Has the Battle for a Legendary Colorado Bar Been Lost?

Since 1975, The Dark Horse Tavern has been a staple in Boulder, Colorado. Known for its quirky decorations, famous burgers, and being one of the most popular places to watch the University of Colorado football games, The Dark Horse Tavern has been beloved by many for roughly half a century.

Unfortunately, it was announced that a new development project set to be constructed in the plot of land on which the Dark Horse Tavern stands would inevitably put the legendary bar in jeopardy, and despite protests, it appears that the Boulder staple may be going away sooner than anticipated.

Has the Battle for Boulder, Colorado’s Dark Horse Tavern Been Lost?

Employees, regular customers, and fans of The Dark Horse Tavern were crushed to find out that the popular bar and restaurant, famous for being decorated with quirky antiques on every wall and ceiling, was set to be torn down after 50 years in favor of a new development.

Despite numerous protests and appearances at city hall meetings, it was determined that the demolition was to go as planned in March of 2026.

However, now it appears that The Dark Horse may not be around to celebrate its 51st anniversary, as it has now been announced that the iconic landmark will likely be closed by the end of 2025.

The developer, the Williams Family, plans to build residential and commercial properties on the site where The Dark Horse has stood for 50 years, which is currently 2922 Baseline Road in Boulder.

At one point, there were potential plans to relocate The Dark Horse to the current site of the Boulder Broker Inn at 555 30th Street, but it doesn’t appear that this will happen.

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