Zoe Ma Ma Closes Denver Location But Its Owner Is Hopeful About Downtown's Future

"There's definitely emotions, but because I am looking at opportunities to still have Zoe Ma Ma serve the downtown Denver market, I don't feel like it's a goodbye — otherwise, I'd be in tears right now," says Edwin Zoe.

Fifteen years ago, he opened the first Zoe Ma Ma in Boulder. Heading up the kitchen there: his mother, Anne Zoe, who quickly became known for dishing up home-style noodles, dumplings and rice bowls rooted in the family's native Taiwan.

In 2015, Zoe added a second location next to Union Station, at 1625 Wynkoop Street, but last week, it served its final guests — for now.

"Our lease is up this month. With the environment we were initially in — which was very dependent on the office workers — that environment has changed, and it just didn't make sense to continue our operations there," Zoe explains. "We just can't make another ten-year commitment."

But, he adds, he does plan to make sure fans in Denver can still get a taste. He's currently working to launch catering and delivery services in the Mile High market, and there are some other potential opportunities simmering.

Zoe emphasizes that he's still a big believer in the future of downtown Denver — in 2022, he opened Dragonfly Noodle on the 16th Street Mall amid the ongoing construction, nabbing our pick for Best Ramen in 2023.

Operating there has been challenging, too, but he notes that "we're starting to see improvement with the opening of the 16th Street Mall. We have started to see the return of pedestrians — that vitality coming back." He knows the shift will take time, though.

Still, "I do want to commend Mayor Mike Johnston — I see the efforts he's putting in to revitalize downtown. Many of the concerns and criticisms are valid, but we also have to recognize the effort people are putting in," Zoe says, adding praise for the Downtown Denver Partnership and its vice president of economic development, Sarah Wiebenson.
Last year, the original Zoe Ma Ma moved from its first home to a new location at 919 Pearl Street in Boulder. "We love it," Zoe says of the change. "Our old location on 10th Street was like our little baby that we never wanted to grow up, but we were busting at the seams."

The new location is facing a potential challenge of its own, though. A Boulder ballot initiative proposes the permanent closure of West Pearl Street to traffic, something that was  done in 2020 to allow restaurants to expand their outdoor dining during the pandemic before that stretch was reopened.

According to Zoe, while a street filled with pedestrians may look appealing on a warm summer day, the reality is much different for businesses that operate year-round. "What people don't realize is that at night, it was abandoned," he says of the original closure. "I'm hoping we can convince the people of Boulder that this is a really misguided ballot initiative."

Zoe was well ahead of the issue that's inspired another ballot initiative that's sparking a lot of conversation in the restaurant industry. Dubbed the restaurant relief act, House Bill 1208 would decrease the tipped minimum wage in municipalities with a higher minimum wage than the rest of the state, including Denver, where it has risen sharply since 2019. The goal is to relieve some of the financial stress restaurants are under in the current economic climate and to help close the pay gap between front-of-house workers and back-of-house employees, who have historically made much less than their tipped colleagues.
Over a decade ago, Zoe Ma Ma became one of the first restaurants in Colorado — and in the country — to implement a service fee and utilize tip pooling, which is one of the strategies more owners have tried in recent years to help bridge that pay gap.

Zoe Ma Ma still operates with a service-fee model. "It's a really great tool for restaurants to consider," Zoe says. "But I also recognize that there are cultural habits that are hard to break" — for diners, owners and employees alike. "I am supportive of colleagues and fellow restaurateurs who cannot get away from the tipping model," he adds. "I completely understand the challenges of moving away from that."

While Zoe is focused on a brighter future, he shares one moment that occurred while he was taking down fixtures and cleaning up Zoe Ma Ma's longtime Denver home. He recalls a man with a young son and daughter in tow popping in to ask if the restaurant was closing.

As he explained that, yes, its lease was up, "The little boy started to tear up — he put his hands over his eyes to try to stop from crying. It was such an emotional moment to me," Zoe says. "A restaurant is not just business, it's an integral part of our community. Some of our most important moments happen at restaurants. ...Every time I see a restaurant closing, my heart really does break."