Dark Horse left Boulder; is Mustard’s Last Stand next?

BOULDER — Is Mustard’s Last Stand — the Boulder institution that’s been slinging Chicago-style hot dogs on Broadway for nearly five decades — nearing its actual last stand?

Historic Boulder Inc., a nonprofit preservation group, is inviting its members and the community to gather for lunch on Tuesday at Mustard’s Last Stand at 1719 Broadway.

The reason for the get-together: “Mustard’s time at the current location is limited because the City of Boulder plans to raze the Park Central Building, which houses Mustard’s, as part of its flood mitigation efforts and the move to the Broadway and Balsam Municipal Campus,” the invitation says. 

Founded in 1978 by Windy City transplant Dan Polovin, Mustard’s operates a location in the Mile High City near the University of Denver and its Boulder joint on the first floor of the Park Central Building at the corner of Broadway and Arapahoe, which was previously home to Bush’s Drive-In.

The Park Central building lies within an area of the city designated as particularly vulnerable to flooding. 

The site is part of the second phase of the Boulder Civic Area project, which the city says is “continuing the transformation of this important public space into a vibrant hub of urban life, cultural events, and natural connections — while honoring the full history of the area and serving the Boulder community.”

According to a later 2025 Boulder Daily Camera report, Phase 2 of the Civic Area project plan includes a public beach feature as part of a “a recreational hub next to the Boulder Public Library’s main branch. Concepts include a food truck plaza, a tube rental kiosk, public restrooms, youth programs and educational opportunities. The plan would reduce the size of the library parking lot and convert the asphalt into green space. … The Civic Area makeover also explores making the Boulder County Farmers Market year-round and adding more activities to 13th Street …. , adding a beer garden along the Boulder Creek and bringing more activity to the area around the bandshell.”

The second phase of the Civic Area project — the first phase wrapped up in 2018 — is currently in the design stage, with construction expected in 2027 and 2028, according to the project website. 

If Mustard’s Last Stand is forced to leave its long-time home, it’s unclear when that could occur. Restaurant representatives could not be immediately reached for comment Saturday morning. 

A departure would likely cause quite a stir with Boulder diners, already reeling from the loss of another pillar of the city’s hospitality scene: World Famous Dark Horse bar.

The Dark Horse, beloved by University of Colorado students and graduates, closed in March after 51 years in business as a result of the pending demolition the previously tchotchke-laden building at 2922 Baseline Road  — along with a handful of others nearby — to build hundreds of student-oriented apartments and nearly 60,000 square feet of commercial space as part of its Williams Village II redevelopment project.

The bar’s leaders said last week they plan to revive the Dark Horse in Louisville later this year.

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