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Former owners of restaurant return to rekindle reputation
There's something new going on within the stone walls of an old church at 210 Third Street in Castle Rock.
By By: Derek Batty
There's something new going on within the stone walls of an old church at 210 Third Street in Castle Rock.
"I bought it with my wife in 1991 or so," said Jeff Richard, owner of The Old Stone Church Restaurant. "We kind of upscaled it, ran it for I think eight years."
Richard said he sold the business and its name about four-and-a-half years ago.
"Basically, I love this place, my wife loves it," Richard said. "We built the bar up. I think we did a pretty good job of welcoming the Town of Castle Rock, the locals and all that stuff."
Richard said he feels that the previous operator lost what he and his wife built up.
"We would love to get it back," Richard said. "We've got a ton of people that are just happy as pie that we're back."
Plans for the eatery housed in the old church include a complete remodel - new menu, bar stools, benches, booths, tables and a fresh kitchen.
"We moved into The Meadows in 1988, and there were virtually no good restaurants around," Richard said. "So we went to the chamber of commerce and asked them if they were in need or wanted a restaurant."
The chamber said absolutely.
"I didn't even know this place was here," Richard said. "They sent me over here ... and talked to the owner."
It was called The Stone Church Restaurant of Castle Rock at that time.
The church was built in 1888; in 1969, the congregation got too big for it, moved up the street, and became St. Francis of Assisi.
"This sat empty for ... five, six, seven years and then somebody turned it into a restaurant late in the '70s and it was called Old Stone Church from that point on," Richard said. "So everybody that buys it keeps the name so far."
Carpet has been replaced with oak flooring.
"I want to do southwestern," Richard said about the menu. "Upscale, Santa Fe ... kind of New Mexico."
Richard, who will be head chef, hopes to achieve this goal through wild game, fresh seafood, grilled and smoked. The 41-year-old attended the Culinary Institute of America in New York before working in kitchens in New Orleans.
"My wife runs the dining room, and she does all the accounting, so it's pretty much a family deal," Richard said.
The Old Stone Church Restaurant has a tavern in the form of the Chaplain's Bar, coined by one of Richard's former bartenders.
A sign on the restaurant's front door says the opening date is in early February.
"That was before the fire," Richard said of the Jan. 28 blaze in the wood-frame building at the rear of the restaurant. "It looks like we're probably pushed back four to six weeks from that, so, end of March, April probably."
Richard is getting his staff in place. He has some former Stone Church employees coming back, and some from Jarre Creek Ranch Brewery & Restaurant, where he worked as chef and general manager.
"We're gettin' rid of the tablecloths," Richard said. "It's been tablecloths ... for years."
The restaurant will accommodate approximately 95 patrons between the downstairs and upstairs dining rooms. The bar can seat around 40, with some 25 or 30 on the patio.
"We're totally happy to be back," said Richard, who, with his wife, Jeryn, have two boys, 9 and 11.
The Old Stone Church Restaurant will be open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday; the bar will stay open later.
"I bought it with my wife in 1991 or so," said Jeff Richard, owner of The Old Stone Church Restaurant. "We kind of upscaled it, ran it for I think eight years."
Richard said he sold the business and its name about four-and-a-half years ago.
"Basically, I love this place, my wife loves it," Richard said. "We built the bar up. I think we did a pretty good job of welcoming the Town of Castle Rock, the locals and all that stuff."
Richard said he feels that the previous operator lost what he and his wife built up.
"We would love to get it back," Richard said. "We've got a ton of people that are just happy as pie that we're back."
Plans for the eatery housed in the old church include a complete remodel - new menu, bar stools, benches, booths, tables and a fresh kitchen.
"We moved into The Meadows in 1988, and there were virtually no good restaurants around," Richard said. "So we went to the chamber of commerce and asked them if they were in need or wanted a restaurant."
The chamber said absolutely.
"I didn't even know this place was here," Richard said. "They sent me over here ... and talked to the owner."
It was called The Stone Church Restaurant of Castle Rock at that time.
The church was built in 1888; in 1969, the congregation got too big for it, moved up the street, and became St. Francis of Assisi.
"This sat empty for ... five, six, seven years and then somebody turned it into a restaurant late in the '70s and it was called Old Stone Church from that point on," Richard said. "So everybody that buys it keeps the name so far."
Carpet has been replaced with oak flooring.
"I want to do southwestern," Richard said about the menu. "Upscale, Santa Fe ... kind of New Mexico."
Richard, who will be head chef, hopes to achieve this goal through wild game, fresh seafood, grilled and smoked. The 41-year-old attended the Culinary Institute of America in New York before working in kitchens in New Orleans.
"My wife runs the dining room, and she does all the accounting, so it's pretty much a family deal," Richard said.
The Old Stone Church Restaurant has a tavern in the form of the Chaplain's Bar, coined by one of Richard's former bartenders.
A sign on the restaurant's front door says the opening date is in early February.
"That was before the fire," Richard said of the Jan. 28 blaze in the wood-frame building at the rear of the restaurant. "It looks like we're probably pushed back four to six weeks from that, so, end of March, April probably."
Richard is getting his staff in place. He has some former Stone Church employees coming back, and some from Jarre Creek Ranch Brewery & Restaurant, where he worked as chef and general manager.
"We're gettin' rid of the tablecloths," Richard said. "It's been tablecloths ... for years."
The restaurant will accommodate approximately 95 patrons between the downstairs and upstairs dining rooms. The bar can seat around 40, with some 25 or 30 on the patio.
"We're totally happy to be back," said Richard, who, with his wife, Jeryn, have two boys, 9 and 11.
The Old Stone Church Restaurant will be open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday; the bar will stay open later.
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