DENVER -- If you've walked down the 16th Street Mall, you know the place.
The Rialto Café has been here for 23 years, but unfortunately not much longer.
“It’s going to be our last week. We’re closing it down,” Rialto Café general manager Amy Anderson said.
The effects of the pandemic were too much to bare.
“There’s nobody in the offices now and the hotels in the area are either closed or have very low capacity,” she added.
They re-opened June, first hoping for the best, but no theater shows or conventions nearby at the Colorado Convention Center leave little in the way of foot traffic.
“We’ve seen some tourism but what’s that going to mean come September, October? It could be a ghost town down here,” Anderson said.
So with a lack of customers coming downtown, the tough call to close up shop was made Sunday. And it hit hard.
“So hard. Telling the staff first half and then just reading a great influx of messages and phone calls and emails of people just sharing stories and sharing the reactions with us. We appreciate them,” Anderson said.
They'll close up Sunday afternoon. One final week to say goodbye.
“We just want to make it fun. I think it’s going to be hard but let’s go out on a high note,” she said.
Having to look to what's next for all involved — many who've been here for years.
“I think it’s hit home but I’m not really looking forward to Sunday,” Anderson said.
But knowing they enjoyed the ride, with one last message, for everyone who walked through those doors for 23 years and will come back in the next few days.
“Super thankful for the great run, the great people and thank you,” Anderson said.
