New sports bar to open at former Harpo's site
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
The former Harpo's and Ralphie's sports bar site at 2860 Arapahoe Ave. Photo: Mitchell Byars/Axios Boulder
A long-vacant Arapahoe Avenue site just off 28th Street will reopen as an upscale sports bar later this year.
Why it matters: Boulder's sports bar scene has thinned over the past decade, leaving a gap the new concept aims to fill.
Driving the news: Chef Oscar Padilla and his wife, Norma, are set to open the Buff House at 2860 Arapahoe Ave.
- The restaurant officially announced the name Tuesday night.
The intrigue: Padilla won Food Network's "Chopped" in 2023 and is the chef behind Gaucho Parilla in Arvada and Toro in Cherry Creek.
- While menu specifics haven't been released yet, it'll almost certainly feature the Latin flair for cooking Padilla learned growing up in Mexico City.
- "We just want to make sure we have a nice place with good food," minority owner Joe Manzanares of Denver told us.
Catch up quick: The building was originally a Big Boy location in the 1960s and then a Hooters in the '90s.
- The site might best be remembered as home to the sports bar Harpo's from 2004-2018.
- A sports bar called Ralphie's opened in early 2019 but closed that same year.
State of play: The building, owned by Tebo Properties, has sat vacant since then and needs repairs before the new team can open.
- They've already put in turf to extend the street-side patio, per Manzanares.
The vibe: Manzanares describes the Buff House as "Aspen lodge" meets University of Colorado Boulder sports memorabilia.
- Yes, but: The spot and menu won't necessarily cater to students, but to residents and visitors, he said.
Between the lines: Since 2018, Boulder has seen Harpo's, Ralphie's, Lazy Dog and now even the Dark Horse close, leaving the city with a dearth of sports bars.
- Many eateries have struggled with high rent, hiring problems and the seasonal nature of the city's student population.
What's next: Manzanares said the dream is to open by summer, but depending on what fixes the building needs, September might be more realistic.
- Either way, the new team hopes to stop the revolving door at the site.
- "We feel like we're going to be around for a long time, so we want to have a good product right out of the gate," Manzanares said. "We really wanted to give something back to Boulder."
Editor's note: This article has been updated with details throughout.