When the Olde Town Tavern closed on June 22, it wasn't by choice. Co-owner Amity Farahmandi told the Arvada Press that "our main line was underwater in three different places." This bar is normally open 365 days a year. So for two weeks the crew reupholstered booths, painted walls and patched a hole in the middle of the bar, and regulars came by with shovels to help. The Tavern reopened July 6, in time for the World Cup crowds.
At the time it read like a feel-good repair story. Now it looks like the first of a pattern. Since spring, three of Olde Town's well-known hangouts ran into the same problem: the old building under them. Each one ended up somewhere different. With The Bluegrass closing this Saturday, here's where things stand and what's still on the calendar between now and the new year.
Three buildings, three outcomes
Olde Town Arvada's historic buildings are part of why people love it. This year they also became the deciding factor for the businesses inside them.
| Business | Building problem | What happened | Where it stands this week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Olde Town Tavern, 7355 Ralston Road | Main line underwater in three places | Two-week closure and renovation | Open, including holidays |
| 303 Ramen, formerly 5725 Yukon Street | March 3 attic fire | Moved out of Olde Town | Open at 8025 Sheridan Boulevard |
| The Bluegrass, 7415 Grandview Ave. | Oldest freestanding building in Olde Town needs repairs, plus a lease renewal | Closing | Last day Saturday, Oct. 31 |
The Tavern could close, fix the problem and come back. 303 Ramen couldn't go back, so it relocated. The Bluegrass faced repairs and rising costs at the same moment its lease came up, and the owners decided not to renew.
The Bluegrass has until Saturday
Drew and Sheena Gordon opened The Bluegrass Coffee and Bourbon Lounge in 2015. It drew on their Kentucky roots, mixing American bourbon, a full coffee bar and live music. The pizza earned its own following. Both the Olde Town location and the Candelas location, which opened in 2020, close at the end of October.
Longtime general manager Josh Schwartz explained the reasons to the Arvada Press. Costs have been rising across the industry. The Bluegrass occupies the oldest freestanding building in Olde Town, and it needs repairs. Those pressures peaked when the lease came up for renewal. "We had some big commitments coming up, including rent and other obligations," Schwartz told the paper. In Candelas, he said, staffing was hard because the nearest bus stop is about a two-mile walk away, at 72nd Avenue and Highway 93.
There are a few practical things to know before Saturday:
- The familiar faces are staying to the end. When Schwartz told staff about the closure in early October, every one of the roughly 50 employees chose to stay through the final weeks.
- Noel was a Bluegrass tradition. The Bluegrass hosted Noel, its annual Christmas pop-up bar, and former employees came back to help staff it.
- The name might come back. Schwartz told the Arvada Press that several investors have offered to buy The Bluegrass brand since the closure was announced. He said a future version could open later, possibly somewhere else.
No one has announced what comes next for 7415 Grandview Ave.
303 Ramen is open, just not on Yukon Street
A fire started in the attic of 303 Ramen's longtime building at 5725 Yukon Street on March 3. The Arvada Press fire report said it was caused by an electrical malfunction in an attic junction box. No one was hurt. The report also said the building would not be repaired before it was sold. Firefighters found asbestos during remediation.
The restaurant reopened six months later, on Sept. 11, at 8025 Sheridan Boulevard in northeast Arvada. According to the Arvada Press, owner Natenapa Bunkrong said the new spot keeps 303 Ramen close to where it was and in the same community. It's open 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day. The menu now centers on ramen and Japanese food, and longtime favorites like panang curry ramen, shio ramen, duck cheese wontons and Thai iced tea are still on it.
One heads-up if you're giving directions to friends: the food and drink directory on the Olde Town Arvada website still lists 303 Ramen at the Yukon Street address. Send them to Sheridan.
Silver Vines has one more season
Silver Vines Winery at 7509 Grandview Ave. is the other big goodbye this year, and it comes with more notice. The owners announced on June 29 that the winery would close at the end of 2026 after 15 years in Olde Town. The Arvada tasting room stays open through December. The winery opened in December 2011 and is run today by Jeff and Kristin Chayer.
