Hapa Sushi Cherry Creek Is Closing — to Move Two Blocks Away

The twenty-year old sushi company is moving its Cherry Creek outpost, so will close until September.

July 5, 2019

Image: Hapa will be offline for about two months in Cherry Creek.

Hapa will be offline for about two months in Cherry Creek. Cassandra Kotnik

Help us weather the uncertain future

We know — the economic times are hard. We believe that our work of reporting on the critical stories unfolding right now is more important than ever.

We need to raise $17,000 to meet our goal by August 10. If you’re able to make a contribution of any amount, your dollars will make an immediate difference in helping ensure the future of local journalism in Denver. Thanks for reading Westword.

Contribute Now

Progress to goal

$17,000

$5,250

Audio By Carbonatix

[
          {
            "name": "GPT - Billboard - Slot Inline - Content - Labeled - No Desktop",
            "component": "23668565",
            "insertPoint": "2",
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
          },{
            "name": "STN Player - Float - Mobile Only ",
            "component": "23853568",
            "insertPoint": "2",
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
          },{
            "name": "Editor Picks",
            "component": "17242653",
            "insertPoint": "4",
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
          },{
            "name": "Inline Links",
            "component": "18838239",
            "insertPoint": "8th",
            "startingPoint": 8,
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
            "maxInsertions": 25
          },{
            "name": "GPT - 2x Rectangles Desktop, Tower on Mobile - Labeled",
            "component": "24956856",
            "insertPoint": "8th",
            "startingPoint": 8,
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
            "maxInsertions": 25 
          
          },{
            "name": "Inline Links",
            "component": "18838239",
            "insertPoint": "8th",
            "startingPoint": 12,
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
            "maxInsertions": 25
          },{
            "name": "GPT - Leaderboard to Tower - Slot Auto-select - Labeled",
            "component": "17676724",
            "insertPoint": "8th",
            "startingPoint": 12,
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
            "maxInsertions": 25
          }
        ]

After eighteen years at 2780 East Second Avenue, Hapa Sushi was in need of an overhaul. But rather than try to renovate the aging space, the company decided to move the whole restaurant. Hapa will close its Cherry Creek sushi bar on Monday, July 8, to make the move to a larger new building — just two blocks away, at 3030 East Second Avenue.

Jessica Brookhart, director of marketing and corporate services for Hapa, says the new spot, at 4,400 square feet, will be about 30 percent bigger than the original. In addition to a bigger dining room, it will have private dining, a first for the Boulder-based restaurant group.

Brookhart adds that construction is well under way at the new location, and the final push will take about two months after Monday's closing. Customers can expect a September reopening. The old location will be converted into a non-restaurant retail business.

The first Hapa debuted at 1117 Pearl Street in Boulder in 1999 and has since spread to LoDo and the Landmark development in Greenwood Village, in addition to Cherry Creek. In 2014, the business expanded with Motomaki, a fast-casual concept serving burrito-style sushi wraps and Hawaiian poke. There are now three Motomaki outposts, in Boulder, Lakewood and downtown Denver.

Mark Antonation is the former Westword Food & Drink Editor. In 2018, he was named Outstanding Media Professional by the Colorado Restaurant Association; he's now with the Colorado Restaurant Foundation.

A message from Food & Drink Editor Molly Martin: If you value independent journalism, please consider making a contribution to support our continued coverage of Denver’s evolving dining scene and the latest culinary innovations our community offers.

Support Today