Reader: Broker Closing Marks the End of an Era

After 45 years, The Broker will close at the end of service on December 31. At one point, the Broker was a mighty mini-chain with locations tailored to different neighborhoods around Denver and Boulder; today only the downtown flagship, located in an old bank building, remains. And after tonight, it will be gone, too. But it leaves behind plenty of memories. Says Anthony:

 The Broker will always hold a special place in my heart. On Valentine’s Day 1987 I took my future wife on one of our first dates there. We now have three daughters, a granddaughter and have been married for 23 years.

Adds Victoria: 

My husband and I went to The Broker in 1978 for the first time when we were teenagers. It was before a Snowball Dance at Pomona High School. Many family celebrations were held there. My son's graduation luncheon is one of my most cherished. The Broker is where I was married. We celebrated our wedding anniversary there on December 12. That night we were told that they were closing. I will miss this place so much as it was a part of my life for nearly 40 years. Thank you for sharing the news.

Comments Mark: 

Many good memories there! What an awesome ambiance. We will miss it. One of Denver's icons.

Says Alec: 

Sorry to see it go, as we enjoyed many a good night there...loved the ambiance. I will say, though, that the last time we went there the food was a major disappointment.

Dave doubles down on that:

Ate there once. Not impressed.
Ate at the one in the Tech Center a few times. Not impressed.
Ate at the one on Peoria Street. Saw a cockroach climbing the wall next to me. Not impressed.

But others won't miss the Broker, judging from Sandy:

 I've lived here for 13 years and I've never heard of this place. Maybe I'm not the only one?

Asks James:

What's going to happen...gut it and turn it into one of those modern piece-of-crap restaurants that fails within a year?

We'll give the final word to Rob: 

Went there many times as a kid with my parents. It's where they took us to teach us how to eat like adults. End of an era.

Did you eat at the Broker? When was the last time? What will you miss? The Broker isn't the only iconic restaurant to close over the last few years — and at the end of January, the Wazee Lounge and Supper Club will serve its last pizza.

What will be next to go?

While 2018 will see lots of new action on the Denver dining scene, we can't help but think about what that scene has lost. What restaurant do you miss the most? Let us know in a comment, or email your thoughts to [email protected].