Sad news for fans of burgers, cheese curds and fried chicken in Arvada: The second location of Steuben's, which opened in 2016 at 7355 Ralston Road, has shuttered. Its last dinner service was on August 22.

Secret Sauce owner Josh Wolkon plans to use the space as a commissary kitchen for the Steuben's food truck, as well as a spot to produce the many desserts served at the original Uptown location at 523 East 17th Avenue and at its sister restaurant next door, Ace Eat Serve.

“I know I speak for many in our industry when I say this past year and a half has forced us to re-evaluate our business models," Wolkon said in a statement about the closure. "We all had time to consider what’s important to us and what makes us happy. Through most of the pandemic, my efforts were focused strictly on Steuben’s and Ace, our two neighboring restaurants in Uptown Denver, while Steuben’s Arvada remained closed. With a smaller operation, I had more time to connect with both staff and guests. It became clear to me that this busy Uptown block was the sweet spot for myself and our team. I’m excited to have more time to further develop our Wellness Program, which has become part of the culture of Secret Sauce.”

As restaurants continue to struggle with staffing, rising food costs and uncertainty around the future of dining out with the spreading of the Delta variant, it's not surprising to see an owner make a move like this. It's also a reminder of the many lessons learned from operating during a pandemic.

While this is a blow for Arvada's dining scene, the move could strengthen the original Steuben's, ready to serve up comfort food this fall and winter.