The Cherry Cricket is coming to Broomfield. Could Northern Colorado be next? – BizWest

BROOMFIELD — The Cherry Cricket is planning to open in Broomfield next summer, but the iconic Denver burger concept’s expansion might not stop there. 

Alex Bunn, chief marketing officer for The Cherry Cricket’s ownership group Breckenridge-Wynkoop LLC, said the company will “absolutely” consider expanding to Northern Colorado. 

“We would look as far north as (Larimer and Weld counties) and as far south probably as Colorado Springs,” she said. “We’ve gone back and forth as far as whether we’d look at any mountain locations, but there’s no plans for doing that right now. We’re really focused on a tighter radius than that.”

The Cherry Cricket, which has locations in Littleton and Denver’s Cherry Creek and Ballpark neighborhoods, will take over the former Old Chicago space in Broomfield at 1280 E. First Ave.

“Prior to COVID … there had been talks about the growth potential of Cherry Cricket,” Bunn said. “There was certainly an interest within Breckenridge-Wynkoop to grow The Cherry Cricket brand. COVID put those plans on hold, but we picked them back up a couple of years ago.”

The company’s “goal is not rapid growth,” Bunn said. “We intend to stay within Colorado and we think that there’s an opportunity to grow to a handful of Cherry Crickets across the Denver metro and potentially more broadly than that. We don’t have a specific timeline for growth. It’s really about finding perfect locations.”

The Broomfield location is “far enough away from central Denver that we think we’re going to reach a different group than we would with our existing locations,” Bunn said. “… People seem really excited and the city of Broomfield has been wonderful to work with thus far. We’re feeling really welcome and excited that we picked the right spot.”

The community is “thrilled to welcome The Cherry Cricket to Broomfield,” Broomfield Mayor Guyleen Castriotta said in a prepared statement. “Over the past eight decades, it has become one of Colorado’s most iconic and beloved restaurant brands, and for good reason. We look forward to it becoming an integral part of our fast-growing and dynamic community. Nothing goes together better than the three B’s – burgers, beers and Broomfield.”

The roughly 8,500-square-foot Broomfield location is expected to be open by early-summer 2025.

“We’re getting really close to a groundbreaking” on renovations at the former Old Chicago site, Bunn said. “… We heard that the Old Chicago was available, and when we walked we immediately said that this would be perfect for a Cherry Cricket.”

The remodeling effort is “starting from a good place — the bones are really good and the footprint is really good, so we won’t have to change a lot of that,” she said. “Making it look and feel like a Cricket is going to take a bit more effort.”

MA Architects Inc. and Jordy Construction LLC will lead the effort to transform the former Old Chicago building on behalf of Breckenridge-Wynkoop, which also operates Wynkoop Brewing Co., Ale House and Phantom Canyon Brewing Co.

Once finished, The Cherry Cricket will seat about 300 diners and employ about 150 workers. 

Burger-lovers familiar with The Cherry Cricket concept will likely feel right at home at the Broomfield location.

“The core menu stays the same,” Bunn said, “but each location has a specials menu where they get to have some fun.”