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Cheba Hut raised a toasty toast this week when a Weld County District Court judge overturned a ruling that had denied a liquor license to the sub shop’s Greeley location.
In April, Robert Frick, who rules on Greeley liquor licenses, turned down the company’s request, citing Cheba Hut’s pot-related marketing strategy, and spanking it with this: “This restaurant is founded upon the principles and theme of the illegal drug marijuana and incorporates other illegal controlled-substance-related themes.”
Based in Arizona, with five Colorado locations (including one that just opened in downtown Denver), Cheba Hut celebrates counter-culture themes with its artwork, its sandwich names, its branding and just about everything else. Its motto: “The only thing fried is the occasional customer.”
The sandwiches are “toasted,” of course, and come in three sizes: four-inch Nugs, eight-inch Pinners and foot-long Blunts. They have names like Panama Red (reviewed this week in Our Weekly Bread), Chronic, Kush, Endo, Acapulco Gold and White Widow.
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In his ruling, Weld County District Judge Daniel S. Maus said Frick had “acted arbitrarily and capriciously” in turning down the license, since 130 people had signed a petition supporting Cheba Hut’s liquor-license application; the store is near the University of Northern Colorado campus. He also said that the restaurant’s marketing strategy fell within its free-speech rights.
Cheba Hut spokesman Matthew Trethewey couldn’t be reached for comment Friday morning, but we’ll update this blog when he calls us back.
