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Posted 10.01.2009

State of the State: Restaurants

Golden arches on 16th Street Mall suits corporate crowd

By Patricia Kaowthumrong

Fast-food patrons along Denver’s 16th Street Mall might have done a double-take when the McDonald’s at Cleveland Place reopened recently after being closed several months for remodeling.

“I’m pretty sure this is the nicest McDonald’s I’ve ever been to. And I’ve been to lots of McDonald’s,” said Juante Chavez, who enjoyed his Big Mac and French fries on a recent day at the restaurant. “It makes me want to put on a suit and tie.”

With patent leather booths, local art, a stage for performers and walls made of Colorado quarried stone, nothing is reminiscent of a typical McDonald’s except for the food. And even that has seen an upgrade with the new McCafe area that serves frothy drinks and gourmet coffees.
Co-owner Tom Carlson said the $1 million face-lift has not only boosted business but it has also attracted a new corporate crowd, which likes to take advantage of the wireless Internet, patio seating for meetings and business news displayed on flat-screen TVs.

After undergoing a five-month renovation, the McDonald’s reopened its doors in April with a completely new vibe. The ambiance is an original design by Carlson and his son, Tom Carlson Jr., who together with another partner co-own this and three other McDonald’s restaurants in Denver.

The Cleveland Place location is the first to undergo such a drastic renovation. Their McDonald’s on Pennsylvania Street and Colfax Avenue is next in line for a renovation in 2010.

“There’s no question that we want to continuously upgrade and stay with the times,” Carlson said. “And one thing that’s great about McDonald’s is that they like to stay relevant to the consumer.”

Patricia Kaowthumrong is a student at the University of Colorado School of Journalism and Mass Communication. Contact her at .

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