First Look: The 715 Club Opens Tomorrow in Five Points

Big news, Denver: The wait for the highly anticipated 715 Club is finally over. The bar that once belonged to the legendary Charles Cousins, in the heart of Five Points, at 715 East 26th Avenue, will host a soft opening Labor Day weekend; doors will open at 8 p.m. tomorrow, September 2  The official grand-opening party will take place on Friday, September 9.

After getting final approval for its liquor license today, the 715 team of Corey Costello, Sudhir Kudva and Michael Reilly decided to host the soft opening while they wait for their full line of product to arrive. "We couldn't get all the product, but we got as much as we can," says Reilly. "So we will be able to do business over the weekend, but it won't be at full throttle. "
"I don't think it'll feel real until I'm behind the bar and people are here with smiles on their faces," Reilly continues. "Tonight, it's friends and family only — all the heavy hitters, our regulars. We will only have the bare bones, all our wells. If we do have beer on tap this weekend, it will be from Ratio and TRVE to start."

The space pays tribute to the former glory of the 715. While much of the decor is new, including the shiny, wooden boomerang-shaped bar top, the owners saved as much from the old space as possible — including the infamous dog mural and the the antique 715 sign out front, which has been repaired. They worked for a month to fix the speaker-synced "light organs" that sit on either side of the DJ booth, a personal favorite of Reilly's.

Costello says his favorite things in the space are the made-to-order metal tables that line the open area. 

The bar's cocktail plan is in line with those of its siblings, the Matchbox and the Squire, in both pricing and liquor lineup, because "it's tried and true," Reilly says. When fully stocked, the 715 Club bar will have more draft options — about 21, with a focus on hyper-local breweries including Ratio, TRVE and even Spangalang, which is on the same block. A pop-up food kitchen will be in the mix further down the line.

The bar will usually be open for happy hour, but it's starting out with just a late-night schedule during the soft opening. 

Continue scrolling for a first look at the redesigned 715 Club; see some before pictures of the space here.