Page 18 - November 2020 EGuide proof - The Castle Pines Connection

By Chris Michlewicz; courtesy photos
“The co went thr When roughly 2,000 people showed up for Wide Open “It was g
Saloon’s opening weekend in Sedalia the second week in
March earlier this year, owner Todd Hills saw a dream ful lled – a dream that was 10 years in the making. In 2009, Hills hosted Wednesday night bike nights in the parking lot of Top- Gun Motorsports off 58th and I-25 in Denver, calling it “Wide Open Saloon.” Its popularity exceeded its physical capacity, and in 2010 it was forced to shut down.
Hills wanted to nd a new location that was close enough to Denver but far enough that people felt like they were getting away. Sedalia seemed like the ideal spot, but it took several years for Hills to acquire the speci c location on
the southwest corner of US 85 and Hwy 67 he wanted – the historic Johnson’s Corner truck stop and diner. The building underwent major renovations, including raising the roof and knocking down walls, while still maintaining the original foundation. Designing the upper level to capture the sweeping views of the surrounding countryside and foothills proved to be a challenge, but the resulting rooftop lounge has 180-degree views of the front range and neighboring communities.
mmunity kind of watched us, the pain and anguish we ough for almost 24 months of construction,” Hills said. rueling, and the community felt that with us.”
Three days following the Friday, March 13 grand opening, Colorado’s governor issued an order to shutdown dine-in operations at bars and restaurants across the state. “By that Wednesday, we had gone from a 400-person live entertainment venue to a barbecue takeout,” Hills recalled.
Knowing the rst few months could make or break the saloon, customers from Castle Pines, Castle Rock, Sedalia and beyond came in droves, setting up lawn chairs in the parking lot, ordering food and throwing impromptu tailgate parties. While the pandemic has since forced some restaurants to shut their doors permanently,Wide Open Saloon has been thriving thanks to a tremendous outpouring of support from the community.
The Village at Castle Pines resident Meredith Love hosted her son’s graduation party at Wide Open Saloon in late June. “The venue is great for just about any type of party or gathering,” Love said, adding, “It’s a great place to go for outdoor ambiance and the food was great.” Love’s guests enjoyed outdoor games, entertainment and tasty food, and they were out by 8:30 p.m. to make way for the night crowd, which includes 20- and 30-somethings avoiding the bars of downtown Denver.
With ve separate gathering areas, including a considerable amount of outdoor space,Wide Open Saloon has a space for everyone. There is live music on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, and although capacity is temporarily limited, the wait for a table during peak hours is usually no longer than 15 minutes.
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