Getahun also makes a clear distinction between Abiy’s propaganda, his claimed intentions and the subsequent actions of his military campaign. “When the government of Ethiopia launched the attack — to convince the general population — they said Tigrayan insurgents had attacked the military base in Tigray where the federal troops were stationed. But those troops have been there for 20-plus years — some of them are married to Tigrayans — so that was just an excuse.” He explains. “And now, since the power, communications and internet have been down, a lot of loved ones, a lot of people around the world, cannot reach their families, send money, food or medicine. Instead of apprehending the local [Tigrayan] leadership like they said they were going to do, they are trying to wipe out the whole Tigrayan population.”
The War At Home
Meanwhile, Daniel Woldu is still hopeful that his stranded family member can somehow, by some means, make it out of war-torn Tigray and back home to Colorado. “[They] are scared to travel because of what might happen.” he says. “Who knows, they may be one of the unlucky ones who steps out the door and is met by Eritrean troops.”
Woldu and others have met with local representatives to voice their concerns. “We’ve had conversations, as a community, with our congressman — Jason Crow — but those are just conversations. There are no actions behind them,” he explains. “The problem is that there are other Ethiopians in our community who are saying ‘you have to stay away from internal problems in Ethiopia.’ There is a genocide going on and they are advocating that the U.S. should not take any action.” Woldu cites the ongoing divide between Ethiopian ethnicities and how the Tigray people are just 7% of the country’s total population, which is reflected in Ethiopian communities the world over.
Daniel Woldu is also a member of Omna Tigray — a national organization of young professionals dedicated to spreading awareness of the humanitarian crisis affecting the Tigray people (omnatigray.org).
by Mark Smiley | Apr 23, 2021 | Main Articles
With cute kids, kindly husbands and crowded kitchens, mothers are always fiercely protective of their kids and strive, despite obstacles, to help their families flourish. Albeit moms never dreamed a pandemic would trigger stay-at-home parents, the family matriarch has proven once again to be sensitive, demanding, practical, tough and supportive.
As a result we desire to give extra recognition to moms this Mother’s Day, May 9. Something extraordinary to pay tribute to mothers — past, present, mothers-to-be, and those lost but forever remembered.
There’s a lot to offer this Mother’s Day with events and performances returning plus dine-in capacity has increased, albeit a fourth pandemic wave is a threat. Restaurants are offering the highest holiday dining choices since the pandemic hit. To prepare, use this guide to plan a weekend full of activities she’ll love.
Wining-Dining Mom
Seashore Spot: Blue Island Oyster Bar & Seafood in Cherry Creek North is offering a Mother’s Day brunch until 3 p.m., followed by dinner.
Blue Island Oyster Bar & Seafood, 2625 E. 2nd Ave. in Cherry Creek, is offering brunch until 3 p.m. plus dinner. Full menu includes Chilean Seabass, Swordfish “Paella,” and Filet Mignon. Information: 303-333-2462.
Carmine’s On Penn, 92 S. Pennsylvania St., is presenting a family style dinner for mom. Eatery’s dishes are prepared in two sizes: small for two, and the larger is family sized. Information: 303-777-6443.
Wash Park Grille, 1096 S. Gaylord St., is preparing a special Mother’s Day brunch menu, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Seating for parties up to eight, larger groups can be accommodated at separate tables. Information: 303-777-0707.
Toro Latin Kitchen, 150 Clayton Ln., inside the JW Marriott Cherry Creek. Featuring brunch, patio stations include a Ceviche Raw Bar plus grill station serving lamb chops & mahi mahi tacos, 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Information: 303-253-3000.
Taste Of Toro: A patio brunch is planned by Toro Latin Kitchen in Cherry Creek featuring a grill station with lamb chops and mahi mahi tacos plus a Ceviche Raw Bar.
Blue Agave Grill, 1201 16th St. Mall, in the Tabor Center is offering brunch with “Mom Mimosas” flowing and flowers abound. Experience offered day and night, from the regular menu. Information: 720-550-8389.
Kona Grill, 3000 E. 1st Ave. inside the Cherry Creek Shopping Center. Earn “favorite child status” and enjoy “MOMosas.” Order from the regular menu. Information: 720-974.1300.
Fogo de Chao, 1515 Wynkoop, is offering brunch, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., dinner from 2-9 p.m. Dinner price is all day at the Brazilian steakhouse chain, children 7-12 half-price. Information: 303-623-9600.
Quality Italian, 241 Columbine St. inside the Halcyon Hotel. The Cherry Creek chophouse is offering food and drink menu specials but doesn’t elaborate. Information: 303-532-8888.
Distinctive Delights
Mother’s Day Tea: Make Mom’s special weekend complete by taking her to afternoon tea at the Brown Palace. Tea is served with plates of scones, finger sandwiches and sweets.
