Old Chicago in Silverthorne, CO closing?

Kinda sucks. I still have a soft spot for Old C's. Some locations actually have a pretty damn good beer list, too.

 

I hear ya. Ours has Melvin IPA on draught right now.

 

How's the food? Never ventured inside because I just assume it's awful. Yes, I'm a former Chicagoan turned Coloradoan.

 

Along the same lines, the World of Beer location in Lodo closed a few weeks ago without any notice whatsoever. One Thursday evening I walked by and there were employees inside but door was locked. The next week, the place was dark, the sign was gone and you couldn't tell that it was ever there. Just seems to me that corporate chain locations need to make X dollars and if they don't, they're gone. Or they need to pay X costs forever or its see ya later. I worked for a chain restaurant in NY that was based in CA back in the day and it failed as well. The problem is that a large chain cannot adapt to the local customs or what locals like since everything has to be exactly the same from location to location. The successful food chains have managed to brainwash the public into thinking this is a good thing [but even that's weakening] but to a beer drinker, it isn't necessarily the same. IMO, craft beer drinkers do not want to see the same nationally available beers when they walk into a bar; variety and local offerings are more desirable. I don't know whether Old Chicago offered any local beers, but although the Yard House is mainly national brands it does offer some local offerings both on their regular list and on their blackboard.

 

@otispdriftwood just an FYI old Chicago is from Boulder, and they have exclusive local releases. That said the food is a heat attack and a half, but if you haven't been before.. For a chain it's not bad.

 

I've been a fan of Old Chicago for over a decade. I kind of feel that they've been very slow to embrace change in the craft beer world. For a place that is big on their 110 beers, they don't always seem to get it. I do like the food there, and I've had some very nice beers. Maybe it's just the location that I'm closest to seems poorly managed, but I do think bigger changes are needed. That may have nothing to do with this situation though. They seem to cater to the "I want to drink some beer" crowd more than the "I want to try some new craft beer" geeks.

 

The OC by me in Littleton has a solid tap list usually, expect for now with the St paddies nonsense. They always have crooked stave on tap and their happy hour is hard to beat.

 

The A-town one at Buckley and Iliff is also pretty solid. They were carrying Dry Dock beers back when they were a closet in the back of the Brew Hut. As more places have opened, they've done a good job of embracing those as well.
I think the people running the different locations probably have a major impact. Some locations really do seem to have nothing but 75 macro lagers from around the world.

 

I too have a soft spot for Old C's. As a kid I loved going to the one in Boulder (and drinking there as an adult). Food is always solid, bummer they couldn't stick around in Silverthorne, an open Old C's is a good Old C's!

 

The Baker's Brewery is less than 0.1 miles away. Good food, great beer.

 

But....but....nostalgia!