New wine bar by Troy Guard aims to bring new life to downtown Denver

Construction and changes are hard to miss in downtown Denver, especially along the 16th Street Mall. Many businesses have left, and fewer people come to visit. Yet one well-known restauranteur and chef is cooking up something he believes will help bring downtown back to life.

"What happens here? People make deals all the time. So, "Done Deal" it is. Let's get it done," said Troy Guard, chef and owner of Denver-based TAG Restaurant Group."

Inside the tallest building in the city – home to several offices and business spaces – Guard is opening a wine bar and small plates lounge at Republic Plaza called "Done Deal." It'll be one of his nearly dozen restaurants in the metro area.

"We're going to have a great wine menu," he told CBS Colorado's Kelly Werthmann. "It's going to have specialty cocktails. It's not going to be hamburgers and steaks here because we don't have a hood, but it'll be cold finger foods. Shrimp cocktails, sushi, some salads, nuts, olives, prosciutto cheese…"

Guard explained the building's owner – Brookfield, based in New York – reached out to him about the space. He said they wanted an amenity for people who work inside as well as a spot to lure downtown visitors.

"I believe in downtown. I think downtown is the heartbeat of Denver," said Guard.

Yet that heartbeat has, at times, felt more like a heart attack. Several restaurants and shops have shut their doors recently, blaming a rise in crime and homeless concerns. Plus, not as many people work and play downtown since the pandemic.

"It's tough, it's a tough time all around," Guard said, noting all restaurants took a hit during Covid.

But that doesn't scare Guard – it motivates him.

"Reinvesting in our neighborhoods and our community is what we really have to do," he explained. "We're always going to have homeless, there's always going to be crimes. We just have to be very cautious and careful of that stuff. Right now, it kind of sucks, to be honest with you, but people are going to come down here."

Guard said he believes in what the city is doing to tackle the concerns raised by business owners, residents and visitors. While he knows nothing can change overnight, he's happy his project is part of the changes he believes will bring new life downtown.

"People are coming back out to the theater, to the Broncos games, to restaurants, and now they're going to come to Done Deal," he said. "It means we get to hire more people, it means the city gets more tax money, so it's a win-win for everybody."

Like most projects, the completion date for Done Deal is, well, not a done deal. However, it is expected to be up and running in time for the holidays, Guard said.