Every Opening and Closing This Week: Axum Ethiopian Is Gone for Good and More

Axum Ethiopian is gone, Emerald Eye is open.

July 22, 2023

There's now a fence surrounding Axum Ethiopian. Molly Martin

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
          }
        ]

Two Colfax staples have closed. On the east side of the storied street, a chain-link fence now surrounds Axum, which served food from breakfast until late night, when the place would often "become something of a dance party for the Ethiopian community," former Westword food editor Mark Antonation wrote in 2019. If you're craving traditional Ethiopian food scooped up with spongy injera, head a mile and a half west along Colfax, where you'll find the red, yellow and green building that's home to the Ethiopian Restaurant.

Farther west in Lakewood, the Red Coach Inn has poured its last drink. The century-old business, which had a view of Casa Bonita's pink tower from the bar on the south side of Colfax, "has been sold to an investment company," according to a Facebook post announcing the news. "It will be missed by many. There are lots of memories in this bar. Good and bad. Good wishes to [owners] Kuki and Jim. She finally gets to retire!!"

Waffle Brothers, which had two locations, is now closed as well. BusinessDen reports that its properties were seized by the City and County of Denver over unpaid taxes totaling $27,643.

Emily Russell, Crumbl Cookies regional manager, with her husband, Chris, and their two kids.

Crumbl Cookies

There are five openings to report this week. Chains Crumbl Cookies and Sweetgreen added locations, and Yardbird, which originated as an award-winning concept in Miami, debuted its massive location in RiNo.

Method Coffee Roasters has opened a second location on Santa Fe Drive in the former home of Molecule Effect, which was forced out by its landlord last year. It originally planned to reopen on the same block, but now those plans have been scrapped since Method has a similar concept. A second Molecule remains open in Wash Park.

And a new bar is now open in Larimer Square. Emerald Eye, which took over the former Crimson Room space, has a tropical theme and is operated by California-based group Pouring With Heart, which also operates whiskey bar Seven Grand and American Bonded; the latter reopened under its ownership in February.

In other news, a trio of brewery closures are coming:

Dos Luces will shutter sometime after its five-year anniversary party on July 29.
RiNo's Mockery Brewing will pour its last beer on August 12.
Uhl's Brewing in Boulder is planning to go out with a bang on August 6.

click to enlarge

At Yardbird, you can get a whole lobster over mac and cheese.

Yardbird

Restaurants and bars opening this week:*

Crumbl Cookies, 7505 East 35th Avenue
Emerald Eye, 1403 Larimer Street
Method Coffee Roasters, 1201 Santa Fe Drive
Sweetgreen, 8423 Park Meadows Center Drive, Lone Tree
Yardbird, 2376 Blake Street

Restaurants and bars that closed this week:*

Axum Ethiopian Restaurant, 5501 East Colfax Avenue
Red Coach Inn, 6560 West Colfax Avenue, Lakewood
Waffle Brothers, 700 East First Avenue and 1707 Lafayette Street.

*Or earlier and not previously reported.

Know of something we missed? Email [email protected].

Molly Martin has been the Food & Drink editor at Westword since 2021. Prior to joining the staff, Molly reported on the Denver dining scene for more than a decade and contributed to Thrillist. At Westword, Molly monitors restaurant openings and closings, offers dining recommendations and reports on Denver-area food news and trends. She also publishes such annual lists as Top 100 Bars and Top 100 Restaurants, and contributes to the yearly Best of Denver edition. In 2023, she was recognized with the Colorado Restaurant Association's Outstanding Media Professional award.

A message from 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