One year into the East Colfax Avenue Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project, local businesses are feeling the effects of the ongoing construction work.

The nearly $300 million effort to improve bus service between downtown Denver and Aurora began in October 2024 on Broadway Street and is moving east toward its scheduled completion near I-225 in 2027.

For much of 2025, work has focused on the area between Williams and Monroe Streets, bringing road closures, construction fencing, and heavy traffic, forcing businesses to adapt. As the next segment of work begins, eastbound businesses are bracing for even greater disruptions.

Savageau Coffee & Ice Cream has experienced the impact of the project work firsthand, with fencing blocking both the entrance of the shop and nearby sidewalks.

“There were days I had no business,” Savageau Coffee & Ice Cream owner Sean Moore said. “People tended to keep on driving past us.”

Construction directly in front of the shop was completed in late September. Since then, the business has seen a slight uptick in customers, Moore said.

As work shifts to the north side of the street, SAME Café is preparing for similar disruptions outside of its building.

The nonprofit, offering meals on a pay-what-you-can basis, aims to make nutritious food accessible to all. The cafe has already faced challenges due to the construction project and expects them to intensify as work moves to their side of the street.

Carrie Shores, executive director of SAME Café, said the shop has seen a 20% drop in revenue since the project began. “We would do 75 to 100 lunches a day, and now, if we do 45 to 50, that is considered a good day,” she said.

“Last year at noon, our place was buzzing with people from all different walks of life, coming in and sitting down at the community table, having conversations with each other, and that’s what we’ve seen a dip in this year,” Shores said.

To prepare for sidewalk closures and limited entry access, Shores has focused on informing regulars about possible disruptions while finding new ways to engage the community.

She started hosting open mic nights and opened a weekly food pantry to raise awareness and maintain connections. She also began organizing “garden parties,” where community members welcomed each other into their backyards to share a locally sourced meal and learn about the cafe’s mission. Since launching these initiatives, the cafe has seen a steady increase in customers.

“I am so overwhelmed with how our community has shown up for us, especially right now,” Shores said.

Finding new ways to draw community members beyond regular business operations has become common among Colfax businesses, according to Frank Locantore, executive director of the Colfax Ave Business Improvement District.

“Our businesses have gotten really creative with what they are doing,” Locantore said. “I think it’s a true mark of the self-made, gritty business owners on Colfax.”

When finished, the project aims to increase accessibility and efficiency in traveling to and from the Denver area while also improving the quality of the corridor.

However, some business owners are concerned that the new development could increase business costs and operations like rent and parking, causing existing shops to shutter.

As the current work nears completion, businesses between Monroe and Niagara Streets are preparing for the heavier construction their neighbors experienced earlier this year.

The W, a restaurant co-founded by four Park Hill and Cheesman Park residents, fears it may not survive the expected work outside its doors.

“We can’t survive something like that,” co-owner Carrie Wigglesworth said when discussing the possibility of their front entrance being blocked.

Since construction began, The W has seen a 50% drop in sales. To cope, the restaurant has reduced operating days from seven to five and cut its staff by 25%. Like Shores, Wigglesworth has tapped into the community by hosting stand-up comedy shows and poker events.

“Anything to remind the community we are still here, and we desperately need the support,” she said.

As with their counterparts, businesses further down East Colfax are finding different ways to engage the community and attract customers, according to Hilarie Portell, executive director of the Colfax Mayfair Business Improvement District. Portell has partnered with businesses to celebrate the completion of new stations, including an event hosted by The W.

“It’s a very resilient group of people doing business on Colfax,” Portell said. “They are bracing, and they are planning, but they are sticking with it.”