Entertainment Paying Homage to History in Castle Rock, CO

The Historic Downtown District in Castle Rock, CO, just south of Denver, has been going through a period of great revitalization over the past few years with a lively new mix of restaurants, bars, shops, parks and residences. Once overlooked, as city dwellers preferred to travel north for good leisure and entertainment options, Downtown Castle Rock now keeps those would-be wanderers at home with options offering an eclectic juxtaposition of late 1800’s charm and modern amenities.

The latest Downtown area slated for improvement sits at the corner of Perry and 4^th, across from the old City Hotel. Its anchor is the 5,500 sf. White Pavilion, which has become a notable city landmark – a gathering place offering skating for the winter months and special events during the rest of the year. The property also includes a residence to the north, the historic 1880’s Whittier House on the southwest corner, and a sub-divided warehouse building that currently houses a bike shop. Collectively, the pavilion and buildings will become the PERRY STREET SOCIAL DISTRICT as they transform into a cohesive entertainment area comprised of a tap house, multiple restaurants, and a central beer garden which will still serve as a skating rink during the winter. Premium wines and cocktail selections will also be available on site.

PERRY STREET SOCIAL is the brainchild of longtime Castle Rock residents and entrepreneurs, Paul Myhill, Byron Wheeler and Sean Hakes. They have since added more local partners, with the possibility of expanding the partnership yet further. Joining them are Wes Brin, Spencer Young, and Jonathan Douglas – all successful business owners in Castle Rock who bring decades of relevant business experience, and who are excited to be a part of the growth and progress of their home town.

Wheeler brings substantial restaurant experience to the venture, having recently sold his portfolio of 13 Burger Kings, and is also aggressively expanding his Slim Chickens brand throughout Colorado and Utah. Myhill (also known as the @ColoradoBeerGuy on Facebook) is eager to develop PERRY STREET SOCIAL’s Tap House, drawing on his past experiences as an owner of a beer distribution business, English pub in Cambridgeshire UK, and a Brewery – the first post-prohibition brewery in Delaware. Hakes, the Internet marketing guru of the group, will assist in helping to promote the project’s businesses and events.

Myhill also serves as the partnership’s historian, having meticulously looked into the property’s past to develop its food and beverage concepts. “All the partners have a passion for Castle Rock and its history,” Myhill said. “We really want this property to preserve and pay homage to that history, and we think everybody’s going to be very excited with what we’ve come up with – from the building rennovations themselves, to the great food and entertainment options we’ve been designing for them. One of our concepts, rooted in Castle Rock history, is actually quite remarkable and will probably come as a big surprise for many residents.”

Wheeler stated, “I’m continuously opening new restaurants right now, but this multiple-restaurant/bar district has me truly excited. I love my town and I’m thrilled to be a part of our vibrant Downtown community. The PERRY STREET SOCIAL DISTRICT will be a premiere leisure and event space for Downtown Castle Rock and will provide additional foot traffic there for many years to come. We’re also honored to be able to use Castle Rock construction companies and sub-contractors for this project to further support our local economy.”

Hakes added that “Castle Rock has a very special place in my heart. It’s my privilege to be able to contribute to its further growth as a “go-to” destination for great food and beverage choices, and to do it on an incredible Downtown site that’s literally in the shadow of its namesake rock formation. We believe we have some great concepts that can be replicable and eventually stretch beyond our amazing town, but they’ve been specially created to really connect with Castle Rock – past, present and future!”

Myhill, Wheeler and Hakes, along with their other partners, hope to begin soon with the improvement of at least two of the existing buildings. In the meantime, they will be launching the PASSPORT BURGER Food Truck on the site, offering “global fusion” burgers. Mouth-watering examples include the French Burger topped with melted brie cheese and caramelized apples & onions, the Irish Burger adorned with juicy sliced corned beef and a rich Caraway slaw, and the Cuban Burger heaped with seasoned pulled pork and sliced ham, and oozing with swiss cheese. Other burgers include Italian, Korean, Canadian and Greek fusions, all with special toppings and sauces.

Wheeler, who is also known for his Slim Chickens food truck around town, and is one of the admins of the Castle Rock Food Trucks group on Facebook, said “The PASSPORT BURGER concept will be a staple brand in the project, offering premium burgers with locally-sourced ingredients, and will begin drawing more traffic to Downtown Castle Rock as early as May.” Myhill added, “The thought of having a burger concept with an international flair is also a nod to Castle Rock’s history. The two railways, combined with the many immigrants who worked the rhyolite mines, cattle ranches and creameries of old Castle Rock, made the original settlement and town quite an international affair.”

PERRY STREET SOCIAL DISTRICT will be a very welcome addition to our Historic Downtown District in Castle Rock. The partnership is still keeping a lid on the primary concepts it has developed, but ensures us that they will all be something that connects Castle Rock to its past, while also providing the finest food and beverage options that a modern clientele demands.

Learn more on Facebook:

PERRY STREET SOCIAL DISTRICT: https://www.facebook.com/PerryStreetSocial
PASSPORT BURGER: https://www.facebook.com/passportburger/
COLORADO BEER GUY: https://www.facebook.com/ColoradoBeerGuy