For Cherry Creek brunch loyalists, the clock is officially ticking. Syrup, the neighborhood spot that helped popularize decadent pancakes and weekday mimosas long before brunch went fully mainstream, will close its original Josephine Street restaurant on Aug. 16, ending more than 15 years in the area. The company says the move is driven by economics, and its other Denver-area locations are set to stay in business, even as Cherry Creek's already crowded restaurant scene loses a familiar face.
As reported by The Denver Post, the owners announced the closing in an Instagram post that named Aug. 16 as the final day of service at the original spot. The Post also noted that the restaurant's owners did not respond to questions about how many employees will be affected by the shutdown.
From The Egg Shell To A Local Staple
Owner Tim Doherty opened the first Syrup in 2010 in the garden-level space that previously housed The Egg Shell, Westword reported. That Cherry Creek dining room became the brand's flagship as Doherty steadily expanded into City Park, downtown and other Denver neighborhoods, turning a single subterranean brunch joint into a recognizable local chain.
Other Locations Will Stay Open
The restaurant's Syrup website lists outposts in City Park, Capitol Hill, Edgewater and Downtown, and those locations are expected to remain open. Online, the chain still shows regular hours and contact information for the remaining restaurants while the Cherry Creek original prepares for its final weekend rush.
Pressure On Cherry Creek Retail
Cherry Creek's retail and restaurant market has been feeling the strain of new development and surging property values. A recent mixed-use building sale for $92.5 million underscored just how expensive the neighborhood has become, Bisnow reported. Hoodline coverage has highlighted other long-running operators bowing out as leases come up for renewal, with the Sol Mexican Cocina vanishing from a high-profile corner, suggesting more churn in the neighborhood's retail mix.
For now, it is not clear who will take over Syrup's Josephine Street address or when a new tenant will be announced. Regulars have already started trading memories of long waits, big stacks of pancakes and powdered-sugar beignets, while the chain's remaining locations are poised to absorb much of that displaced brunch crowd once the Cherry Creek original serves its last round of maple syrup on Aug. 16.
