Rita's Law Opens Today in Five Points

There are laws that must be obeyed, and there are laws that just make sense. "Make a friend, buy your neighbor a drink" belongs in the latter category. You can practice following this one at Rita's Law, a new bar from owner Rita Price that opens today at 2209 Welton Street in Five Points.

Price has been working to open her bar for more than a year, refurbishing a circa 1903 space that had once been part of a youth hostel. The result is a comfortable space with a lived-in feel, thanks to reclaimed materials from Denver architectural history, swivel-top leather bar stools, and decor that reflects the owner's time spent in Hawaii, Denver and Santa Cruz, California.

Price says she stocked the bar with Colorado beer and spirits in mind, but also with a balanced approach that doesn't favor any specific spirit. So you'll find beer on tap from Woods Boss Brewing just around the corner, as well as other local beers (plus a few from out-of-state), ciders and cold-brew coffee from Huckleberry Roasters.

The coffee's there as part of a morning program that kicks off at 10 a.m. daily, and that includes espresso drinks as well as pastries and other breakfast items provided by Olive & Finch. A full lunch and dinner menu of "packed bowls" (grain and salad bowls with a variety of toppings and sauces) and other bar bites designed and prepared by Katie Milano will be served from a converted school bus on the patio. The food-service style comes as a result of the bar being located 28 feet too close to a nearby school, so the city required a kitchen. Without space inside, Price found the school bus and turned it into a food truck. The patio will also be home to movie nights, with selections projected onto the white-painted brick wall of the building next door.

Rita's Law is part of a resurgence of businesses on Welton Street and throughout Five Points, but the bar, unlike the towering apartment buildings across the street, feels like it's been part of the neighborhood for much longer. To help support Five Points, Price has another law in mind: “Be better. Contribute to your community. Together we can do so much.”

Rita's Law will be open daily from 10 a.m. to midnight initially, though Price says morning and late-night hours could shift depending on demand. The space is equipped with multiple plug-in spots for laptops and mobile devices, and sunny windows during the day provide a cafe-like atmosphere. There will be a happy hour from 4 to 7 p.m., and another at the end of the night. Call 720-465-9644 or visit the Rita's Law website for more information.