On Monday, Jan. 24, families walked in and out for lunch at Rosemary Cafe, a bustling southwest Denver restaurant serving up affordable sandwiches, steaks and breakfast fare. Little did they know, the beloved Harvey Park restaurant at 2133 South Sheridan Boulevard had been listed on the market as for sale or lease.
A man identified as the owner declined to share his name or comment on the sale or the future of the restaurant.
Rosemary Cafe was one of the restaurants owned by Gerasimos "Mike" Apergis, who also owned the diner the Breakfast King. That establishment on Santa Fe Drive was shuttered late last year, the Colorado Sun reported, months after Apergis's death on September 2, 2021. Apergis, the last owner named in business filings, was a Greek immigrant who got his start in the restaurant business in Denver working at the Columbine Steakhouse for nine years, according to his obituary.
The Rosemary Cafe business license dates back to 1999, according to state records. The restaurant took over the space on Sheridan weeks later. After a run of more than three decades, Rosemary Cafe took out at $166,838 Paycheck Protection Program loan, during the pandemic, to support 17 employees. Federal records indicate it has not been paid back.
The one-story restaurant, built in 1973, is zoned B-2 -- part of a shopping-center district along a major road, according to the posting from realtors Paul Cattin and Joey Gargotto of NAI Shames Makovsky.
"Rosemary Café is continuing to operate," said Gargotto, declining to comment further.
"Free-standing restaurant available for lease or sale," noted the posting for the sale. "Great corner location for a restaurant user. High visibility with tall monument street signage and flag pole for branding. Building price of $1,550,000 with FF&E at $200,000."
Fixtures and equipment will be included with the sale, along with the business's assets.
Late Monday afternoon, the restaurant wrote on social media: "If anything were to happen I would definitely post about it."
The news breaks in the wake of many other diners and family restaurants serving up classic American fare, having closed their doors, including Tom's Diner, the Denver Diner, the Breakfast King and Racines. Last year, the Annie's Cafe building also went on the market.
This story has been updated with additional information the restaurant posted to social media.
