Mustard’s Last Stand, a Boulder staple for nearly 50 years, will close its doors ahead of a planned demolition in late 2027 or early 2028.
While many assumed the closure was tied to Boulder’s Civic Area redesign, city officials say the demolition has been planned for over a decade because the building sits in a high hazard flood plain.
After news of the impending closure broke, dozens of customers flooded the restaurant on Tuesday to order one more Chicago-style hot dog and share their memories.
Owner Dan Polovin was floored by the outpouring of support.
"It's very gratifying that we created something people enjoy and makes them happy," Polovin said.
"I grew up in the middle of Chicago, and everybody has their favorite hot dog stand," he added.
For many, Mustard's is their favorite stand. Tim Plass with Historic Boulder said he wishes he visited the iconic lunch spot more now that he knows it is leaving.
"This is a nice place to get a great hot dog for a reasonable price, and that's going to be missed," Plass said. "Right now, there's not a place for Mustard's, but it would be great if they could stay downtown."
With hard work and plenty of poppy seed buns, Polovin created something special.
"So my goal was to create a owner-operated hot dog stand that became part of the community," he said. "All that sense of community has been there for my whole career."
Now, Polovin worries where that community will move. Sarah Huntley, a spokesperson with the City of Boulder, said the demolition is about safety.
"It is true that the building that Mustard's is currently located in is going to be demolished," Huntley said. "However, there seems to be an unfortunate misunderstanding in the community that the reason for that is because we are redesigning the Civic Area Park."
The actual reason, she said, is because the building sits in a high hazard flood plain, which the city defines as an area where high risk to human safety exists.
Mustard's leases the space from the city, and two municipal buildings on the lot will also be demolished.
The city said there is still a chance the restaurant could find a new home somewhere else in Boulder.
"We have had some preliminary conversations with the owners of Mustard's about the possibility of there being a solution in there," Huntley said.
Polovin said the city has offered help in finding a new location, but he is frustrated by the lack of a clear plan for his business.
"I've been singing this song to deaf ears for 10 years….I’ve reconciled with it," Polovin said.
With about two years left, Polovin said he is content knowing the restaurant has become a part of Boulder’s history and will keep pumping out hot dogs until the end.
"We’re here until the wrecking ball comes," Polovin said.
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