Hot Burritos and Cool Jazz Nightly

The building at 1962 Market Street has held a special place in Denver’s heart for more than a century. In 1933, the day after Prohibition ended, it opened as a bar and restaurant. Decades later, it became the home of El Chapultepec, known to many of us as The Pec.

Under owner Jerry Krantz, El Chapultepec was a place for live jazz, affordable drinks, and a come-as-you-are atmosphere. It was hard to miss, too. The glowing “Cantina”-and-cactus sign on the corner along with the mural Hot Burritos and Cool Jazz Nightly made it a familiar sight on Market Street. In the early days, LoDo wasn’t the place it is today. Freight trains passed just feet from the front door, Mattie’s House of Mirrors was two doors down, and a handful of unpretentious watering holes lined nearby Larimer Street. As late as the 1980s, The Pec even had to close at midnight on Sundays so patrons wouldn’t wander into the path of a passing train.

Local players like Greg Gisbert, Eric Gunnison, Ellyn Rucker, and Ken Walker shared the stage with visiting musicians. Over the years, nationally known performers passing through Denver stopped by — from Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald to Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger, and The Police. It was a small, intimate place with a great bar, and everyone — musicians, regulars, first-timers — was in it together.

The club closed in 2020, leaving behind an empty building and a lot of memories. Earlier this year, Historic Denver stepped in to help prevent demolition, eventually working with property owner Monfort Companies on a compromise design that allows redevelopment to move forward while preserving key elements of the original structure, including portions of the brick facade and the iconic corner signage.

John Deffenbaugh, President and CEO of Historic Denver, said, “Existing buildings can evolve and change to meet modern needs. The thoughtful combination of new development and historic places is what sustains the authentic character of our city.” Nicely put.

And in some ways, The Pec lives on. Dazzle Denver now hosts the El Chapultepec Piano Bar, and the El Chapultepec Legacy Project — supported by the Colorado Music Hall of Fame — is working to preserve the club’s history while continuing its commitment to accessible live music for future generations.

Featured photo credit: Colorado Music Hall of Fame

Sources:

El Chapultepec Legacy Project

“UPDATE: Historic Denver and Monfort Companies Reach Compromise to Preserve Portion of Former El Chapultepec Building at 1962 Market.” Historic Denver. https://historicdenver.org/blog/update-compromise-reached-to-preserve-part-of-el-chapultepec-building/