A familiar Denver address is getting new life. The former Wash Park Grille property at 1096 S. Gaylord St. has been sold for $6 million, according to Naked Denver. In its place will be a new restaurant: Wash Park Social.
The new restaurant is set to open in spring 2026 under longtime hospitality veteran Bart Hickey. He has spent over two decades in the industry with high-end dining brands like The Capital Grille and Seasons 52, with his locations earning the honor of OpenTable’s Top 100 Restaurants in the U.S.
Hickey described Wash Park Social as a Colorado grill concept showcasing local, seasonal ingredients. The restaurant will seat about 200 guests across 35 tables, and will have two large patios. They will be transferring the liquor license from the former Wash Park Grille.
Wash Park Grille served the community for nearly three decades, but closed in early 2024 following tax seizures and ownership disputes. Lee Associates reported last week that the buyers are oil executive Kris Johnson and Aaron Grant of Grant Real Estate Co. and Park Coworking.
The sale also includes both the former Agave Taco Bar space on the ground floor and Meadows Dispensary on the upper level. Hickey will also open a small eatery called Taco Garage in the restaurant space, and told What Now Denver the lease for the cannabis shop will continue for a while.
“Wash Park Social is going to open up first, and then The Taco Garage is going to open up a couple months later,” he shared. “We’re saying spring of next year for opening, but we’re all working hard to get it open as soon as we can.”
