To get the Curtis Club off the ground, Bagus relied on skills he'd learned on his "meandering path" of a career, skills in construction honed after a decade as a musician. With the help of friends, this longtime Colorado resident pulled off a knock-out renovation of the former dive bar, handling everything from design to plumbing to tables.
Even chef Eric Johnson, who left the Flagstaff House to join the project, got in the act. "[Eric] was on his hands and knees building the kitchen with me," recalled Bagus. "We saved a lot of money by scouring used restaurant-supply places. A lot of chefs wouldn't have had the patience or physical skills to do that."
Find out what all that hard work by Bagus and Johnson has created when my review of the Curtis Club is posted here tomorrow.
