Falling Rock Tap House Closes Doors For Good After 24 Years In LoDo

DENVER (CBS4) - After 24 years of business in Denver's LoDo neighborhood, Falling Rock Tap House closed its doors for the final time Sunday night.

The owners announced their decision last weekend, saying the pandemic was "the icing on the cake" after a tough 5 years.

"It's just time," said Chris Black, who owns the bar with his two other brothers, Al and Steve. "The last year was exhausting, the previous five years have been really challenging, and I think we came to a good spot here."

According to Black, increased competition, trouble staffing, nearby construction, and a changing LoDo were all factors in the decision to close permanently.

"This neighborhood is changing, and the crowd is changing, and it doesn't really fit in with our crowd," Black said.

The staple in Denver's craft beer scene opened in June of 1997. With dozens of taps and countless bottles in the cellar, it was the place to find rare and unique beers in the LoDo neighborhood.

The bar also considered itself the unofficial headquarters for the Great American Beer Festival.

"When we started there were not events during Great American Beer Festival week, and in 2019 there were over 1,100 events," Black said.

To prepare for closing, Falling Rock sold off bottles from the beer cellar and memorabilia throughout the week. On Sunday, longtime customers came to say their goodbyes and have one final beer.

"Neither of us broke down and cried, but we both kind of were like, 'This is really sad.'" said Chad Anderson, who frequented the bar with his wife.

An hour and a half before closing, a bagpipe band from the Bull & Bush Brewery played songs as customers raised their glasses to salute the bar. It closed for good at 5 p.m.

"If you like those small businesses, if you like that bar, that restaurant down the street and you love it, go visit those places. They need your help," Black said.

According to Black, the landlords plan to lease the building for a while and then sell it. The bar owners are also working with the History Colorado to preserve the Falling Rock sign for its beer exhibit.