The 9th Door in LoDo closes after 13 years, but space won’t be empty for long
But the space will live again under new restaurant group
The 9th Door has closed in LoDo. That’s no pun. Just a fact.
The 13-year-old Spanishtinged tapas restaurant, located next door to fellow neighborhood long-timer Vesta, served its last meal Saturday night.
Its space at 1808 Blake Street has already been absorbed by the Sheamus Feeley Hospitality Group, according to a news release from that company. Feeley and company have yet to announce what they plan to do with the space, but the group boasts a roster of experienced restaurant operators who have helped lead well-known establishments like Hillstone in Cherry Creek and the White House Tavern in Aspen.
“We have such immense respect for the concepts that have been built here in LoDo, long before the neighborhood was what it is now,” Sheamus Feeley, president of founder of the eponymous company, said in a news release, crediting the 9th Door and Vesta for their longevity. “We’re excited to bring something to Denver that will add to the already vibrant conversation happening here.”
Staff at the now-closed restaurant will be provided with a severance package while they seek new jobs, Feeley said.
The closure will not effect the 9th Door Capitol Hill. The sister restaurants had been sold to separate owners in recent years. Chef Brian Murphy bought the location at 925 Lincoln St. in 2017 and has since doubled down on its Spanish influence, adding a more Spanish wine to the offerings along with traditional tapas.
“We’ve got no plans to change names. We have no plans to close. Business is better here at this location than ever,” Murphy said Tuesday. “We’re excited about our future. We’re excited the whole tapas scene here in Denver.”
Whatever concept the new proprietor chooses to bring to the LoDo space, it will come to a block in transition. The Celtic Tavern and sister cigar bar Delaney’s closed their doors in the 1800 block of Blake in 2016. That vacant space is part of the rapidly redeveloping Dairy Block mini district. Developers there recently announced six more business they will be adding to the mix on the project, which seeks to attract people to the alley between Blake and Wazee streets. They include the Run for the Roses cocktail lounge and a new restaurant named Foraged.