In the small town of Hudson, located about thirty minutes northeast of Denver in Weld County, the Pepper Pod Restaurant served the community for 114 years. But last weekend, it said goodbye a day earlier than expected. On January 3, the Pod had announced its impending closure, sparking a flood of fans who wanted the chance to say goodbye — much to the surprise of Beth Martin, who’d owned the historic restaurant with her husband, Dave, since 1977.
While the couple originally planned to serve the Pod’s last meal on January 12, they sold out of food on Saturday evening; on Sunday, they announced that they had to close early. Dave’s declining health had prompted the family’s decision to shut down the business, though Beth told Westword, “I keep hoping that someone will come out of the woodwork like what occurred at Casa Bonita and breathe new life into it.” So far, though, the property remains listed for sale for $4,559,000.
During the Pepper Pod’s hectic final days, a special piece of art went missing. “Twenty years ago, our friend Larry McLaren crafted a set of flatware as a gift for my birthday,” Beth shared on Facebook. “They have proudly stood outside our door at the Pepper Pod for all these years.” Until that day, when the large spoon went missing. Thankfully, it was returned to the owners before the Pod shuttered…