First look: The Office on east Colfax will be a haven for soccer and music fans

Jon Solomon | June 6, 2014 | 8:23am

Hugh Evans used to have three indoor soccer fields housed in about 80,000 square feet where heran the Colorado Clash soccer club. There was also an 18,000 square-foot party room where large bands from Mexico would sometimes play. But after the building was bought by some pot growers and Evans and his soccer fields got the boot, he needed a place to store all that astroturf. He stumbled across the former Denver Rodeo Nightclub at 7800 East Colfax Avenue, took it over and dubbed it the Office. He'll host plenty of watch parties for soccer (and other) games as well as live bands. As for the turf? It's lying around, much of it headed for a dog-friendly patio out back.

Evans feels the bar's location halfway between the Lowry and Stapleton has huge potential. He wanted a space where people didn't have to fight traffic, like in downtown and LoDo. The Office is primarily a sports bar and restaurant -- Evans says he'll showing World Cup games, some of which will be shown on a twelve-foot by seven-foot big screen. There are thirty craft beers on tap, most of which are Colorado brews.

But Evans also hopes to turn the 5,000 square-foot building into a music venue as well. The Office sports a good-sized stage, about thirty feet wide, and Evans says he's open to a number of genres. He hopes to initially bring in some rock and jam bands during the week.