Sorry, Old C's fans: Old Chicago closing its Old Town location after 36 years

After 36 years in Old Town Fort Collins, Old Chicago Pizza & Taproom plans to close the storied location in November, multiple employees told the Coloradoan.

The 147 S. College Ave. restaurant has operated since 1982. The other Fort Collins Old Chicago location at 4709 S. Timberline Road, which has operated since 2000, is expected to remain open.

Old Chicago parent company CraftWorks Restaurants & Breweries couldn’t be reached for comment despite multiple phone calls, voicemails and emails from the Coloradoan since May 21.

Multiple other Old Chicago locations have closed in recent years throughout Colorado. News reports related to those closures also referenced failed attempts to contact CraftWorks.

The original location of the national pizza and beer chain at Boulder’s Pearl Street Mall closed in late 2016 when its lease expired after four decades in business. A location in Denver’s Market Street closed in 2014 after 22 years. The downtown Colorado Springs location shut its doors in the summer of 2016 after 33 years.

The Old Town Fort Collins Old Chicago location helped diversify the Choice City’s beer offerings and hosted the Odell Brewing Co. debut launch party in 1989.

Founder Frank Day, who opened the first Old Chicago location in Boulder in 1976, is listed as a co-owner of the Old Town Fort Collins location. Day also founded the Rock Bottom brewery chain, which is also owned by CraftWorks.

CraftWorks says it operates more than 100 Old Chicago restaurants across the country.

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