After more than 100 years of combined business — four recognizable Denver destinations are closing the doors for good. The news of these closures comes after Paramount Cafe, a local icon that has been serving beers and burgers since it was converted from the historic Paramount Theatre failed to open its doors Monday morning. Now, the owners are saying that The Paramount is just one of four locations that will close this year. We spoke with Mike Plancarte of Premier Ventures Inc., to get a better understanding of his reasoning for the closures of Marlowe’s, Govnr’s Park Tavern, Lala’s Wine Bar + Pizzeria and Paramount Cafe.
“There are so many layers that went into this decision anywhere from the rising cost of doing business to minimum wage to health care, to the cost of goods, to the advent of breweries, restaurants, food trucks, food delivery service — all those compound and make a difference to what I really think is gonna change the Denver scene as we know it,” explained Plancarte. “We’ve already seen some great restaurants close before us here recently… Unfortunately, I just don’t know if this Denver scene [is] really going to see restaurants that have longevity. You’ll see a couple but I don’t think you’ll see 30, 40-year restaurants anymore. I just really don’t.”
Plancarte and his partner John Ott also released this letter to the public following the closure of Paramount cafe Monday:
“To our loyal guests, vendors, and current and past employees. Thank you for being a part of more than four decades of laughter, friendship, food, libation and celebration. We are incredibly proud of our contribution to the exciting Denver restaurant scene and have always strived for a balance of gracious hospitality and fantastic value. The longstanding success of our restaurants is a beautiful collaboration of many. We regret to announce, after a combined 121 years of business, at the conclusion of our leases we are closing the doors of our four Denver restaurants.
Mike Plancarte and John Ott are 20+ year owners of Premier Ventures Inc, and contributed significantly to the restaurant’s successes while also donating substantially to neighborhood charities. Although they are excited to pursue other endeavors and devote more time to their families, they have always treated these restaurants and communities as home.
Govnr’s Park Tavern will celebrate its last day November 11th, Marlowe’s on December 22nd and Lala’s Wine Bar + Pizzeria on December 23rd. Paramount Café’s last day of business was September 2nd. We are so grateful to our co-workers, family, vendors, and friends who have made running these restaurants unforgettable. Few relationships last so long. We will deeply miss our patrons, our employees, and the invaluable partnerships we’ve created over the years.
To our guests, we say thank you. We enjoyed serving you and it has been our pleasure to share in your memories over countless lunches and dinners, birthdays, anniversaries, and celebrations of all sorts. You are part of our family and we could not have succeeded for so long without you—THANK YOU. To our vendors, we hold you in the highest regard, as you share our passion and dedication and have worked tirelessly for our continued success. Thank you for being authentic, respecting and understanding our goals and values, and making it personal. To our thousands of wonderful employees over the years, we are eternally grateful to be part of your life stories. Many of you met best friends and partners within our walls. You’ve shared your energy, your personality, and countless hours of dedication with us and we thank you. We absolutely could not have existed without you, nor can we take the next steps without your support. We sincerely invite everyone to visit all of our restaurants to make new memories and celebrate nostalgia with us as we wind down this era. It is very important that we offer time to say goodbye. Please join us through the end of this amazing journey.”
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Marlowe’s, Govnr’s Park Tavern, Lala’s Wine Bar + Pizzeria and The Paramount Cafe, all owned and operated by Premier Ventures Inc., will close within the following year — each with a different closing date. The Paramount, being the first of the four, went dark this past weekend. The next to go will be Govnr’s Park shutting down on November 11, Marlowe’s on December 22 and Lala’s on December 23. As to who will take over these vacant spaces, Plancarte remains unsure.
“We could not have thrived for so many years without our community, many of whom we consider friends. We recognize the impression these restaurants have left in Denver, so we wanted to give as much notice as possible,” said Plancarte and Ott. “We want to not only properly say goodbye, but also give our staff timely opportunity to find their next position. This is of utmost importance to us as we end this era.”
And it does seem like the end of an era as these establishments, some of which have been serving the city for more than four decades, call it quits. For more information as it is released stay tuned with us here.
If we raise minimum wage to unreasonable levels, we’ll see even more people lose their jobs. That’s not political, I’m basically a moderate, it’s just reality. Restaurants operate on thin profit margins to begin with.