New Irish Pub, Ice Cream Parlor on East Colfax

$1.2 Million Investment; 28 New Jobs in Growing Elm District

Denver, Co—Four long-time area residents are creating new neighborhood hot spots on Colfax and Filbert Court, across the street from Marczyk Fine Foods.

It all started when Park Hill investor John Bachman scooped up the 20,000 square foot site with two buildings shortly after the holidays.

“There’s a real demand for neighborhood services around Colfax, and I’d been looking for a building to renovate,” he says. “I wanted to work with locally owned businesses and there was a lot of interest right away.”  

That’s when Andrew Cudden (Park Hill) and Glen Eastwood (West City Park), saw the first “for lease” sign and knew it would be home to their long-planned Irish pub. Cudden owns Emerald Isle Painting, a successful 15 year-old business, and Eastwood managed the popular Fado’s Irish Pub in LoDo. The new 3,000-square-foot Abbey Tavern will open late this fall with a full bar, fresh grill menu and outdoor patio.

“This will be a welcoming, family-friendly neighborhood pub,” says Cudden. “We know the neighborhood and look forward to serving folks.” 

Next, Bachman marketed a former 1,500-square-foot check cashing business and Park Hill resident Chris O’Sullivan pounced. O’Sullivan and his brother Nick own Brother’s BBQ and they plan to open an old fashioned ice cream parlor in the space in early 2014.

“I drove by that spot for 12 years thinking about an ice cream shop, and suddenly it all fell into place,” O’Sullivan says.

Nuggs Ice Cream will feature homemade ice cream, floats, sundaes, banana splits, pints for sale—all from local Colorado ingredients. O’Sullivan is making sure that everyone is welcome, with bicycle racks, dog hooks and an outdoor patio.

“We couldn’t be more thrilled with this development,” says Hilarie Portell, executive director of the Fax Partnership. “All of these owners have a vested interest in Colfax and creating authentic neighborhood gathering places. This was the number one thing people wanted when surveyed last year.”

The new businesses also strengthen the mix in the Elm District, a growing neighborhood hub near Elm Street and Colfax. The area now includes the Cork House, Amsterdam Coffee Lounge, Pangaea Salon, Sol Vida Dance, Marczyk’s Fine Foods, Fairfax Wines, The Elm Restaurant, Jet Asian Grill and the Africana Café.

Collectively, the new owners are investing approximately $1.2 million in property acquisition and renovations. They’ll create 28 new jobs. In the past several years, Elm District property and business owners have invested approximately $8.75 million in other improvements.

The Fax Partnership is a non-profit organization that connects people, place, and new investment to revitalize Colfax Avenue from Colorado Boulevard to Yosemite Street. The Partnership works closely with the City of Denver on business attraction and retention, district marketing, redevelopment, crime prevention and neighborhood outreach.   For more information and to register for The Fax Partnership’s monthly e-newsletter, visit www.thefaxdenver.com.