Colfax Avenue

Colfax Avenue, the Longest, Wickedest Main Street in America, has a colorful and vibrant history that must be preserved. This site is a gift to the people of Colorado and the World for historical archival purposes. All content can be found through the links in the right hand column or use the search feature in the top left. If you use any content, please credit ColfaxAvenue.org.

 

Please visit the Colfax Avenue exhibit currently on display at History Colorado entitled Forty Years on the 'Fax!

 

Thanks for visiting!

Hy's Rendezvous

Hy's Rendezvous, 6000 East Colfax Avenue, Denver (1957)

This property has been home to many businesses over the years, including Chat & Chew Restaurant (1948-1956), Hy's Rendezvous (1957), Club 6000 (1958-1960), The Embers (1961-1966), Peacock Alley (1967), The Rest of the Week (1969-1972), Tipsy Tiger (1974-19??) and Platinum Cleaners. It's currently owned by City Floral and has been recently renovated to house a plant fulfillment center called The Greenhouse.

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In 1958, the Shaner brothers bought this property to build a motel, with plans to rename the nightclub "The Gaiety."

Western Hills Motel

Western Hills Motel, 5035 East Colfax Avenue, Denver

This sign is still standing, minus the covered wagon. In 2018, an LED box was built around the sign, but the original is still hiding inside.

Erica Arthur

Neon sign rendering for Erica Arthur Fashion Shop, 9724 East Colfax Avenue, Aurora, Colorado (1950s rendering courtesy of the Shorty Hanger collection and photographed by Todd Matuszewicz)

Erica Fashion was at 9724 East Colfax from about 1956 to 1960. In the early 1960s, it became home to Tinn's Fashion Shop. By the late 1960's it was home to Arapahoe Music.

 

 

B.K. Sweeney

BK Sweeney Auto Supplies, 9429 East Colfax Avenue (undated photo courtesy of the Shorty Hanger collection and scanned by Todd Matuszewicz)

9429 East Colfax was home to Stop & Shop Super Market in the 1940s before BK Sweeney opened there in 1949. By November 1956, the building was home to Creel Automotive. Advertisements from 1933 show that the address was once home to Joe's Battery Service, a supporting business of the National Recovery Administration, which was established by FDR during the Great Depression.

Cactus Motel

Cactus Motel, 10547 East Colfax, Aurora, Colorado

Fat Daddy's Fun Center & Colony Lounge

Fat Daddy's Fun Center & Colony Lounge, East Colfax Avenue & Pearl St, Denver, 1974

Alliman Cain Appliances

 

Alliman Cain Appliances, 10214 East Colfax Avenue, Aurora, Colorado (undated photo courtesy of the Shorty Hanger collection and scanned by Todd Matuszewicz)

Argonaut Liquors, 1975

Courtesy Save the Signs

Argonaut Liquors, 700 East Colfax Avenue, Denver, 1975.

Also pictured is Safeway, which later became the recently closed Natural Grocers.

Smith's Garage

Smith's Garage & Auto Sales, Aurora? (undated photo courtesy of the Shorty Hanger collection and scanned by Todd Matuszewicz)

Anyone have an idea as to the address?

 

City Elite Cleaners

 City Elite Cleaners, 6390 West Colfax, Lakewood, Colorado, 1959

Fairfax Hardware

Fairfax Hardware, 5022 East Colfax, Denver (undated photo courtesy of the Shorty Hanger collection and scanned by Todd Matuszewicz)

This building is now home to several businesses including the Owl Saloon. The yellow and orange sign is still there and now reads "Fairfax Plaza."

Bargain

 

Riviera Motel Van

 

Trigg-McClure Realty

Trigg-McClure Realty, 11090 East Colfax Avenue, Aurora (undated photo courtesy of the Shorty Hanger collection and scanned by Todd Matuszewicz)

Also pictured are signs for Radiant Motel and Skyline Motel.

Porter's Tots & Teens Shoes

Porter's Tots & Teens Shoes, 10610 East Colfax Avenue, Aurora, Colorado (undated photo courtesy of the Shorty Hanger collection and scanned by Todd Matuszewicz)

Boling Trailer Sales

Boling Trailer Sales, 11520 East Colfax Avenue, Aurora, Colorado (undated photo courtesy of the Shorty Hanger collection and scanned by Todd Matuszewicz).

