The team behind Matchbox, 715 and Squire Lounge will be converting the Bar Fausto space in RiNo to a cocktail bar more closely resembling their other ventures. Owners Sudhir Kudva, Michael Reilly, Colin Hankins and Corey Costello will be working with current owner Jonathan Power — who will maintain a 10% stake in the new business — to create a leisurely yet sophisticated space complete with a DJ booth, couches and a revamped patio.
The entirely refurbished outdoor space will feature an urban garden that includes a native wildlife xeriscaped habitat. They will be renaming the location Gold Point — an homage to the old Gold Star Sausage Factory and the rich history of the Five Points neighborhood. The garden will grow a variety of herbs — fennel, rosemary and mint amongst others — to be used in cocktails, while the wildlife space will cultivate plants that attract bees, birds and other indigenous pollinators. “Whatever the bees and the butterflies want,” said Reilly regarding the exact makeup of the plant life.
The group plans to keep the space open as they seamlessly transition it to its new incarnation — hoping for a full transfer by late summer. This is good for fans of Bar Fausto and Matchbox alike, who will be able to enjoy the best of both worlds — with the Bar Fausto sign remaining for the time being. A collaboration with neighboring sour beer emporium Goed Zur for a new food program is also in the works.
While the cocktail lounge vibe and a cultivated drink menu will still remain, the new venue hopes to encourage more dancing and debauch. The bar will be largely untouched, but there will be a fairly serious overhaul of most of the interior, with the patio being the only element that is entirely new.
“When you set the tone to a certain thing, likeminded people tend to gravitate towards that,” said Reilly, indicating that the new atmosphere could lean towards a more upscale 715. With so many bars and restaurants only serving a short tenure before they shutter, it’s nice to see members of the neighborhood collaborating to revitalize and continue precedents that have already been so well enjoyed.
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Gold Point is located at 3126 Larimer St., Denver. It is open Monday through Friday 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. and Saturday and Sunday 12 p.m. to 2 a.m.
All photography by Colin Wrenn and Alden Bonecutter.