The now-defunct gun-themed Colorado restaurant once owned by GOP Rep. Lauren Boebert will be replaced by Tapatios of New Castle, an establishment that will serve Cervezas, margaritas, enchiladas rancheras and other Mexican dishes, the Post Independent reported.
Earlier this month, the Rifle City Council on Feb. 15 unanimously approved a hotel and liquor license for Tapatios. The new restaurant will have a large indoor seating area, a patio section, and a full bar.
Shooters Grill officially closed its doors for good in July of 2022. The month before, Boebert was informed by her new landlord that her lease would not be renewed after the property changed ownership. According to a report from The Daily Beast, a person familiar with the arrangement “said the property manager felt he had a ‘moral’ imperative to close the business, and had planned to lease the space to another restaurant.”
According to The Beast, although the restaurant played a role in defining Boebert’s persona, it was never a financial success. “The restaurant turned in a streak of six-figure annual losses leading up to Boebert’s 2020 election, and struggled to stay above water even after she shot to fame as a MAGA darling,” The Beast reported.
From the Post Independent: “Shooters Grill itself came into national prominence when Boebert encouraged her staff to openly holster firearms while serving customers. Boebert, winning her first Congressional term in 2020 and her second in 2022, is also known nationwide as an ultra-conservative and a staunch proponent of building a border wall with Mexico.”
“It’s a family restaurant,” Tapatio owner Esmeralda Cornejo told City Council members.
