Uturn BBQ and Brewery Closes Its Lafayette Drive-Thru and Restaurant

Barbecue and beer through a drive-up window seemed like a great idea at the time.

January 22, 2019

Uturn BBQ

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Uturn BBQ, which opened less than two years ago in a former Burger King, has closed its doors. The Lafayette brewery and restaurant had offered a somewhat novel approach to craft beer, selling it by the six-pack or the single can through a drive-thru window, where employees also dished out several styles of barbecue. Uturn will be replaced by Lark Spot, a new concept from the Larkburger chain, according to a December 21 Facebook post.

Weston Trapp and his family, who own a Boulder restaurant design business called Trapp Associates, had hoped that the drive-thru concept would appeal to busy commuters and families wanting to make a quick dinner stop. Uturn also offered a fast casual-style dining room with lunch and dinner counter service.

“We just want to keep it simple: cold beer and really great barbecue," Trapp told Westword in late 2016. “We wanted to offer the whole package with one stop...so a drive-thru was key with this." The Trapps began by brewing two beers on site and slowly added two or three more over the past year.

But the idea never really took off.

"We are sad to announce that as of last week, we served our last BBQ sandwich, and UTurn BBQ has closed it's doors," the brewery posted on Facebook. "Many thanks to all of those who supported UTurn BBQ."

Trapp couldn't be reached for comment Monday night, but we will add his comments if he replies.

Uturn is the second brewery in the seven-county metro area to close in 2019 — and it won't be the last. Lost Highway Brewing in Centennial closed on January 2.

Jonathan Shikes is a Denver native who writes about business and beer for Westword.

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