Denver-based burrito maker Illegal Pete’s plans to open a restaurant near the DU campus, according to founder and owner Pete Turner. The location is tentatively scheduled to open this spring, but the owner is still finalizing plans.
Tuner took over the lease on the Spanky’s building at East Evans Avenue and South Williams Street. He said the location “makes good sense for us.” He was drawn to the thriving university area and said, “It’s the type of neighborhood we want to be a part of.” He believes the growing DU community is significantly underserved for food and drink.
When asked how he plans to compete with nearby Chipotle, a popular Mexican fare restaurant nearby, Turner said, “We’ve had to be serious about differentiation.”
He said Illegal Pete’s offers a breakfast menu and a full bar, and he believes the establishments serve different clienteles.
Tuner said the DU location will be much like the chain’sr downtown Denver restaurant, which offers counter service burritos, a full bar and is open late nights and weekends. “Monday through Friday lunch is a given,” Turner said. He said he plans to focus on nightlife and the bar atmosphere, and he is considering a future rooftop bar at the new location.
“We are excited to get involved with DU,” Turner said. “We believe and know we are a good neighbor and community partner.”
Turner opened the first Illegal Pete’s in Boulder after graduating from the University of Colorado 12 years ago. He said his restaurants offer a good value, good service, more product choices and healthy options if you want a lot of food.
When asked what he plans to do to overcome the competition from Chipotle, Turner said, “we’ve had to be serious about differentiation.” He said Illegal Pete’s offers a breakfast menu and a full bar, and he believes the establishments serve different clientele.
The original Chipotle restaurant is located just two blocks away from the planned Illegal Pete’s on East Evans Avenue.
“Chipotle serves naturally raised meat and offers more pure vegetarian options than any restaurant in the world,” said Chipotle spokesman Chris Arnold. “We differentiate on food.”
Arnold said this is “part of our commitment to making better food all the time – start with better ingredients.”
“Since the first store opened we’ve had a different take on fast food,” Arnold said. He said Chipotle focuses on the ingredients used and environment created in their restaurants.
According to Arnold, the first Chipotle boasts a strong cult following. “We have very, very fanatically loyal customers all over the country and probably nowhere more so than that store,” he said.
“I love Chipotle because it’s so easy,” said Jane Borutu, a senior marketing major at DU. She said most DU students are biased toward Chipotle because it was started by DU students.
There is little hostility between the burrito makers. “Chipotle does what they do very well,” Turner said. The companies compete one block away from each other in their LoDo locations, which Turner believes is the most competitive neighborhood for burritos in the country.
In addition to Chipotle and Illegal Pete’s, LoDo is home to similar quick casual Mexican restaurants Qdoba and Wahoo’s Fish Taco.
“We’ve never really paid a whole lot of attention to the nature of the competition,” Arnold said. He said Chipotle restaurants do well everywhere despite a variety of competition because they are located in desirable places.
For now, Illegal Pete’s will “focus on doing what we do as well as we can,” Turner said. “We try to have as much fun as we can.”
