Denver, CO
‘The math just doesn’t work’: Little India to close in West Highland
Little India will close its West Highland location in the coming months, owner Simeran Baidwan told BusinessDen.
It marks the end of a five-year run at the corner of 32nd Avenue and Lowell Street for the local Indian chain.
“We opened to preserve jobs because we didn’t have enough revenue,” he said of the pandemic days when restaurants were struggling.
The 3496 W. 32nd Ave. store helped keep dozens of chefs and servers in Baidwan’s “Little India family,” he said. Those workers will now have the opportunity to work at his other restaurants.
“Five years later, the question isn’t whether people love the food,” he continued. “It’s whether independent restaurants can survive the compounding pressures and expenses, especially in Denver.”
Baidwan, who opened the first and still-running Little India at Sixth and Grant alongside his parents in 1998, singled out rising minimum wage, insurance, delivery fees and credit card processing fees as factors contributing to the closure.
“I think what it is, is a Denver restaurant industry story, it’s not just our one restaurant story,” he said. “I think what’s happened, in this day and time, is that life has become really expensive. There’s no margins. The math just doesn’t work.”
Being in the Highlands was also a factor, Baidwan said. The desirable location comes with high rent as well as skyrocketing property taxes he’s been responsible for. Add in dwindling consumer spending and Baidwan said his hand was forced.
“Busy doesn’t always mean profitable,” he said. “A lot of people look through the window and assume the restaurant is good, and we have the several locations too. But it just isn’t like that anymore.”
Baidwan said there’s no plan to close his three other locations, in Cap Hill, Central Park and off Downing Street near the University of Denver. But that doesn’t mean he hasn’t been making tweaks.
At the original store off Sixth, he started operating 24/7 about eight months ago, something he’s thinking about for his other neighborhood restaurants. He’s also added entertainment, like jazz music and dancing, to help get more customers through the door.
Baidwan himself has also returned to the floor as a server — the first job he had at his parent’s store. But having the owner-operator model is difficult for his sprawling Little India empire since he can only be in so many places at once.
“The closure is about sustainability, to sustain what we have. It’s not surrender,” he said “It’s not that we’ve lost the passion of what we do so well. I mean, who does a vindaloo better than Little India?
“We’re really proud of what we built there, and this isn’t about failure,” he continued. “It’s about the reality that the economics of independent restaurants has changed dramatically.”
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Denver Nuggets standout forward Peyton Watson could find himself on another team before you know it.
With the Nuggets reportedly open to a sign-and-trade of Watson, could Denver really lose a core piece to their rotation?
It’s hard to imagine many teams being able to shoulder the financial weight of a Watson contract at this point because of the aprons and such, but he’s absolutely an asset to any contending team.
We’ve gone through and identified a few teams that make sense for Watson in the fall… including the one he’s already on at the moment. Hey, he might stay home, you never know!
The Clippers have been linked to Watson as a possible destination; he could help them immensely.
The Pistons have also been linked to Watson, which would help them a lot to contend for an NBA title.
Look, HYPOTHETICALLY, the Nets could move around some cap space with some player trades and such and get a deal done. They are one of the only teams in the NBA right now not in the negative with cap space.
The Grizzlies are the team with the least amount of negative cap space right now, per Spotrac. If they really wanted to pull off a Watson sign-and-trade… it would be hypothetically possible from a money standpoint.
Denver Nuggts
Look, it’s very possible Watson just stays in Denver on a brand-new deal. Who knows at this point?
DENVER (KDVR) – A Denver Park Hill Resident says trash in her alley hasn’t been picked up by city-run waste collection in more than 2 months.
“It’s starting to be frustrating because that pile has been there 2.5 months, and I’m not kidding about that,” Andrea Sanders-Childs said.
A spokesperson for Denver’s Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI) says they did receive a call about the address on Krameria in mid-June and are investigating the case as ‘illegal dumping’ versus ‘missed collection.’
The DOTI spokesperson says more information will be available when the inspector assigned to the area returns on Wednesday.
Sanders-Childs said that the people who live in the home closest to the mess had actually rented a dumpster; however, it was eventually picked up and towed away.
In the meantime, for Denver residents, DOTI provided FOX31 with the following reminders:
- Carts that are overfilled, stuffed or too heavy cannot be emptied
- All trash must be inside the cart, and overflow trash cannot be collected
- To report illegal dumping, call 311
Denver may be hundreds of miles from the nearest coastline, but Coloradans know that you don’t need an ocean to embrace beach season. Around here, a beach isn’t defined by sand or crashing waves—it’s a state of mind.
Whether you’re sipping an ice-cold Corona Extra beneath string lights, soaking up sunshine on a rooftop, relaxing beside a mountain view or gathering with friends at your favorite neighborhood patio, every Colorado summer has its own version of paradise.
That’s exactly what inspired Corona Extra and 303 Magazine’s Beach Anywhere campaign, celebrating the patios that capture the carefree spirit of a beach day—without ever leaving Denver.
VOTE HERE or below
Whether your perfect patio includes rooftop skyline views, oversized yard games, sports on big screens, frozen cocktails, live music, or a laid-back neighborhood atmosphere, one of these contenders is ready to become your Beach Anywhere destination.
Every Patio Has Its Own Beach
Colorado summers look a little different than those on the coast—and that’s exactly the point.
Our beaches are found on rooftop decks overlooking downtown, lakeside breweries, mountain-facing patios and hidden neighborhood gems where conversations last until sunset.
Add a cold Corona Extra, your favorite people, and plenty of sunshine, and you’ve found your own version of paradise.
Now it’s time to decide which patio deserves the title.
Voting runs July 7–31, with the winner announced August 4.
Must be 21 years of age or older and a Colorado resident to participate. Please enjoy Corona Extra responsibly.
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