"The landlord said it in a very nice way," says O'Hearn, adding that LowDown did have some options for staying longer. "We just kind of went back and forth. We were at the end of our ten-year lease. We looked at the area, the changes post-COVID, and made a decision not to move forward, to pull the plug."
O'Hearn stresses that the brewery was profitable, but the prospect of the future was a little too uncertain. "When you look five years [out], it becomes a little riskier. Not necessarily to lose money, but to not make enough to be worth staying open," he explains.
And so LowDown will close its doors for the final time on September 30. In the meantime, readers are pouring out their thoughts on Westword's Facebook page. Says Tiffany:
So many of my favorite places closing in the last few months.Comments Angie:
I live across the street and am disappointed in this news for several reasons. First is that I love this place; the food, the staff and the patio are all top-notch! I go regularly and the staff knows me. This is my go-to first date spot because I feel safe there. Second is that they are building condos that will likely obstruct my current awesome view. No view in Denver is safe!! This city is going to be all high-rises blocking each other’s views.Responds Patrick:
Your building blocked someone else's view. This is part of living in a city.Offers Jason:
Love this place but if it was someplace other than downtown I probably would have gone more often.Adds Foster:
No parking or outrageous parking prices, with predatory parking police. Food and drink cost more. If you don't already live downtown, other than specific events, there is very little incentive to go down there.Counters Samantha:
LowDown actually has its own free parking lot…And then there's this from Kevin:
Not sure why your sub-headline is “downtown suffering” when the building was sold to redevelop as a larger condo building. Trash reporting on your part.The sub-headline is a quote from the co-owner: "In all honesty, I think it's downtown that is suffering. Less conventions, less office traffic. The demographics have changed." Although LowDown is seven blocks south of Colfax Avenue, it's in a part of town that many consider downtown and feeds off downtown traffic and all the realities and rumors about the area. (We know them well: The Westword office is right between LowDown and the Colorado Capitol.)
What do you think of downtown? Of LowDown? Post a comment or share your thoughts at [email protected].
