A Stapleton Pioneer Restaurant Will Close After Twelve Porky Years

Back in 2007, the Stapleton neighborhood was still new enough that if you used the word "Stapleton" in conversation, longtime Denver residents might have thought you were talking about the airport. But when the East 29th Avenue Town Center was completed, and a pig-themed restaurant called The Berkshire opened there, folks began thinking about the neighborhood in terms of destination dining.

The Berkshire, opened by Andy and Krissy Ganick, made a name for itself in east Denver for its pork-heavy but never overly indulgent menu, but a combination of factors have led the Ganicks to close their restaurant on February 2. The Berkshire's Facebook page announced the closing earlier today with the message: "It’s with a heavy heart we announce the Berk’s farewell celebration. Please come toast us and celebrate during our last two weeks of service. Thank you to all of you, we wouldn’t have made it this far without you."

In a separate email, the restaurant noted that "due to the challenges of staffing from new restaurant openings along with the low rate of unemployment, it was no longer feasible to maintain operations. The rise of rent and an increase in the minimum wage for the front of the house also contributed."

The Ganicks are inviting longtime regulars to drink the bar dry from 9 p.m to close on Saturday, February 1, and then one last brunch will be served on Sunday, February 2. There will be T-shirt and sticker giveaways with food purchases while supplies last.

The Ganicks have one other restaurant in town; in 2016 they opened The Pig & the Sprout at 1900 Chestnut Street, where they were also on the advance guard of eateries moving into brand-new retail spaces in the blocks behind Union Station. While the days of eating high on the hog at the Berkshire will soon come to an end, you'll still be able to pig out with pigs in a blanket, pig chips and bacon candy at its sibling restaurant.