Photo by: David Lorish

Stick-e-Star, a popular DU haunt, closed its doors permanently at two o’clock this morning after three and a half years in business.

“It’s been a rough road at this location,” said co-owner Tina Schettler.

Schettler and her husband Mike decided to close Stick-e-Star, located on South University Boulevard after opening a new restaurant last month called Emerald Grill in Windsor Gardens, a community for people over 55.

The Schettlers said they decided to close the popular hang out because the lease for the bar’s location on the redeveloped block had gotten too expensive and the new restaurant would require too much of their time and resources to keep both businesses running.

“This opportunity came up and I kind of jumped on it and I didn’t renew my lease,” he said.

A new restaurant/bar establishment will replace Stick-e-Star in its location on South University, according to Schettler, although he did not provide details about the bar’s buyers.

“There are some new people that want to come in there and were negotiating and they are going to make something happen,” he said.

The Schettlers and their family have been serving the DU community since 1972 with Star Market, a catering business which they plan to keep running.

Schettler said he is ready to leave behind the high energy DU bar scene for something lower key.

“We’ve worked really hard. This is like graduating from college for me, after 25 years. It’s really an upgrade to tell you the truth,” he said.

Still, the Schettlers say they’ll be sad to say goodbye.

“I’m really sad that we won’t be around all of our regulars and friends we’ve made at DU, but we hope they’ll come visit at our new location,” Tina Schettler said.

“It’s the end of an era,” said the Schettler’s son Ryan, “It was a fun time, it was home. Everybody grew up with everybody, you know, it was four years. We’re really going to miss everybody.”

Stick-e-Star customers enjoyed drink specials at a customer appreciation party last night.

All of Stick-e-Star’s employees will transfer to Emerald Grill now that Stick-e-Star has closed, the Schettlers said. The menu at the new restaurant will be similar to that at Stick-e-Star, except that it will include an all-day breakfast menu. The major difference, according to the Schettlers, will be the clientele and the atmosphere of the restaurant.

Located on a golf course, Emerald Grill is open to the general public. It is located at 597 S. Clinton St. in Aurora.