Another In-N-Out Burger is about to open — and one Denver sports-bar owner knew about it long before the rest of us. Chris Fuselier runs the Blake Street Tavern, at 2301 Blake Street, but he and his brothers also own the property at 9171 West Westview Road in Lone Tree, where the California burger chain is getting ready for its grand opening, possibly before the end of February.
Fuselier says his family bought the property in 1998 and operated the Suds Factory Car Wash there for 21 years before closing it. When they put the property up for lease, he and his brothers weren't sure if they wanted a restaurant or another kind of business there, he recalls, but when In-N-Out showed interest, they knew it was the right move.
Fuselier says the agreement with In-N-Out is a ground lease, which generally means a long period of time and rent increases tied to market value. "They rarely do ground leases, so it's pretty cool to have them," he says of In-N-Out.
And with the burger chain's popularity, there's no risk of the company going out of business any time soon. Witness the hours-long lines at the drive-thru when the first Colorado In-N-Out Burger opened last November at 14150 East Alameda Avenue in Aurora. In fact, burger customers are still causing traffic congestion there and at In-N-Out's Colorado Springs location, which opened soon after. Fuselier expects the wait situation will be the same in Lone Tree.
The exact date of the Lone Tree opening hasn't been announced yet, but it will likely come only a day or two in advance. If you're craving a double-double that day, your best bet is to avoid Park Meadows and hit the Aurora outpost instead.
In addition to Aurora, Colorado Springs and Lone Tree, In-N-Out has mentioned plans for six other locations in the state so far, including Northfield, Thornton, Fort Collins and Castle Rock. And they'll no doubt all draw big crowds at every opening.