Chocolates & Bubbles — The Chocolate Lab, 2504 E. Colfax Ave., is featuring a Mother’s Day brunch tasting Saturday, May 8, 10:30 a.m. Begin by enjoying a sparkling cocktail with small bites, followed by a discussion of wines and chocolates. The tasting wraps up with additional scrumptious small bites. Information: 720-536-5037.
Mother’s Day Tea — Make mom’s special weekend complete by enjoying tea at the Brown Palace Hotel, 321 17th St. She’ll adore listening to the soft sounds of the grand piano float through the eight-story atrium. Tea topped with Devonshire cream from England comes with plates of scones, finger sandwiches and sweets. Information: 303-312-8900.
Music & Performances
Brantley Gilbert At Red Rocks — If mom is a country music fan, take her to Red Rocks to see the country crooner live, May 7-8. Information: 720-865-2494.
Disco Biscuits Play Mission Ballroom — The trailblazers of “trance-fusion” bridging the gap between electronic music and jam bands at the Mission Ballroom Mother’s Day weekend May 7-8, 8 p.m. Information: 720-577-6884.
Bluebird Theater Has RAC — The Portuguese-American musicians play electronica-dance music and live rock for mom May 8, 8 p.m. Information: 303-377-1666.
Art & Exhibits
Matriarch Magic: Restaurants are offering the highest amount of dining choices since the pandemic hit this Mother’s Day. Expect exquisite table settings such as this piece created by Toro Latin Kitchen in Cherry Creek North.
Colorado Women’s Art — Take mom to see the 30th Anniversary group exhibition by the 80-member Colorado Women’s Caucus for Art on display at D’art Gallery 900 Santa Fe Dr., May 6-30. Information: 720-486-7735.
Paris To Hollywood — Mom will love to see the fashion and influences of Veronique and Gregory Peck on display at the Denver Art Museum on Mother’s Day weekend and continuing through July 18. Information: 720-865-5000.
Apron Chronicles — If mom enjoys cooking she’ll adore seeing the photos, personal narratives and one-of-a-kind aprons on display at the History Colorado Center through May 31. Information: 303-447-9679.
Gardens Of The Mind — Take mom to view rarely seen Salvador Dali fanciful color lithographs of flowers and fruit at Denver Botanic Gardens on Mother’s Day weekend and continuing through Aug. 22. Information: 720-865-3500.
Translucent Reality — Artists in this exhibition on display through May 8 at Walker Fine Art, 300 W. 11th Ave., strive for enlightenment by shining through the veil where reality and fantasy overlay. Information: 303-355-8955.
Markets
Friday Night Bazaar — Grab mom for an evening of shopping, sipping and mingling in the RiNo Art District May 7. The bazaar features 40 local vendors, food trucks, craft beer and cocktails plus live music beginning at 5 p.m. Information: 720-398-6200.
Cherry Creek Farmers Market — Begin mom’s special weekend at annual Colorado Fresh Markets Cherry Creek marketplace at 1st Ave. & University May 8, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Meet neighbors, friends and buy fresh produce while eating, drinking and enjoying café area. Information: 303-442-1847.
Sports
Colorado Rockies vs. Cincinnati Reds — The Colorado Rockies are partnering with Susan G. Komen Colorado for this May 10 Mother’s Day game, 1:30 p.m. Tickets include a $5 donation to cancer non-profit plus pre-game field access for a family parade around the warning track. Information: 877-465-6636.
Mother’s Day 5K — Cherry Creek Valley moms are on course to go the distance competing in Mother’s Day 5k events at City Park May 3 and 11 starting at 9 a.m. Information: runa.com.
by Luke Schmaltz | Apr 23, 2021 | Main Articles
“An old building is like a show. You smell the soul of an old building. And the building tells you how to redo it.” – Cameron Mackintosh
by Luke Schmaltz
Casa Bonita stands shuttered alongside West Colfax like a circus gelding locked in a corral for which there is no key. First opened in 1974, the one-of-a-kind survivor from a bygone era is a testament to the optimism, pageantry and imagination of the previous century. But alas, it is currently silent as a result of COVID-19.
The Pink Palace is in the red. This 85-foot, 22-karat-gold domed tower can be seen for miles around.
As it was for most other Colorado restaurants, the mandatory order to close in March of 2020 was a crippling blow. Rather than partially reopen in May of 2020, Casa Bonita management chose to forgo the near-impossible strictures that social distancing would have placed on an entertainment concept built on human interaction.
Finally, more than a year later, there are rumblings of reopening — and a notice on the restaurant’s website confirms these murmurs. Yet, if there’s anything the last year has taught people, it is to not believe everything you read online. This is why a group of Denver residents and longtime natives who have lasting memories of this cherished institution are not going to take the possible death of fun sitting down.