In a statement to the Arvada Press, Kristin Chayer described the winery as a gathering place "for birthdays and anniversaries, for first dates and last toasts, for Tuesday-night regulars who became some of our closest friends."
If you want a proper send-off, mark Dec. 6. Silver Vines is hosting a 15th Anniversary Party at the Arvada location that day from 2 to 6 p.m., according to the Arvada Press.
The Bluegrass closes Oct. 31 and Silver Vines closes at year's end, so two Grandview Avenue gathering spots will go dark within about two months. Neither address has a new tenant announced.
Still open on every holiday, and a new arrival
Some longtime places are holding on. The Olde Town Tavern, the one with the flooded main line, stays open on Christmas, Thanksgiving, New Year's and every other major holiday. Farahmandi told the Arvada Press she keeps it that way because "a lot of people need that." Regular hours are 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to midnight Sunday, at 7355 Ralston Road. On New Year's Eve, the Tavern's events page lists hours from 11 a.m. until 1 a.m.
Other businesses are moving in. TeeLee Floral and Events relocated from Golden to a retail and event space at 5613 Olde Wadsworth Blvd. It sells bouquets, home goods and accessories and hosts floral classes, as the Arvada Press reported. That's a useful one to know heading into the season of hostess gifts and holiday tables.
There's also a longer-term effort to keep Olde Town businesses doing the things that make the district fun. After a year without former Olde Town Arvada Business Improvement District director Joe Hengstler, known to many as the Mayor of Olde Town, the BID announced the Joe Hengstler Vibrancy Grant. It will fund art, placemaking, events, music and other activations by Olde Town businesses. The BID plans to put in $2,500 and fundraise toward $5,000, with applications opening in January 2027, according to the Arvada Press.
One errand change outside Olde Town
Arvada's only Safeway, at 7561 W. 80th Avenue near Wadsworth Boulevard, will close permanently by Nov. 14, 2026. The Arvada Press reports that Safeway made the decision after a review of the store's performance. After it closes, the nearest Safeways will be at 3900 Wadsworth Boulevard in Wheat Ridge and 3800 W. 44th Avenue in Denver. Closer to home, a Sprouts and a Natural Grocers operate at 77th Avenue and Wadsworth. Whole Foods is planning its first Arvada store at 7815 Wadsworth Boulevard, the former Hobby Lobby site kitty-corner from the Safeway. No opening date has been announced for the Whole Foods.
Dates to keep through New Year's
- Friday, Oct. 30, 5 to 7 p.m. Trick or Treat Street in Olde Town Arvada, with dozens of businesses handing out candy, a costume contest and, new this year, trunk-or-treating with classic and unique vehicles.
- Saturday, Oct. 31. Last day for The Bluegrass in Olde Town.
- By Saturday, Nov. 14. The Safeway at 7561 W. 80th Avenue closes.
- Sunday, Dec. 6, 2 to 6 p.m. Silver Vines Winery's 15th Anniversary Party.
- Thursday, Dec. 31. New Year's Eve at the Olde Town Tavern, open until 1 a.m. Silver Vines' last month ends the same day.
- January 2027. Applications open for the Joe Hengstler Vibrancy Grant.
The district's usual holiday events aren't on this list yet. Last year the Olde Town skating rink opened Nov. 26 and the tree lighting was Nov. 29, followed by Saturdays with Santa on Olde Town Square in December. For now, Trick or Treat Street is the next event on the Olde Town Arvada events page, so check back there for this year's dates.
Where are you landing now that The Bluegrass is closing? I'd love to hear about your new coffee or live-music spot. And if you're an Arvada homeowner thinking about your own next move, whether it's across town or to a different part of the metro, I'm happy to talk through what that could look like. You can find more about the area on my Arvada neighborhood page, or reach out to Jaclyn Broesel and let's connect.
