New owners thought they were saving the Mercury Cafe. Now a labor fight is tearing it apart

Audience at the Mercury Cafe in Denver
Dana Meyers/Indie 102.3
Fans of Colorado music gather at the Mercury Cafe for Indie 102.3’s monthly Local 303 Meetup on April 24, 2023.

The Mercury Cafe opened almost 50 years ago and became a Denver icon — a bar, restaurant and concert venue known for its eclectic events. And Indie 102.3 hosted its monthly Local 303 Meetup there for several months in 2022 and 2023.

But for more than a year, it has been locked in a labor dispute between its new ownership and its recently formed union. Some worry that the long-lived business is on its last legs. And the new owners are thinking about making a big change.

Read the full story about how the Mercury Cafe got here, and what could be ahead, on Denverite.