Denver restaurant struggles to stay open during Colfax construction as city helps small businesses

A city-led project to improve transportation efficiency along Denver's East Colfax Avenue is taking a toll on local businesses, with some longtime staples worrying they may have to close their doors, despite help from the city.

Maud Schaefer grew up in Tommy's Thai.

"I grew up here and working here and helping out here ever since I was probably 12, working in the kitchen and then helping out front as I got older. So we all grew up here," said Schaefer. "It has meant our livelihood."

Her family founded the restaurant in 1988.

"It's just traditional, like Thai street food. When we first opened, Thai food was unknown, so they kind of had to adapt the recipes," said Schaefer.

Schaefer says business had been steadily improving since the pandemic, until February of this year, when construction on the East Colfax Bus Rapid Transit Project reached their door.

"They just kind of showed up, and the street was closed, fenced off, and that was the beginning," said Schaefer.

Since then, Tommy's Thai has seen about a 35% decrease in business.

"There's been some Fridays that we've had only, like, four or five tables total," said Schaefer.

Those who do come have trouble accessing the restaurant.

"I've had some people pretty upset getting in here and saying, telling me, you know, 'it took us an extra 10 minutes. We had to drive around and then around again, and the street was closed,'" said Schaefer.

Some Colfax businesses have already closed, and Schaefer fears Tommy's Thai could be next if business doesn't bounce back soon. She says the restaurant has already had to let some staff go.

"I know that it negatively impacts the amount of people that want to come down to Colfax because there's construction happening. We're absolutely aware of that," said Colfax BRT Project Director Jonathan Stewart. "We've really valued the small businesses on Colfax, and love them just as much as everybody else, and we want to make sure they're here to stay."

The $280 million project will widen sidewalks, add trees, put bus stops in the center of the road, and create bus-only lanes for a faster 24/7 bus service.

"The end goal is to make Colfax better for everybody," said Stewart.

Stewart says the city is working to mitigate the impact of construction on businesses by reducing the amount of construction time in front of each business, making alternate parking accessible and engaging with businesses and offering resources. The city has also given out 47 grants so far to East Colfax businesses impacted by the construction.

Tommy's Thai received one for $15,000.

"It's helpful, anything's helpful, really, but it's, it's very small amount of money, you know, for six months," said Schaefer.

The project should wrap up in 2027, but Stewart says the work on the side of the street directly in front of Tommy's Thai will be finished next month.

"I'm just afraid that people have already gotten to that habit of not coming down here, you know, like the 16th Street Mall construction kind of just drove everybody away," said Schaefer.

"We did learn some lessons from the 16th Street Mall that we've applied to this project. And so really, this project, one of its main missions, is to reduce that negative impact to those businesses," said Stewart.

The city has started a "We Back the Fax" campaign and even hosts Arch Lift Parties as construction makes progress. The next one will be on Sept. 2.

The city and businesses agree, the best thing for Colfax is for Denverites to keep coming out.

"We just need support from the community and the city," said Schaefer.

The next round of applications for the city's Business Impact Opportunity (BIO) Fund grants will open on Sept. 2 for eligible businesses located on East Colfax between Broadway and Glencoe.