Racines, a 36-year-old Denver food institution, says goodbye a little earlier than expected.
In April, Racines was one of the first coronavirus-related restaurant closings in the city, as the restaurant announced that it would close in January 2021, hoping to reopen after the closure. But owners Lee Goodfriend and David Racine announced Tuesday that the former restaurant will be closed permanently six months earlier than expected.
In an interview with The Denver Post, Goodfriend said she and her co-owner would be at risk of contracting the virus, and the task of reopening with a resurgence of COVID-19 cases was too daunting, especially since the location was already sold at 650 Sherman St.
“I never thought that our restaurant would close so abruptly,” he said. “It is sad, but there are many more important problems in the world than the closure of Racines. I think we have to worry about all of those more than ourselves. We are luckier than most people. “
Racine and Lee opened three restaurants with the late Dixon Staples and David McCormick – Goodfriends in 1979, followed by Racines in 1983 and Dixon’s in 1997. In 2003, the original Racines in Bannock closed when the owner forced them to abandon a demolition clause. But restaurateurs bought their own location and reopened on Sherman Street. Most of the staff and management returned to the new Racines, and some worked there until the end.
When he leaves the beloved restaurant after almost 40 years, Goodfriend said he will miss people. But restaurants, he said, are “a youth business,” and she is ready to pass the torch on to a new generation. Racines fans should go to other local companies that need the support right now, he added.
The press release described the “famous … first dates, debates, settlement negotiations, after theater parties, political gatherings and family dinners” that occurred in Racines over the years.
“It’s been a lot of fun,” said Goodfriend. “It has been an honor to have a restaurant like Racines. We have had all of Denver here. I loved every minute of it. Almost every minute.
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