70 Years Ago
The August 23, 1956 Colorado Transcript cordially invited the public to the grand opening of the Golden Bowl Inn. This new restaurant was built to complement the Golden Bowl, which had opened next door the previous December. The Golden Bowl Inn had a snazzy mid-century look and promised "plenty of parking space for cars." This was an attractive feature at a time when downtown parking was increasingly scarce.
The restaurant owners leased the building from Everett and Mary Bunzel, who also owned the bowling alley. In 1963, the Bunzels added a restaurant to the bowling alley. At the same time, they raised the monthly rent on the Golden Bowl Inn from $400/month to $2,000/month. The restaurant owners sued (for violation of the lease) and the building owners countered-sued (for failure to pay the rent). The court found in favor of the restaurant owners.
The Golden Bowl Inn operated as a restaurant for about 20 years. After that, it housed retail businesses including a flower shop and an appliance repair shop. In its final years, it served as Pedal Pushers Cyclery, which continues to operate on Golden Ridge Road.
