Elkhorn Cafe closure leaves regulars in quandary

After 23 years of operation the Elkhorn Cafe has closed its doors, as of Feb. 25, leaving another vacant spot on Boulder’s Main Street. This news comes just seven months after The River Pizza & Subs ended its 11-year operation.

What comes next at 204 N. Main Street – the former location of Ammen’s Drugstore – is undetermined. For now, there is sadness.

“I’m really unhappy it closed,” said Heritage Center Director Ellen Rae Thiel, who would eat at the cafe nearly every day, sharing a table with her fellow Heritage Center workers and volunteers. It’s the end of an era, she said, and particularly troubling considering how few places there are to eat in town. Mountain Good remains open, but hours are limited. Dave’s 32 oz. and The Windsor serve food, but the Elkhorn, Thiel said, had more of a family atmosphere. Through the years the Elkhorn was host to card games, fundraisers and holiday parties.