Interview with Chris Swank and Loris Venegas, owners
Q: How did you get involved in this business?
A: (Chris) My first project, the Bluebird Theater, originally brought me to this intersection of Colfax and Adams in 1994. A few years later, I had purchased the building on the other side of the street and needed a tenant to fill a recently vacated Chinese restaurant so we decided, what the heck, let’s start our own restaurant!
Q: What distinguishes you from other businesses in your category?
A: At Mezcal, our goal from the beginning was to create a really fun bar atmosphere which also happened to serve great Mexican food. We are of Latino heritage and we wanted to create a space that honored our culture, plus we love Mexican food. Hopefully that personal investment is what makes us stand out.
Q: What do you like best about your line of work?
A: We really enjoy the people that we work with. We are surrounded by a lot of very creative young people and their energy is contagious.
Q: What is your business’ biggest challenge?
A: The restaurant business is extremely difficult. There are a lot of moving parts and it takes a big, coordinated team of people to create a great customer experience every day. Fortunately, we have some really great employees that have been with us from the beginning that help keep the vision alive.
Q: Something people might be surprised to learn about you or your business:
A: I graduated from the Colorado School of Mines with an engineering degree and I certainly never planned on a career in the bar and restaurant business, but I love what I do and wouldn’t trade it for anything.
Profile
Business: Mezcal
Address: 3230 E. Colfax Ave.
Hours: 11 a.m.-1 a.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m.-1 a.m. Saturday and Sunday
Founded: 2003
Contact: 303-322-5219,
Employees: 25
