Financing Colorado hospitality businesses
Restaurant Finance Network is a division of Alternative Finance Network, a commercial loan broker based in the Denver area since 2009. Colorado is home turf. We work with restaurant, bar, brewery, distillery, café and hotel owners across the state, from Front Range neighborhoods to mountain towns and the Western Slope, and we focus most on operators who already run a successful location and are ready to open the next one.
Colorado’s hospitality economy has a few defining features that shape how lenders look at a file:
- Tourism and seasonality. Ski season, summer recreation and shoulder-season slowdowns create big swings in mountain and resort-adjacent markets. Lenders want to see a full year of history, not just the busy months. See working capital loans and business line of credit.
- Craft beer and spirits. Colorado’s brewing and distilling culture, from Fort Collins and Boulder to Denver and the mountains, makes production equipment financing a regular request. See brewery financing and distillery financing.
- Suburban growth. Douglas, Weld, Adams and Broomfield counties have added residents quickly, which brings new retail centers and second-location opportunities. See expansion loans.
- University towns. Boulder, Fort Collins, Greeley and Colorado Springs follow academic calendars that move restaurant traffic.
- Older buildings. Historic districts in Denver and other Front Range cities can add code-upgrade costs to build-outs. See construction and renovation loans.
Colorado cities we serve
Every Colorado city with a population of 40,000 or more, based on U.S. Census Bureau estimates, has its own page with local districts, licensing contacts and the financing local operators use most. Highlands Ranch, an unincorporated community in Douglas County, is included based on its 2020 Census population.
- DenverDenver County
- Colorado SpringsEl Paso County
- AuroraArapahoe / Adams / Douglas County
- Fort CollinsLarimer County
- LakewoodJefferson County
- ThorntonAdams County
- ArvadaJefferson / Adams County
- WestminsterAdams / Jefferson County
- GreeleyWeld County
- PuebloPueblo County
- CentennialArapahoe County
- BoulderBoulder County
- LongmontBoulder / Weld County
- Castle RockDouglas County
- LovelandLarimer County
- BroomfieldBroomfield County
- Commerce CityAdams County
- Grand JunctionMesa County
- ParkerDouglas County
- LittletonArapahoe / Jefferson / Douglas County
- BrightonAdams / Weld County
- WindsorWeld / Larimer County
- ErieWeld / Boulder County
- Highlands RanchDouglas County
For our three most-requested Colorado markets we also have dedicated pages: restaurant loans in Denver, bar financing in Denver, restaurant loans in Colorado Springs, bar financing in Colorado Springs, restaurant loans in Aurora and bar financing in Aurora.
Colorado resources for restaurant owners
SBA Colorado District Office. 721 19th St., Suite 426, Denver, CO 80202, phone 303-844-2607. It serves all 64 Colorado counties and connects businesses with SBA lenders and programs. See SBA loans for how 7(a) and 504 work for restaurants.
Colorado SBDC Network. Small Business Development Centers across the state offer free consulting on business plans, projections and loan packaging. A strong plan from SBDC advising can make an SBA application much easier.
Liquor licensing. Colorado uses a dual licensing system. The state Liquor Enforcement Division, part of the Colorado Department of Revenue, and your local licensing authority (the city or county) both approve liquor licenses, including new licenses, transfers of ownership and changes of location. Build that timeline into any acquisition or second-location plan.
State financing programs. Colorado’s Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) supports programs such as the CLIMBER working capital loan fund, offered through participating lenders, and the Colorado Startup Loan Fund, which works through mission-based lenders. Eligibility, amounts and availability change, so check current program details at oedit.colorado.gov.
Industry association. The Colorado Restaurant Association advocates for and supports restaurant operators across the state.
How we work with Colorado owners
- You complete our short application and upload three months of business bank statements.
- Scott Jordan reviews the file and identifies lenders whose current programs fit your business and goal.
- We tell you what each lender will need, collect it once, and submit.
- You review offers side by side, with total cost and payment terms laid out plainly.
We are a broker, not a lender, and every approval depends on the lender’s decision. See our broker disclosure.
Questions owners ask
Which Colorado cities do you serve?
We work with hospitality businesses anywhere in Colorado. Our city pages cover every Colorado city with 40,000 or more residents, from Denver, Colorado Springs and Aurora to Grand Junction, Windsor and Erie, plus Highlands Ranch. If your restaurant is in a smaller town or a mountain community, we can still help; just apply.
Who licenses liquor in Colorado?
Colorado uses dual licensing. The state Liquor Enforcement Division, within the Colorado Department of Revenue, and the local licensing authority in your city or county both approve liquor licenses. That applies to new licenses, ownership transfers and location changes, so buying a bar or opening a second location means working through both levels.
Where is the SBA office for Colorado?
The SBA Colorado District Office is at 721 19th St., Suite 426, in Denver, and its phone number is 303-844-2607. It serves all 64 counties in the state. The SBA does not usually lend directly; it guarantees loans made by approved banks and lenders, which is where a broker can help you find the right SBA lender.
What state programs help Colorado restaurants?
Colorado’s Office of Economic Development and International Trade supports programs such as the CLIMBER working capital loan fund and the Colorado Startup Loan Fund, both offered through participating lenders. The Colorado SBDC Network provides free business advising. Program terms change, so check current details before applying. We can tell you whether a program fits your situation.