Ads from mid-to-late 1952 locate Boling Trailers at 8900 East Colfax, which is the current address of Biltmore Motel (built in 1956). Ads from February and March of 1952 locate Boling at 2567 South Broadway. A 1955 obituary for Floyd Boling states that he and his wife moved from Oklahoma to Denver in 1942 and started the business around that time.

Gambles, The Friendly Store

Gambles, "The Friendly Store," 10260 East Colfax, Aurora, Colorado (undated photo from the Shorty Hanger collection and scanned by Todd Matuszewicz)

Weiss Drugs

Courtesy Save the Signs

Weiss Drugs, 5001 East Colfax, Denver, 1947

Other signs and businesses include Ski Inc (5081 East Colfax) Joe's Barber Shop (5089 East Colfax) and Norman's Casual Shop (5091 East Colfax).

The Weiss Drugs building is still standing and is now a restaurant called The W Denver.

La Vista Motel

Courtesy Save the Signs

La Vista Motel, 5500 East Colfax, Denver, 1960

This motel, along with its sign, is still standing. New owners are in the process of renovating both the sign and the building, returning the property to a mid century aesthetic.

Aurora Printers

 

Aurora Printers and Aurora Blue Print & Supply Co, 9431 East Colfax Avenue (undated photo courtesy of the Shorty Hanger collection and scanned by Todd Matuszewicz)

The Golden Ox of Denver

 Courtesy Save the Signs

Golden Ox, 3130 East Colfax Avenue, Denver, 1975

This restaurant was originally named Lande's, but was bought by new owners in 1960 who changed the name to Golden Ox. A newspaper article dated September 21, 1960 indicates that the former owner, Jack Lande, was declaring bankruptcy. Lande's name then appeared in 1961 ads declaring him the host of the restaurant and lounge at the Riviera Motel.

 

A sign for The Factory can also be seen in the background.

The Fabric Shop

 

The Fabric Shop, East Colfax, Aurora (undated photo courtesy of the Shorty Hanger collection and scanned by Todd Matuszewicz)

A newspaper ad celebrating the grand opening of The Fabric Shop in 1957 lists the address as 9823 East Colfax. Later ads from the 1960s list the address as 9831 East Colfax.

Blue Sky Motel

Postcard from the soon to be demolished Blue Sky Motel at 6205 West Colfax Avenue in Lakewood. The sign was saved by the Lakewood Heritage Center.

Zephyr Lounge, 1975

Courtesy Save the Signs

Zephyr Lounge, 11940 East Colfax Avenue, Aurora, Colorado, 1975

This longtime Aurora bar opened in the 1940s and closed in 2020. It was demolished a few years ago to make way for a large apartment complex which was nearing completion when it caught fire in December 2022.

Aurora Pet Shop

  

Aurora Pet Shop, 10620 East Colfax, Aurora, Colorado (undated photo courtesy of the Shorty Hanger collection and scanned by Todd Matuszewicz)

This photo was likely taken in 1955 when Aurora Pet Shop moved to their new location. Google Maps shows that 10620 East Colfax is currently occupied by Estilio's Salon.

Ted's Liquors

Courtesy Save the Signs

Ted's Liquors, 3525 East Colfax Avenue, Denver, 1975.

This was at least the third location of Ted's Liquors. In 1934, they opened at 3504 East Colfax and then moved to 3525 East Colfax 17 years later in 1951. By the time this photo was taken in 1975, they had relocated to 3101 East Colfax.

Mel Moore's Aurora Jewelry

Mel Moore's Aurora Jewelry, 10400(?) East Colfax Avenue, Aurora, Colorado (undated photo from the Shory Hanger Collection and scanned by Todd Matuszewicz)

Aurora Jewelry had a few East Colfax addresses through the years, incuding 10400 and 10325. Mel Moore was also the manager at Kortz and Sons Jewelers at 9805 East Colfax in the early 1950s.

Town and Country Market

Courtesy Save the Signs

 Town and Country Market, 4300 East Colfax Avenue, Denver, 1974