Centennial is one of Colorado’s younger cities, incorporated in 2001 in Arapahoe County, and its restaurants serve a mix of established suburban neighborhoods and a large daytime workforce near I-25. Restaurant Finance Network helps Centennial owners send one application to a network of banks, credit unions and private lenders.
Centennial at a glance
- Population: 108,658 (U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 estimate for July 1, 2025; 108,418 in the 2020 Census).
- County: Arapahoe.
- Restaurant corridors: The Streets at SouthGlenn at Arapahoe Road and University Boulevard, the Arapahoe Road corridor east toward Parker Road, the Dry Creek Road and County Line Road office areas near I-25, and the commercial areas around Centennial Airport.
- SBA coverage: the statewide SBA Colorado District Office, reachable up I-25 in downtown Denver.
Offices, an airport and a reworked town center
Centennial voters approved incorporation in 2000 and the city became official on February 7, 2001, which is why it has no historic main street. Instead, restaurant activity clusters in shopping centers and along arterial roads. The Streets at SouthGlenn, an open-air center that replaced an older mall, is the closest thing to a downtown, and the city has approved a redevelopment framework that adds housing there. A 358-unit apartment building is planned on the former Macy’s site, with construction targeted for 2027, and more residents on site would mean more evening traffic for nearby restaurants.
The east side of the city leans toward business. Office parks along Dry Creek Road and near the Denver Tech Center fill weekday lunch counters and happy hours, which makes Monday-through-Friday sales more important here than in many suburbs. Centennial Airport, operated by the Arapahoe County Public Airport Authority, is one of the busiest general aviation airports in the region and supports aviation businesses whose employees eat nearby.
Because demand is driven by commuters and families rather than tourists, seasonality is milder than in mountain or college towns. The bigger swings come from office occupancy, school calendars and holiday weeks when workers are away.
Financing that fits Centennial operators
- Franchise restaurant financing for franchisees along Arapahoe Road and near I-25 interchanges.
- Equipment financing for kitchen packages and replacements.
- SBA loans for acquiring an established restaurant or buying a pad building.
- A business line of credit to manage holiday-week dips in office lunch traffic.
- Catering business financing for operators who serve the office parks with corporate catering.
Second units in the south metro
Centennial borders Aurora, Greenwood Village, Littleton, Lone Tree and Highlands Ranch, so many operators expand by opening a second store within a short drive. Expansion loans fit that move. Bring twelve months of steady deposits, a clear picture of current loan payments and a contractor’s estimate for the new space, because those are the first things a lender will ask about. Owners running several stores can explore multi-location restaurant financing.
Licensing and local help
Centennial’s local liquor licensing authority is a hearing officer appointed by City Council, with applications filed through the City Clerk’s Office. The hearing officer handles new licenses, while the Clerk’s Office handles many routine items such as renewals and manager registrations. The hearing officer’s decision is followed by a separate state review at the Colorado Liquor Enforcement Division. Free advising comes from the Colorado SBDC serving Aurora-South Metro, which covers Arapahoe and Douglas counties.
Questions owners ask
Does Centennial’s office workforce help a restaurant loan application?
Indirectly. Lenders focus on your own deposits, time in business and debt, not the neighborhood. But a location with strong weekday lunch and catering sales near office parks can show consistent deposits, which is exactly what lenders look for. If sales dip during holiday weeks, a line of credit can be easier to justify than a large lump-sum loan.
Who decides liquor license applications in Centennial?
A hearing officer appointed by Centennial City Council serves as the local liquor licensing authority and rules on new license applications after a public hearing. The City Clerk’s Office accepts the application and handles routine matters like renewals. Once Centennial approves, the Colorado Liquor Enforcement Division completes the state license review.
Can I finance a restaurant space at The Streets at SouthGlenn?
Yes, a lease at an established center like SouthGlenn can be financed with equipment loans, renovation loans or an SBA loan, depending on the project. Lenders will want the lease terms, any tenant-improvement allowance, a build-out budget and your recent bank statements. Second-generation restaurant spaces can reduce build-out costs compared with raw shell space.
Nearby cities
Back to the Colorado hub, or see Highlands Ranch, Littleton and Aurora. Ready to see options? Check what you qualify for.