In June, one of the best bars in the city served its last drink. But soon, the bar at 3401 East Colfax Avenue will be pouring again when the former Middleman reopens as the Lowbeam. Helming the project, which is expected to debut on October 17, is the Make Regulars Collaborative, which already operates several top watering holes in Denver, including the Horseshoe Lounge, Embassy Tavern, Pairadice Patio & Tavern and Dew Drop Inn.
The bar was originally slated to reopen quickly under different owners, but the Make Regulars group stepped in after that deal fell through.
During its seven-year run at that address, Middleman became a neighborhood favorite for cocktails as well as creative fare from chef Bo Porytko’s Misfit Snack Bar. “We are down 50 percent from last year, and we are hemorrhaging money every month now,” Porytko told Westword when the bar announced its June closure earlier this year, citing the ongoing BRT construction project on Colfax as a major factor in the loss of business. (Porytko still runs his small-but-mighty Molotov Kitschen & Cocktails on the next block.)
Also closing soon is the building’s other tenant, the Michelin-recommended Chinese eatery Q House. But there are some hopeful signs along the street, too, like the recently announced addition of a dim sum and noodles spot coming to the former Tacos Tequila Whiskey space at Colfax and York, and now the promise of drinks pouring once again as the Lowbeam’s lights turn on.
“We’re aware that the neighborhood loved and misses Middleman, and we hope to honor what was created there while ushering in a new chapter,” says Make Regulars Collaborative co-owner Leigh Jones. The group’s mission is “to create everyday spaces where great drinks, good company and community spirit thrive,” and its track record bodes well for the future of this new Colfax bar: The last Make Regulars addition was Uptown’s Dew Drop Inn, which was our 2022 Best of Denver pick for Best New Bar and continues to thrive as a neighborhood go-to.
The group says that patrons can expect affordable drinks and a welcoming atmosphere, and we’re excited to belly up at the Lowbeam soon.