Colorado Kitchen (Inventory?) For Sale!
25 June 2008 12:08 AM | By Prince Of Petworth in North Country, Restaurants 
Colorado Kitchen, originally uploaded by christaki.
Sometimes I hate it when my Scuttlebutt turns out to be true. Thanks to an eagle eyed reader who spotted this auction sale announcement. Rasmus Auctioneers is calling this sale “Super Short Notice” and will be auctioning off “inventory”, exclusively on the internet, Monday, July 7th, 2008 at 11:00am. The site says: “Colorado Kitchen a popular DC eatery has come to the end of its lease and the building is slated for redevelopment. Complete inventory posted next Tuesday”. This is really sad news. Located at 5515 Colorado Ave NW, Colorado Kitchen was one of the greatest spots up in North Country. Some people have voiced complaints about the owner/chef but I think there is almost universal agreement that the food was spectacular. Colorado Kitchen – you will be missed. Thank you for your many years of great food.
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25 June 2008 4:00 AM | GforGood Said:
Well, this does not mean it cannot move somewhere else, does it?
25 June 2008 5:07 AM | reuben Said:
damn.
25 June 2008 7:15 AM | DCDireWolf Said:
You would think the landlord would be thrilled to have a tenant like Colorado Kitchen and bend over backwards to keep it, but maybe liquor stores pay more rent.
The high commercial rents in this city kill a lot of local businesses, either when they’re young or before they get started. It’s one reason, a big reason, you see a lot of big, national chains everywhere and not as much home grown, organic retail, like you may see in neighborhoods in other cities.
25 June 2008 7:17 AM | Anonymous Said:
This hurts, it really hurts.
25 June 2008 7:25 AM | Shawn Said:
Wow, I have not been yet but I’ve heard the food is great. It is actually one of Washingtonian’s top 100 restaurants in DC (how much that means, I don’t know).
How much longer do I have before I can’t try it?
I wonder where they will move. I don’t think a liquor store will go in afterwards?
25 June 2008 8:26 AM | Steve Said:
Maybe they can move into Meridan’s old space. It backs to the tail end of Colorado Ave.
25 June 2008 8:35 AM | INMHIIYNTYAH Said:
The close-in suburbs have more homegrown and organic retail and eateries than the city does, go figure.
25 June 2008 9:04 AM | chris Said:
I am devasted….
25 June 2008 9:14 AM | M Said:
This is sad news. We visited this place when she first opened. She made us home made cookies at our request and served milk. I haven’t been in a long time…the wait times for a table have become unbearable, but anyway, hope she opens somewhere else.
25 June 2008 9:43 AM | Nita Said:
Maybe they can buy the EatMoreFriedChicken place
25 June 2008 9:45 AM | GforGood Said:
DCDireWolf, what makes you conclude it will be a liquor store? As I read it the whole building is going into a re-development. Therefore, it _might_ be difficult to continue the operation of the restaurant during the construction. However, since I don’t know any facts, I would not want to speculate.
25 June 2008 9:51 AM | DCDireWolf Said:
I have no idea if it will be a liquor store or something else. But looking around the city, I notice that there are more liquor stores than good restaurants, so I used “liquor store” to make my point. Could have used a lot of things I guess. Don’t read too much into it.
25 June 2008 9:56 AM | shaw rez Said:
I love Colorado Kitchen. I would like to put a plug in for them to move to Shaw! There’s a small old chinese takeout across from Azi’s at 9th and O where I can totally see them. Also, there’s the new Douglas Development building at 9th and N. oohh ooh ooh, or the building at 9th and Q that’s for lease (formerly a pizza place). The possiblities are endless!
25 June 2008 10:09 AM | David Said:
And there are plenty of good spots in the area around 14th and Quincy, many of which are empty and in the process of being updated. Of course, the EatMoreFriedChicken would be great as it is steps from the metro, but only if the Fried Chicken folks move to 14th for us!
25 June 2008 10:13 AM | cupcake Said:
It is slated to be a condo building with retail in the first floor. The issue is that it is one story now and they are adding three additional floors. The current tenants can not stay there while they add on to the building. It doesn’t have to do with high rent, moving to the suburbs or liquor stores. The person/company who owns the building has been waiting for all the leases to be up so that the building can be redeveloped.
There are issues with that area and development. The building that used to house Twins (jazz club) across the street has been vacant for a long time and is an eyesore – technically it has been “condemned”. Twins moved to U Street. I hope that given our loss (I am a northie) the developement actually gets done and the area improves.
I also, agree with posts above – why give up and sell everything? Given the following and the amount of available real estate, certainly there is somewhere relatively close-by they could move??
25 June 2008 10:17 AM | David Said:
cupcake, as I see you are a northie, I understand there is good dim sum in that direction. Ideas?