Locals To The Rescue
Savecasabonita.org is a recently-launched initiative intent on spreading awareness of the cultural and historical importance of 52,000-square-foot restaurant, Casa Bonita. Led by Denver icon and Casa Bonita superfan Andrew Novick, this collective of innovators and entrepreneurs represents a larger segment of the Mile High populace that feels this beloved destination deserves another chance. “We have a large group of people in our consortium,” Novick begins. “The group we put together is made up of restaurateurs, folks who have built businesses from the ground up and branding experts. One of our people is a Latina businesswoman and we’ve talked a lot about the food and the cultural appropriation of Casa Bonita. The last thing we want to do is be a bunch of white men running a Mexican restaurant.”
Proponents don’t want Casa Bonita to suffer the fate of The Miner in Black Bart’s Cave. Photo by Andrew Novick
An Unforgettable Experience
For those who have never been there, a visit to Casa Bonita is an immersion into experiential art, culture, kitsch and otherworldly wonder. It’s an escapade into a circus-like realm of cliff divers, puppeteers, gunfighters, family photos, cave adventures, arcade overindulgence and a hype man in a gorilla suit. And yes, there’s the Mexican fare, which can leave a bit to be desired at times, but the meals always finish strong with delectable honey-soaked sopapillas. “It’s always been about the experience, not the food.” Novick explains. “I mean, how many restaurants last for [almost] 50 years?”
Money Talks
Andrew Novick is Casa Bonita’s #1 fan. Photo by Jerilee Bennett.
Rather than attempt to influence the owners of Casa Bonita via community petition, Novick and his associates chose to start a GoFundMe campaign, as a monetary donation signifies a greater commitment than just a signature. With a goal of $100,000, the fund is quickly gaining steam and, at the time of this writing, sits at nearly half of the way in just three weeks. Novick is quick to point out that the money is not intended to pay any current debts the restaurant’s parent company may have outstanding. Rather, the funds would serve as a capital-bolstered basis for participating in the conversation about the future of the restaurant. Novick explains, “We are fundraising to have the power to have a voice in the conversation.” This could play out in any number of ways, from funding a PR campaign to advertise a grand re-opening to procuring legal counsel to broker a deal between the current owners and potential new investors.
A Wild Ride
Casa Bonita’s centerpiece, 30-foot-tall indoor waterfall is modeled after the cliffs of Acapulco and pumps 26,427,000 gallons of water per year, which supplies its 14-foot-deep pool into which cliff divers and actors plunge during the shows.
Understanding the history of the Casa Bonita ownership can be as overwhelming as a visitor’s first foray into Black Bart’s Cave. Initially, it was one component in a chain of themed restaurants that began in Oklahoma City, and branched out to Tulsa, Okla.; Little Rock, Ark.; Fort Worth, Texas; and Lakewood, Colo. The chain was the brainchild of artist, innovator and business mogul Bill Waugh, who was responsible for numerous spectacles of themed entertainment including the Crystal’s Pizza and Taco Bueno chains. In 1982, Waugh sold his company to Unigate, who, in 1992, sold it to CKE restaurants (owners of Carl’s Jr.) who then created a spin-off company in 1997 for the two remaining locations. Today, that company is known as Summit Family Restaurants which is a subsidiary of Star Buffet. When it comes to a discussion about the current state of affairs at the Pink Palace, however, no one at either entity is currently available for comment.
Stay Positive
Meanwhile, Novick and company are holding out for a positive outcome wherein the company culture is modernized, the menu is updated and the Casa Bonita fun machine gets jump started back into action. “We want to make sure that in the future, we (savecasabonita.org) are an important voice,” Novick says. “Whether someone else procures it or if they reopen, we want them to know we are the voice of the community and the fans. The funds we generate could be used to create awareness of the reopening and to revitalize the work environment for employees.” An electrical engineer by trade, Novick is also a realist. Concerning a scenario where the funds raised by savecasabonita.org do not afford them a seat at the negotiation table to have their voice heard by the owners or future buyers, he clarifies, “I want to point out that should the funds not be put to use, all donations will be immediately returned to the donors.”
Dream On
Casa Bonita is a Landmark of the Lakewood Historical Society.
As far as procurement of the intellectual property and the business model goes, just like any dedicated Casa Bonita regular, Novick and company are also dreamers. Ideally, Trey Parker and Matt Stone (creators of South Park) would swoop in, buy out Star Buffet, and entrust the locals to run the zoo. The duo made Casa Bonita a worldwide household name in a 2004 South Park episode which prominently featured the restaurant in all of its fantastically ridiculous glory. In this “everyone wins” scenario Novick, who celebrated his 300th visit to Casa Bonita in 2019 with a wildly successful charity event, could play an integral role. “I’ve done food events, experiential events and experiential art,” he explains. “I feel my role could be VP of experience.”
For now, however, the reality of the situation is that a huge piece of Denver history and yet another beacon of the soul of the city is at stake. Star Buffet filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on April 6, 2021. So, the harsh fact of the matter is that currently, it’s all about money.
