DENVER — Unseasonably warm weather is bringing an early summer rush to local bars and restaurants across the Denver metro area, providing a much-needed boost to businesses during what is typically their slowest season.
In Larimer Square, the patios are packed. At Tamayo, the restaurant has been busy for the past month and a half.
"It fills up quickly, and then it continues through happy hour, all into the evening and even to the later parts of the evening, because it's staying warmer at that time," Scott Rash, general manager of Tamayo by Chef Richard Sandoval, said.
Rash said reservations at Tamayo were completely booked from Friday to Sunday, boosted by large conferences and multiple sporting events happening downtown during the 78 degree weekend.
"Definitely keeping full and adding extra staff, which is helping out everybody. They're loving it because they're constantly busy," Rash said.
The early arrival of spring is also drawing crowds in Olde Town Arvada, where temperatures have broken records on multiple occasions this year.
"People want to come out. They want to sit on the patios. They want to enjoy a cocktail, just to be outside enjoy the sun," Scott Spears, owner of School House Kitchen and Libations, said.
Spears said Olde Town's designated drinking zone, which began last fall, is paying off sooner than expected thanks to the early arrival of spring this year.
"It's been good for business. I mean, the economy is a little bit rough right now, but it is. It's definitely helpful," Spears said.
The surge in foot traffic comes at a time when restaurant margins are tighter than ever. According to the Colorado Restaurant Association, owners keep just 3 cents from every $1 spent after operating costs.
"Local restaurants need every dollar they can get right now, amid rising costs and overall declines in consumer spending. An extended patio season is a springtime gift for local restaurants," the Colorado Restaurant Association said in a statement.
"We're all small businesses down here. We're all individually owned. There's not big corporations, and you're helping the people that are usually behind the counters," Spears said.
Business owners are optimistic the early sunshine is a sign of what is to come.
"Hopefully, absolutely good, early start for the summertime," Rash said.
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