One of Denver's Best Breakfast Spots Is Closing in October

"I'm just ready for something new," says Lucien Reichert, who opened Fox Run Cafe, a small breakfast spot at 3550 East Colfax Avenue, in March 2020, right before restaurants were forced to close indoor dining because of the pandemic.

He and his team made it through that uncertain time, though, and in the nearly five years since, they've earned a lot of loyal fans. In 2022, Fox Run Cafe was Westword's Best of Denver pick for Best Brunch, an honor it snagged with such dishes as griddled banana bread with honey butter, fried chicken biscuit sandwiches, perfect fried potatoes and a damn good burger.

"I'm so satisfied with what I've done," says Reichert. And on September 26, he announced that Fox Run Cafe will close after service on October 21.

"I feel super lucky, because it's not like I'm sitting here saying I'm going bankrupt or having major landlord problems," he adds. "The lease was up and it was like, do you want to sign on for five more years? ... There are just things in my personal life I want to take care of, and I want to explore other opportunities."

While the restaurant is consistently busy, its small size made it difficult to turn a profit. Taking care of his employees has been important to Reichert, but with razor-thin margins, "I haven't really been able to pay myself," he notes, adding that he's ready for a break from the constant attention required to run a small business.
He's also concerned about how the upcoming construction on East Colfax Avenue for a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line will affect businesses in the area. "We've dealt with construction on Colfax over the years, and it just destroys us," he says.

Fox Run's neighbor across the street, Steve's Snappin' Dogs, is also set to close soon — its last day is October 19.

The two losses are big ones for the neighborhood, and Reichert hopes other independent operators can step in to add more vibrancy to that stretch of the storied street.

Sharing the news with his employees was tough, Reichert admits, but they all agreed to stay on until the end. "My staff has been unreal," he says, adding that he's glad he could offer them plenty of notice about the closure so they can collect four more paychecks while looking for new positions.

Giving customers the chance to enjoy one more meal at Fox Run was important, too. "I told the staff, let's do a grand closing and have people come in and say goodbye," says Reichert. "I love Fox Run, I love this community and I love the restaurant industry. I'm just ready for a break."

While we'll miss Fox Run, Reichert is offering a consolation prize: He says he'll be sharing a home-cooking version of the restaurant's banana bread recipe so that guests can re-create that favorite long after Fox Run says goodbye.