# @denverwestword on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DGyaUpypbKx
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/27799753-denverwestword-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/3b6f15ecf2.jpg
- **Posted:** 2025-03-04T18:35:06.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Denver Westword (@denverwestword) — https://gondola.cc/denverwestword

## Caption

Denver is a notoriously big drinking city. Denver has a mayor named Mike Johnston. There was never any reason to think that these two facts would overlap, but if Johnston has his way, he’ll soon be pouring booze down his thirsty constituents’ throats — as he fulfills a pledge to serve as a guest bartender at East Colfax Avenue bars and restaurants suffering through Bus Rapid Transit construction.

During a wide-ranging interview, Johnston announced his bold new initiative on City Cast Denver last week. “I’m going to launch a guest-bartending program on Colfax for anyone who would have me,” he revealed. “I’m going to come in once a month and have events at bars and restaurants on East Colfax and just encourage all our neighbors to come. It’s easy to say, ‘Oh, gosh, construction is on Colfax, let’s go to 17th or go downtown or go to Wash Park.’ We want to have it be the opposite. This is a time when we should all go to Colfax while it’s under construction.

“What we’re trying to do,” he added, “is help support all these businesses and keep them alive in the process. Is it true that some businesses occasionally close, and that’s a regular cycle? Well, yes. But we really don’t want to see these long-term Denver businesses get lost. So we’re gonna do everything we can to drive traffic, expedite construction and provide relief where we can.”

The mayor offered no suggestion for where customers are supposed to park when they flock to East Colfax to watch him pop open beer bottles. 

✍️ Read the full story by jason__heller at westword.com or at the link in our bio. 
📸 Christy Simonsen 

#denver #colfax #mikejohnston #denvermayor #denverco #westword

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## Tags

denver, westword, denvermayor, mikejohnston, colfax, denverco

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