The Rumors are True! News Letter From Owner of North Side Tavern.

If you are reading this on facebook, click on the one image and you will be able to see all the images. If you are wondering why you are getting this news letter it's because at some point you gave square (our point of sale system) your email address and visited our restaurant paying with a credit card. If you want off that email list go to the bottom of the letter and unsubscribe and that should get you off of square's email list. This is the last news letter you will be getting from me. Read on!

Well… the rumors are true this time.

After 10 incredible years, The North Side Tavern has officially been sold, and I am heading into retirement. This decision didn’t come lightly; the restaurant business is 24/7 and physical. The time felt right to pass the torch and let someone new carry on—and elevate—the dream we started. About a year ago, I met with our landlord and let her know this would be my final year operating the Tavern as our 10-year lease would be up September 1st. I told her my options would be, 1. To close the restaurant and walk away (the easiest thing to do for me with no ties or risk) or 2. To sell the restaurant and have someone new own and operate it. I told her signing another five years would not be an option as I didn’t want to work till I was 70. After losing several friends over the past few years, I realized a goal of being the richest guy in the cemetery wasn’t going to be a goal for me. I wanted to focus on family and also resolve some long standing health issues. My landlord didn’t really like the idea of me calling it quits but she finally said, “ okay but if you sell, I need you to bring me someone that walks on water after you”. I took it as a compliment. I went home and thought who could I have takeover that could walk on water and not ruin what we built over the past 10 years?

I starting thinking about all the good operators I knew in the business. One person came to mind pretty quickly and was the one that I was sure could do it, more than likely better than me. If he didn’t go for it, I probably would have closed and gutted the building in an auction. Tim it was. I called him right away and asked him if he would be interested in taking over the North Side. He said, let me talk to my wife and get back to you. The next day he called and said they were all in. The new owners’ names are Tim and Christine Downs. I have known them for nearly 20 years. We previously worked together for Yard House Restaurants. Tim was the go-to executive Chef for the Colorado Region. I have always said the Tavern was a Chef driven Colorado Themed Tavern Restaurant, Tim was going to be the perfect fit to lead the organization.

A little history and some quick Tim stories. I traveled the country for Yard House opening new locations for close to 10 years and wanted to get off of the road to be around for my family more. So I left an outstanding corporate restaurant job as a regional manager to do some thing local that wouldn’t require as much travel. I did a few projects in Denver, then opened the North Side Tavern Restaurant. A year or two later Tim also moved on from Yard House Restaurants. He became the executive Chef at the University of Denver both teaching classes and operating their special events center at the hospitality school.

A story I like to tell about Tim involves Gregg. As many of you know Gregg has been a bartender and service team member with us since day one. One of the best we have. Gregg decided to have his wedding reception at DU where he was an alumni. Tim and I remained friends after the Yard House years and kept in touch. Tim knew I was going to Gregg’s wedding. He was excited for me to try his food and I also was excited knowing it was going to be great. I ended up in the ER that day which was when we figured out, I had bladder cancer. They did lots of tests on me at Good Sam Hospital for a good part of the day and I was finally comfortable and stabilized by the evening. That evening I asked if there was anything I could get to eat at the hospital. I was told there was Jello or some cold sandwiches I could have but the hot kitchen was closed. I passed on both, a little bit later, there was a knock on the door. It was Tim holding the handle of three large paper bags. He came walking in the room saying “Bauer, you’re not getting out of eating me wedding food today!”

After hearing I had been admitted to the hospital, once the wedding was finished, Tim packed up a sample of every dish from the wedding and drove it from the University of Denver to Good Samaritan Hospital. Everything was so great. He is a man with integrity and compassion. A true friend. He is a talented Chef, business person, and leader. You will be in good hands I promise. Tim is not planning on making major changes, and our Chef Chris Coy will remain our Executive Chef. Our entire management team will remain the same. I am excited for Chef Chris and his team to have Tim to collaborate with and bring fresh and new ideas to the North Side Tavern. It's going to be great! I'm excited.

The North Side’s new owners are Tim and Christine, a power couple. They have two kids Timothy and Lorraine both in high school, great kids. His son Timothy is one of and our newest team members getting his first taste of the restaurant business on our support staff. There is also Rocko and Grizzly.

