Every Opening and Closing This Week: Four Spots Shutter

Last week, Sanitas Brewing Co. shuttered all three of its locations as it said farewell amidst a challenging environment in the craft-beer industry. This week, another longtime staple in the beer scene, Call to Arms, poured its last brew.

The Tennyson Street spot was a favorite for a decade, and was among the best breweries in the metro area. It had announced the closure back in September, in a video posted to social media. “While there’s no single group to blame, or any single event [at this point the video flashes to news clips about the coronavirus], running the brewery over the last couple of years has been, the least to say, a challenge,” owner Chris Bell explained. “With so many alternative beverages and people just generally drinking less, not to mention some increasing costs, it’s just difficult to keep on going, but I’m not going to complain. It’s been a hell of a run.”

It was also a hell of a run for Mr. Lucky’s Sandwiches, which had been open in Capitol Hill since 1999. Galen Juracek took over in 2017, adding an outpost in LoHi two years later. After nearly shutting down a year ago, Juracek says that 2025 did bring an uptick in business, but not enough to keep it afloat. “It’s more of a personal decision,” he told Westword. “I don’t know that if I woke up in five years and was running a sandwich shop…I don’t know if I can see that for myself. Life is about timing, and I feel like it’s time to do something else.”

He’d originally planned to stay open through December 31, but both locations were seized by the city for unpaid taxes on December 22.

Another sandwich shop that had a much shorter run has also closed. It’s only been five months since Tessa Deli debuted a second location inside Edgewater Public Market, but owner Vince Howard has pulled the plug on that venture to focus on his original, six-year-old location on East Colfax. (If all this sandwich news has you craving a fix, check out our guide to the best sandwiches in Denver right now.)

There are also two openings to report this week, both in the suburbs. Pepper Asian Bistro, which has locations near City Park and in Highland, has added a third outpost in Northglenn, while there’s a new Japanese eatery, Koi Japanese Cuisine, in Centennial.

In other openings and closings news:

• Revisit the ten biggest restaurant closures of the year.
• Alma Fonda Fina chef/owner Johnny Curiel is opening his first tasting menu concept in 2026.
• Reminder: New Year’s Eve will be the final service at Sunday Vinyl.

Here’s the complete list of restaurants and bars that opened and closed this week*:

Openings

Koi Japanese Cuisine, 5230 East Arapahoe Road, Centennial
Pepper Asian Bistro III, 100 East 120th Avenue, Northglenn

Closures

Tessa Deli at Edgewater Public Market, 5505 West 20th Avenue, Edgewater
Mr. Lucky’s Sandwiches, 3326 Tejon Street and 711 East Sixth Avenue
Call to Arms Brewing Company, 4526 Tennyson Street

*Or earlier and not previously reported.

Know of something we missed? Email cafe@westword.com.