December 3rd 2024.
Deep Roots Winery, a popular spot in the RiNo neighborhood, will soon be relocating to Golden, becoming the second winery to leave RiNo this month. The current location, which has been operating since 2021, will close its doors on December 15th and reopen in mid-January at a new address on Catamount Drive. However, the eatery and taproom will not be making the move with them.
Teara Walters, who co-owns Deep Roots with her husband Steve, expressed their excitement about focusing solely on their wine selection. They will also be expanding their offerings to include hard ciders and lemonade wines, now that they won't have to worry about food production. For those looking for a bite to eat, food trucks will be rotating through their new 3,000-square-foot space.
The decision to move was partly influenced by the rising costs and declining wine sales experienced by their fellow RiNo winery, Infinite Monkey Theorem, which will be permanently closing at the end of the month. Walters explained that the move will help cut costs and hopefully make up for the decline in revenues over the past two years. They also plan to focus on distribution, something they couldn't do before due to limited production capabilities in their previous kitchen space.
The new Golden location was already part of the Walters' long-term plans, as they live in the area. However, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic made them realize that it was time to make the move. They signed a three-year lease in June, with rent being about half of what they were paying in RiNo.
In addition to cutting costs, the move will also result in a smaller staff, with just two part-time employees initially. However, they plan to hire two more part-timers in the summer. The process of moving equipment to the new location has already begun, and they are expecting to finish the job by mid-December. Construction on the bar will also start this week, in a space that is already mostly ready for them, complete with a patio and views of the foothills.
The move to Golden will be entirely self-funded, costing the Walters around $30,000, a far cry from the $400,000 renovation they did in RiNo. The original Deep Roots location in LoDo closed in February 2022, and Walter's sister, who was the general manager and chef, moved to Germany with her military husband. This has been an especially challenging time for the business, with low foot traffic and declining sales over the past few years.
The idea of operating in both RiNo and Golden was considered, but ultimately not feasible due to the declining foot traffic in RiNo. The Walters also have full-time jobs as healthcare consultants, in addition to raising three children, so managing two locations would have been too much. However, they are looking forward to returning to what they love and focusing on their wine selection.
Deep Roots is not the only business facing challenges in RiNo, as 14er Brewing recently closed after an eight-year run. It seems that the neighborhood is going through some changes, but Deep Roots is optimistic about their future in Golden. To stay updated on Denver's food and drink scene, be sure to subscribe to our new food newsletter, Stuffed.
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