Longmont sits mostly in Boulder County with a portion in Weld County, and it has built a reputation as one of Colorado’s strongest small-city beer towns alongside a busy historic Main Street. Restaurant Finance Network helps Longmont owners put a single application in front of multiple lenders.
Longmont at a glance
- Population: 100,109 (U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 estimate for July 1, 2025; 98,885 in the 2020 Census), which puts Longmont just over the 100,000 mark.
- Counties: Boulder and Weld.
- Dining districts: downtown Main Street and the Longmont Creative District, the Boston Avenue area south of downtown, and commercial corridors along Hover Street, Ken Pratt Boulevard and the east side near I-25.
- SBA coverage: the Denver-based SBA Colorado District Office, which serves Boulder and Weld counties along with the rest of the state.
Main Street and the brewery belt
Longmont’s Downtown Development Authority was created in 1982 to revitalize the downtown commercial core, and Main Street today is lined with restaurants, bars and shops in older storefronts. Pumphouse Brewery and a cluster of independent restaurants sit along Main, and the Longmont Creative District adds galleries and events that keep evenings busy.
Beer is a defining industry. Left Hand Brewing was incorporated in 1993 and opened in Longmont in early 1994, and its beer garden on Boston Avenue draws visitors from across the Front Range. Oskar Blues Brewery, which began as a restaurant in Lyons, operates a large brewery and taproom on Longmont’s south side. That depth of brewing talent also supports suppliers, canning services and taprooms that compete with restaurants for patio customers.
Longmont runs its own municipal fiber internet service, NextLight, and has attracted technology and manufacturing employers, so weekday lunch demand is solid. The St. Vrain Greenway and nearby access to Rocky Mountain National Park via Lyons and Estes Park bring summer traffic, while winter is calmer for patio-dependent spots.
Financing options for Longmont operators
- Brewery financing for brewhouses, fermenters, canning lines and beer gardens.
- Construction and renovation loans for kitchens and dining rooms inside Main Street’s century-old storefronts.
- Equipment financing for kitchens, bar systems and refrigeration.
- SBA loans for acquiring an established downtown business or its building.
- Working capital loans for summer inventory and staffing.
Adding a second location
Longmont operators often expand to Boulder, Erie, Firestone or Loveland, sharing staff and suppliers between stores. Expansion loans fit that plan. Most lenders start by asking whether the original Longmont location could keep paying its bills if the new one ramps up slowly, then review the lease and construction numbers for the expansion. Owners with several units can review multi-location restaurant financing.
Licensing and local help
Longmont’s Local Licensing Authority is the city’s municipal judge, and the City Clerk’s Office receives and processes liquor applications as the authority’s administrative agent. A city approval is only half the job; the state license comes separately from the Colorado Liquor Enforcement Division. The Colorado SBDC serving Boulder County runs a satellite at the Longmont Chamber of Commerce on Main Street, so free advising is available downtown.
Questions owners ask
Can I finance a canning line or fermenters for a Longmont brewery?
Yes. Canning lines, fermenters, brite tanks and glycol systems are tangible assets that many lenders finance with equipment loans or leases secured by the equipment itself. Lenders will want vendor quotes, recent bank statements and, for an existing brewery, production and sales history. A new brewery may need a larger owner contribution.
Where can Longmont business owners get free advising?
The Colorado SBDC serving Boulder County offers appointments at its satellite inside the Longmont Chamber of Commerce at 528 Main Street, in addition to its main center in Boulder. Advisors help with business plans, projections and loan preparation at no cost, which can strengthen an application a broker sends to lenders.
Who handles liquor licensing in Longmont?
Longmont’s municipal judge serves as the Local Licensing Authority, and the City Clerk’s Office handles applications, records and scheduling. New licenses require local approval at a hearing, followed by review from the Colorado Liquor Enforcement Division. If your property is in the Weld County part of Longmont, the city still licenses it as long as it is inside city limits.
Nearby cities
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