Tidbites | Juanita’s won’t reopen on Pearl St.

0

 

Juanita’s won’t reopen on Pearl St.

After leasing 1048 Pearl St. for 28 years, the owners of Juanita’s Mexican Restaurant are no longer continuing with plans to remodel and reinvent the iconic downtown Boulder eatery.

“We’re sad to see Juanita’s go,” says Curtis Snyder, a minority owner of Snyder Family LLLP, which owns the building. “We would’ve loved for Juanita’s to stay open for as long as possible.”

The restaurant’s owners closed it in March to pursue remodeling plans, either reinventing Juanita’s or opening a different restaurant, says Snyder. Two weeks ago, Juanita’s owners notified Snyder Family LLLP that they would not be renewing their lease. Ed Bigg, general manager at Juanita’s, says the hope is that the restaurant moves elsewhere in Boulder or the metro area.

“As our concept is evolving, we feel like there’s another space out there that may be more ideal for what we’re doing,” Bigg says.

About 80 percent of those who have expressed interest in leasing the 3,150-square-foot space are interested in opening a new, moderately priced restaurant, Snyder says.

Snyder Family LLLP will continue with Juanita’s plans to remodel the exterior of the space, but the new owners will be responsible for any interior remodeling they choose.

“We’re also very excited that another staple will be developed there, that another icon will go up in its place,” says Snyder.

Zpizza hosts grand opening

The new Zpizza restaurant in Boulder is having a grand opening celebration on Friday, June 24.

The celebration will begin with Boulder Mayor Susan Osborne’s introduction of Zpizza to the community from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

The restaurant’s menu includes artisan pizzas, rusticas, pastas, calzones, sandwiches and salads that are made with all-natural and organic ingredients and include vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options.

Zpizza will be selling customers $1 slices of pizza from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and 20 percent of the day’s sales will be donated to the Humane Society of Boulder Valley. Humane society officials will be on hand to answer customers’ questions about the organization.

A drawing will also be held at 12:30 p.m. to reward two customers with a year’s worth of free pizza.

Zpizza is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and is located at 1695 29th St., #1252.

Tea festival returns

The Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse will host the 12th annual Rocky Mountain Tea Festival on July 23 and 24.

The festival, which takes place from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on July 23 and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on July 24, consists of workshops, seminars and tea parties.

“We started the Rocky Mountain Tea Festival 12 years ago as a place for tea-lovers to learn about, taste and discuss their favorite beverage,” said Sara Martinelli, tea specialist, certified herbalist and owner of the Three Leaf Concepts restaurants. “We invited a number of speakers and industry leaders to teach seminars [and] workshops, and host tea tastings. The response was gratifyingly strong, and the Tea Festival became an annual tradition.”

She said a highlight will be a workshop on Puerh tea led by David Lee Hoffman of the Phoenix Collection Tea Company, based in Lagunitas, Calif.

For more information on the event, see www.boulderdushanbeteahouse.com/teafest.html. To register in advance for workshops, readings and demonstrations, call the Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse at 303- 442-4993.

The Teahouse is located at 1770 13th St. in Boulder.

Respond: letters@boulderweekly.com