Pete's Monkey Bar closes tonight

After two-and-half years, Pete Penzastadler is closing Pete's Monkey Bar tonight with one last blowout. Penzastadler, who calls it "a fucking awesome run," is closing the spot because he just needs to move on, he says...

By Patricia Calhoun

April 30, 2012

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After two-and-half years, Pete Penzastadler is closing Pete's Monkey Bar tonight with one last blowout.

Penzastadler, who calls it "a fucking awesome run," is closing the spot because he just needs to move on, he says.

In October 2009 Penzastadler, a former bartender at Sancho's Broken Arrow a few doors down on East Colfax Avenue, opened Pete's Monkey Bar in the former Dulcinea's 100th Monkey spot.

It had been part of the Bianchi brothers' Quixote's empire of clubs since 2002, and Penzastadler kept the place Dead-centric.

"There's been a lot of great things going on here," Penzastadler says. "A lot of great benefits to help other people out, which were some of the best things. There were a lot of great bands and a lot of great people coming in and out."

And we have no doubt that what's going in that spot next will be great, too. Watch for details later this week.

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Patricia Calhoun is editor-in-chief of Westword, the alt-weekly she co-founded in September 1977. She’s been inducted into the Colorado Press Association Hall of Fame, the Association of Alternative Newsmedia Hall of Fame and the Colorado Restaurant Association Hall of Fame. She’s also received dozens of local, state and national awards for writing, including first place for feature writing and first place for column writing with the Society of Professional Journalists. Patricia is a weekly commentator on Colorado Inside Out, PBS 12's public affairs roundtable, which has won two Emmys.

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