USA. Great Hall Partners, the private developer for Denver International Airport’s (DEN) ambitious Great Hall renovation project, has revealed its first concessions choices – Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar, The Post Brewing Company, Caribou Coffee, Kabod Coffee, Denver Street Eats and retail and convenience store 5280 Market.
These first businesses are scheduled to open in mid-2019, following the completion of the first phase of construction.
“We received a variety of strong, game-changing proposals in this first round of RFPs, and our goal was to select the best mix of concepts taking into account the diversity of Denver,” said Great Hall Partners Chief Executive Officer Ignacio Castejon.
“Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar and The Post Brewing Company represent Denver favourites, and Denver Street Eats will provide a rotating, local chef-showcase concept, while Kabod Coffee is a great local entrepreneur story. We’ve rounded out the group of concessionaires with a national coffee brand as well as a retail convenience provider.”
Denver-based Mission Yogurt, which has over 25 years’ experience in airport operations and owns and operates several Denver Airport concessions concepts, is bringing three concessions to the Great Hall. They are local Denver restaurant brands Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar, The Post Brewing Company and Caribou Coffee.
“We are thrilled to be able to present three unique and localised concepts to the Great Hall through the Great Hall Partners,” said Mission Yogurt President Rod Tafoya. “The RFP process has been both collaborative and efficient, with all parties working as a cohesive team with a common goal: to provide travellers with an elevated dining experience at DEN.”
Mission is partnering with Big Red F Restaurant Group to bring Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar and The Post Brewing Company to the Great Hall.
Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar first opened in Boulder in 1994 and has five locations, four of which are in Colorado. Jax was Colorado’s first restaurant to be recognised by the Monterey Bay Seafood Watch Program for its sustainable seafood practices. The new location in the Great Hall will offer a raw bar and hot food menu created by Executive Chef Sheila Lucero that explores local produce and mindfully sourced seafood, featuring fresh oysters delivered daily as well as a seafood-friendly wine list, crafted cocktails and local beers.
The Post Brewing Company, which has four locations in the Denver metro area and earned national fame when it appeared on the Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, brings to the Great Hall an all-day breakfast, lunch, brunch and dinner menu, created by Chef Brett Smith. The firm’s humanely-raised, all-natural fried chicken is gluten-free, and the menu caters to dietary preferences of every kind – from vegan to carnivore to locavore. The Post Brewing Company’s beverage menu includes craft beer along with other Colorado favourites, wine, spirits and non-alcoholic drinks.
“We are so excited to have our Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar and Post Brewing Company restaurants opening at the airport,” said Big Red F Restaurant Group Chef/Owner Dave Query.
“The Great Hall is going to be an exciting place to be and we couldn’t be happier to have partnered with Mission Yogurt as our operating partner. Rod Tafoya and his team at Mission have proven over and over their ability to run truly successful restaurant operations in the challenging and fast-paced airport environment.”
Mission Yogurt is also bringing Caribou Coffee, a national sustainability-focused coffee brand, to the Great Hall. The menu will feature 100-percent certified Rainforest Alliance premium coffees; handcrafted beverages; hot and iced teas; nitro cold brew coffee on tap; ice cream sourced from local companies; as well as all-day food items including bagels and baked goods.
Kabod Coffee will offer the first “farm-to-cup” experience to DEN’s coffee lovers, offering all organic and unblended coffee sourced directly from small family-owned farms in Ethiopia – the birthplace of coffee, according to Kabod Coffee owner Muluye Hailemariam. Kabod Coffee handles the entire importing process to control the quality and integrity of the coffee beans, which are then roasted in small batches in Denver.
Kabod Coffee will be Hailemariam’s first fully owned and operated stand-alone concession at DEN and will operate 24-hours a day. The menu will feature premium coffees, hot and iced teas, fresh-pressed juices, kombucha and nitro cold brew coffee on tap, as well as all-day food items including bagels, breakfast and lunch sandwiches, oatmeal and baked goods.
“It has been an absolute pleasure to work with Great Hall Partners. The experience has been wonderful, and it’s amazing to work with such an innovative team,” said Hailemariam, owner and operator of Kabod Coffee. “I’m grateful for the opportunity that Great Hall Partners has given me to open my own business in the terminal.”
Great Hall Partners said that Hailemariam’s personal story is a demonstration of opportunities for small and certified ACDBE businesses in the Great Hall. Having operated a full range of national and regional brands in and around Denver, Hailemariam opened her first business at DEN in 2011 as part of the airport’s kiosk programme.
Denver Street Eats, a restaurant concept from international concessionaire Delaware North, pays tribute to the RiNo District in Denver’s downtown and will feature local, in-demand chefs. Chefs will rotate through the space every 365 days, bringing new flavours and menu items to the Great Hall.
“Denver Street Eats allows us to immerse ourselves even further in the Denver food scene by supporting talented local chefs and growing our partnerships with some of the city’s best restaurants,” said Delaware North, Travel President Kevin Kelly. “We’re proud to work alongside Great Hall Partners and continue to make DEN one of the top airports for travellers.”
The first local chef partner at Denver Street Eats will be Jeff Osaka, a celebrated chef in Denver, who has created and currently operates 12@Madison, Sushi-Rama, Osaka Ramen and The Denver Central Market. Osaka’s menu for Denver Street Eats will reflect simplistic Asian-influenced options. Second in the chef rotation will be Biju Thomas, food book author and owner of Biju’s Little Curry Shop in Denver’s RiNo District. Biju’s menu for Denver Street Eats will reflect flavours inspired by the south of India, relying on fresh ingredients and lighter preparations.
Finally, Marshall Retail Group, in conjunction with their partners at St. Croix Airport Retail and LEI Airport Concessions, will develop 5280 Market, a retail and convenience store offering travel necessities, magazines, snacks and curated Colorado gifts.
The next phase of RFPs for Great Hall concessions will be announced late this year.
About Great Hall Partners
Great Hall Partners was selected by Denver International Airport as the partner for the Great Hall project, which will transform Levels 5 and 6 within DEN’s 1.5 million-square-foot Jeppesen Terminal. The changes include enhancing security, increasing capacity, updating aging systems, improving passenger flow and elevating the overall passenger experience.
The renovation will ultimately create 63,000sq ft of space for 50 commercial units, offering an integrated passenger experience and blending culinary offerings and high-performance, innovative retail brands while encouraging minority and small business participation. For more information visit www.greathallpartners.com or www.flydenver.com/greathall.
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