Editor’s note: This article has been updated to include the correct source for information on the Dark Horse’s planned move.
Boulder’s iconic Dark Horse bar might be finding new life.
The bar, which closed its home of 51 years last month, aims to reopen at a new location in Louisville, Dark Horse manager Sean James confirmed in an email to the Daily Camera on Wednesday evening. Axios Boulder first reported the news.
“We’re going to try and do as much as we can to make the fans of the World Famous Dark Horse happy,” James said.
James said the plan is for the new location to open “ASAP,” in the old Outback Steakhouse building off of U.S. 36 and McCaslin Boulevard.The Dark Horse ended its run at its longtime home on Baseline Road just off U.S. 36 last month. Famous for its eclectic assortment of memorabilia, knickknacks, doohickeys and what-have-yous, the Dark Horse put many of those pieces up for auction last week. Noticeably absent were objects such as its bathroom doors, which befuddled many inebriated patrons with the men’s door painted with a hand pointing to the women’s bathroom, and the women’s door painted with a hand pointing to the men’s bathroom.
Axios reported that the bathroom doors will live again in Louisville. When asked about how much of the memorabilia will carry over, James said, “as much as we can.”
The Dark Horse embedded itself in Boulder’s cultural identity for decades by being a favorite watering hole for University of Colorado students and alumni.
The city did not find the old Dark Horse building worth preserving, a decision that drew ire from the community. Despite uproar, the Boulder City Council approved Williams Village II in November 2025.
