Denver’s 50-year-old Mercury Cafe, which for decades has held down the corner of 22nd and California streets with a fiercely independent, DIY culture, has closed.
Founded in 1975 by Marilyn Megenity and relocated to its current spot in 1990, The Merc served food, coffee and adult beverages while booking diverse entertainers and community groups on its small ground-level stage and upstairs space. In addition to jazz, comedy nights and open mics, the space was known as a friendly, liberal alternative to sports bars and corporate chains.
But in 2021, Megenity sold it to local entrepreneur Danny Newman, who also owns My Brother’s Bar. Newman planned to revive the spot, but ran into problems due to family medical issues. He also grappled with employee complaints and the formation of an employee’s union. He eventually put the business up for sale, with the knowledge that a new owner might change it.
That happened Monday when the space was taken over by The Pearl — an offshoot of Pearl Divers, a bar located inside the Your Mom’s House music venue, 608 E. 13th Ave. Pearl Divers dubs itself a sapphic bar, or one that caters to LGBTQ women and nonbinary people. (Newman and his small ownership group will continue to act as The Pearl’s landlord.)
Like Pearl Diver, however, the new Pearl business will welcome everyone, from existing and longtime Mercury Cafe customers to anyone who wants to check out the space, work on their laptop, or grab a quick drink, said owners Ashlee Cassity and Dom Garcia.
They’ll also keep the Mercury Cafe’s staff so as not to disrupt what makes the business special, Cassity explained. “We’re booked with shows and events through the first of the year already, so we didn’t want the transition to (interrupt) all that hard work.”
Newman listed the building for sale in August for $2.5 million with the hope that a buyer would continue the Mercury Cafe’s progressive mission. He entertained several buyers until The Pearl’s owners showed up a little over a month and a half ago, having decided on the Mercury Cafe space over another they were looking at on Colorado Boulevard just north of East Colfax Avenue.
“I’m just ecstatic,” Newman said. “This group is so perfect for this space and I’m excited that we found each other. They have the true operating experience to make it happen and are going to just absolutely excel at this.”
The Pearl will be operated by Pearl Diver — Cassity and Dom — as well as Jonathan Mora of Mora’s pizza, who will offer vegan- and vegan-friendly options, and the promotions company Sapphic Collective, which will handle promotions and booking.
The Pearl Divers location inside of Your Mom’s House will close as the new Pearl location officially opens on March 29 with an all-women DJ event. Cassity and Dom’s intention is to give the space a facelift but ensure that “it remains a vibrant part of our community for years to come.”
The Pearl’s new cafe, The Rose Room, will serve Southern-inspired fare such as fried catfish while holding monthly seafood boils that harken back to Cassity’s Texas and Louisiana upbringing. Cassity and Garcia expect that service to begin the first or second week of April, with expanded hours that will see it opening at 8 a.m. every day.
Their current staff of 10 full- and part-time employees may grow, and the owners want to make sure current employees get the chance to stay on if they want to. It’s all about continuity and not messing with what’s worked, they said.
“We’re nervous because it’s a big space, but we’re excited to intertwine our own events with the calendar here for the best possible outcome,” Cassity said.