25 June 2008 10:35 AM | cupcake Said:
Really – do tell. I had no idea. Unless you are thinking of way north – like Fortune in Silver Spring. It is at teh intersection of Colesville and 16th in The Blairs parking lot.
25 June 2008 10:38 AM | GforGood Said:
I second David’s suggestion on 14th St North of Tivoli all the way up to about.. err.. Shepherd or so. That area could do with some more variety in terms of dining options. Of course Georgia Ave etc. would be great locations for it too.
What might also in the minds of the owners of the Colorado Kitchen is moving somewhere to open a place with a new theme/cuisine. Perhaps PoP or anyone here could pop in and try to ask them?
25 June 2008 10:55 AM | cupcake Said:
There’s an awesome spot at 14th and Crittenden. It houses a realtor or developer right now, but has a For Lease sign in the window and the possibility of an amazing outdoor patio.
25 June 2008 11:33 AM | Anonymous Said:
I think that was a secondary location for Twins. The U-street location has been there quite a while. It is very eerie to look inside those windows though, it’s as if no one had cleaned up from their final night, like time is frozen on the morning after. I imagine this would get old if you lived next to it, though.
25 June 2008 11:43 AM | Amy Said:
I wonder if the tin ceiling will also be up for sale? Always wanted a tin ceiling in my kitchen….
25 June 2008 11:49 AM | DCDireWolf Said:
Great, more condos. I agree that part of the city needs an injection of something, but more condos? Aren’t we in a housing crisis? Isn’t there a glut?
25 June 2008 11:52 AM | Flipflopirate Said:
Sad!? this is an outrage! The colorado kitchen was one of my favorite food spots in the hood. Despite the fact that it was staffed by despots and nestled far into the north country it was always good for some quality food at a decent price. I certainly hope they relocate within the CH/PW area and would def support a move to the 14th street area. Between the derby, my local latino grocer, and a 14th street Colorado Kitchen I could permanently wander around the hood satisfied.
25 June 2008 11:54 AM | jindc Said:
The Colorado Ave. Twins was the original location. They opened the U St location about 5 years afterwards.
I’m sorry to see the Kitchen go. It was an old favorite.
25 June 2008 11:54 AM | dc_publius Said:
If there was a glut of housing, 1 bedrooms wouldn’t be going for $350K+ in non-’transitional’ neighborhoods. More condos = more supply = easing demand = easing prices.
25 June 2008 12:24 PM | Sad_in_NorthCountry Said:
Oh, this hurts. Had my birthday dinner there this year. Love that place. Sigh. Sigh. Sigh. I hope something great replaces it. There is a real dirth of options up our way.
25 June 2008 12:25 PM | mjbrox Said:
Am I the only one who thought the food was way over priced?
25 June 2008 12:59 PM | chris Said:
the block on which CK sits has one of the widest sidewalks (a la 17th Street NW between P and R) in the entire city. but, currently, only one tenant, Lily’s Cafe, takes advantage of it, with a lovely, defined, outdoor seating area, with plants and flowers.
no doubt there are hurdles to jump through for businesses to use the sidewalk, but there is such a great opportunity on that block, to do so….
25 June 2008 1:13 PM | Yawn Said:
No, mjbrox. I think this place is totally over-rated. Good, but over-rated. One time I waited so long for a waiter while SEATED at the table that I got up and left.
25 June 2008 2:55 PM | Petworth Librarian Said:
Uh, I live in Takoma Park and have been hearing for several months about how Colorado Kitchen was in negotiations to open a “second” location up on Carrol Ave. in “downtown” Takoma Park. Looks like they were anticipating this happening…
On a personal note, I found CK to be overrated for what it is/was.
25 June 2008 4:39 PM | Anonymous Said:
I’m glad it’s gone. Those folks were jerks. Couldn’t happen to more deserving arse-hats. Karma’s a bitch aint it.
25 June 2008 5:07 PM | Parkwood Person Said:
I thought it was good, but not earth shattering. I bet it was unique in its early days in that it they served good food and everything was from scratch, locally owned etc. But there are a lot more options for that kind of fare these days, and it seemed like they were still trying to hang on to some unique member of the slow food movement as their claim to fame. I’m all for slow food (but not super slow service…) but that can’t be the only trick up their sleeves. Man, the restaurant business must really not be for the faint of heart. Even when you’re doing fine, something like an expired lease can knock the wind out of your sails. Best of luck Colorado Kitchen folks! Hopefully a new beginning is soon to follow.
25 June 2008 5:38 PM | A Teacher Said:
Though I live and work near the place and should have gone, the negative comments and observations about the service really kept me away. Now I’ll never be able to try it.
26 June 2008 2:05 PM | bogfrog Said:
wish that Gillian would move into CH/ParkView. Lots of potentially nice buildings… one is at Warder and Irving, dozens on GA Ave, store for sale on corner of 6th and Keefer NW by Mr SPruill