Middleman, the celebrated neighborhood bar and home of the James Beard Award-nominated Misfit Snack Bar, will close by the end of the month.
According to chef Bo Porytko, owner of Misfit and the nearby Molotov Kitschen + Cocktails, the months-long, ongoing Bus Rapid Transit construction has disrupted traffic and accessibility for Middleman, which is located at 3401 East Colfax Avenue, to the point that it is untenable to remain open. “We are down 50 percent from last year, and we are hemorrhaging money every month now,” Porytko says.
Middleman is co-owned by Charlie Thomas and Jareb Parker, who says that the Middleman business has been purchased by two locals who plan to reopen the place very quickly, with original staffers who choose to stay. They “intend to keep the name and concept the same and not change anything right away,” Parker adds. “It is the best-case scenario for us.”…