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Denver cocktail bar Yoshi applies for liquor license, construction permit

Denver cocktail bar Yoshi applies for liquor license, construction permit

Built World Denver, CO local

Scott and Shelby Ruggiero are converting the former Sullivan Scrap Kitchen space in Uptown into their own cocktail bar

September 16th, 2026: City records show Yoshi's filings

Overview

Updated 1 hour ago

A Denver bartender and his server wife are one step closer to running their own place. City records now show a pending liquor license application and construction permit for Yoshi, the cocktail bar Scott and Shelby Ruggiero plan to open in Uptown.

These don't clear the couple to open. They put Yoshi in the city's approval pipeline ahead of a planned early-2027 opening. The couple is converting the former Sullivan Scrap Kitchen space into a cocktail-and-food venue.

Why it matters

If Yoshi opens as planned, Uptown gets a rare no-tips cocktail bar where menu prices include staff pay.

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Key Indicators

2
City records filed for Yoshi
A pending liquor license application and a tenant-finish construction permit for 1740 E. 17th Ave.
$1M
Property purchase price
What the Ruggieros paid for the former Sullivan Scrap Kitchen space in September 2026.
1,640 sq ft
Size of the Yoshi space
The footprint of the venue the couple is building out on 17th Avenue.

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People Involved

Organizations Involved

Timeline

August 2025 September 2026

4 events Latest: September 16th, 2026 · 1 week ago
Tap a bar to jump to that date
  1. City records show Yoshi's filings

    Latest Regulatory

    Denver records show a pending liquor license application and construction permit for Yoshi.

  2. Ruggieros buy the property

    Acquisition

    The couple purchases the former Sullivan Scrap Kitchen space for $1 million.

  3. Ruggieros quit their jobs

    Career

    Scott and Shelby Ruggiero leave Death & Co. and Stellar Jay to work on Yoshi full time.

  4. Sullivan Scrap Kitchen closes

    Business

    The upscale American restaurant at 1740 E. 17th Ave. closes after a brief run.

Scenarios

1

Yoshi opens in Uptown as planned in early 2027

Likely Resolves by Jul 1, 2027

Discussed by: WhatNow Denver and BusinessDen coverage; the owners' stated target

The liquor license and construction permit clear city review, construction finishes on schedule, and Yoshi opens in the first half of 2027. This is the owners' stated plan: both quit their jobs in October 2025 and bought the space in September 2026 with that timeline in mind.

2

Yoshi's opening slips past its 2027 target

Possible Resolves by End of 2027

Discussed by: Common Denver licensing and construction delays

Permit review, construction, or final inspections run long, pushing the opening to late 2027 or beyond. The owners have given no opening date other than "early 2027," so slippage is measured against that stated target.

3

Yoshi abandons the project and the space goes back on the market

Unlikely Resolves by End of 2027

Discussed by: Restaurant turnover at this address

Costs, delays, or a failed approval push the couple to withdraw the license application and sell or lease the property. Sullivan Scrap Kitchen closed after a brief run at the same address, showing how quickly the space can change hands.

Historical Context

One moment from history that rhymes with this story — and how it unfolded.

August 2025

Sullivan Scrap Kitchen closes in Uptown (2025)

Sullivan Scrap Kitchen, an upscale American restaurant at 1740 E. 17th Ave., closed after a brief run in August 2025. The closure left the 1,640-square-foot space vacant on Denver's 17th Avenue.

Then

The space went on the market and drew a buyer within about a year at $1 million.

Now

The address is now set to become a cocktail bar under new ownership.

Why this matters now

Yoshi occupies the same space, showing how quickly restaurant addresses in this neighborhood change hands and the financial risk the Ruggieros are taking with their own money.

Sources

(3)

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