Be aware Tim and Christine are part of a huge local Italian Family that has been around for a while, so be nice to them, I’m talking a really big, close knit Italian family that has each other’s back. Just sayin. They are all hard core Broncos Fans although Tim has some feelings for Michigan teams as well.

Tim and I have been working on our transition for almost a year now. Recently, he has been working with me in the restaurant for the last two months, preparing for the final transition of ownership September 1st. I have introduced many of you to him already and he has been meeting many of you on his own. If you see him, I’m sure he would love to meet you, and you will be glad you did.

I poured my heart into the creation of the North Side Tavern over the past 10 years. What began as a dream became something so much more, thanks to each and every one of you.

We are truly humbled by the overwhelming support, the loyal customers who became family, and the countless friendships formed around tables filled with laughter, food, and drink. I have had the pleasure of working with many wonderful, caring, hard working people that have been loyal through the good and bad times.

We have seen your little kids grow up and go off to college. We have seen many of you battle health issues and come out victorious. We have seen a lot of faces.

Covid really tested our loyalties. Covid pushed us to our emotional limits and solidified our relationships. We met quite a few special people who have become our friends and family. We even made some enemies along the way teaching us you can't make everyone happy. We were taught quite a few lessons.

We had a number of wonderful people who we lost over the past 10 years. We attended funerals of way too many good people that left us way sooner than they should have. It really effected me mentally and made me reflect on my own mortality. it taught me that health is true wealth and life is special gift we shouldn’t take for granted.

Having learned that health is wealth and stress is a silent killer, I realized it was time for me to slow down, spend more time with family and friends, travel, maybe catch a fish or two and enjoy the fruits of a life time of service in the restaurant industry. To those I may not have the chance to see again in the restaurant—thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for being part of this journey. Tim said if I stop by now and then for happy hour on Friday’s he might buy me an old fashion or a good Belgium beer (an offer I can’t refuse). I look forward to being on the other side of the bar sitting and having a drink next to you soon. Thanks to all of you for putting soul and personalities into our building. Thanks for creating a place that will continue to be your local “cheers” for the next 10 years under Tim's leadership.

I will still be around and hope that Tim takes up my offer that if ever he needs help covering a shift or two, I would have the privilege of serving you again from time to time. This is my last letter but I have enjoyed writing and plan on continuing this hobby into retirement. I have lots of stories from my 45 years in the restaurant business having worked with and for movie, sports, and rock n roll celebrities. The restaurant business is definitely a dynamic place. If you would like to hear some of those stories, you can get on my restaurant stories email list by sending your email address to

[email protected]

Until then, Cheers, Health, and Blessings to all of you!

September has one of our favorite holidays coming OCTOBERFEST! This year we will be doing a special menu from September 29th thru October 2nd. Be on the look out for sausage and sauerkraut, strudel, some great German Beers, along with a few chef surprises!

There have been a few new things added to the menu last week you should check out. Blackberry and Blue Cheese Burger, Korean Fried Chicken, A double patty American Cheese Burger (so big I couldn't finish it).

People have been asking when the retirement party is going to happen. I wanted to be sure that I was completely retired before that happened so we are going to wait a little and do it in conjunction with a huge 10 year anniversary party on the last day of November. Keep an eye on our Facebook page for details.

I hope they let me sing one last Karaoke song on the bar top at that party!

Steve and Chef Chris seem to get most of the spot light that comes with the restaurant but there is no way we could do all of this on our own. There is a management team that puts in quite a bit of work to make the day to day stuff work. Their job is to manage and support our bartenders, servers, cooks, bussers, food runners, prep people, hosts, and dishwashers that crank out the daily grind. There is close to 50 in all! (That's a big family) Here are the managers that really keep things running at the Northside Tavern. I want to recognize and thank them right now for all their combined years of service.

A final thanks to all that have made my dream of creating and running a great local restaurant in my community for the last 10 years come true. When I first opened there were some that told me I was crazy because so many had failed at that location, but WE proved them wrong and I am forever greatful!

Again if you enjoy reading my writing and want to keep in touch, send your email to [email protected]

I hope to see you around and Cheers!