BARna’s core pitch is straightforward: make early Premier League kick-offs part of Denver’s weekend routine.
That mix matters in a market where football bars must serve supporters beyond traditional match hours. The venue is not exclusively built around European football; it aims to capture the overlap between Premier League followers and Denver’s established NFL and NBA audiences.
The business also marks a change in scale for Thompson. Punch Bowl Social expanded to nearly 20 locations and reported $120 million in revenue by 2019 after receiving a $140 million investment from Cracker Barrel. Its later bankruptcy, followed by struggles at other ventures, provides important context for BARna’s more restrained design.
Thompson says the new concept cost less than half as much to open as a Punch Bowl Social site. That lower upfront commitment appears central to the strategy: fewer layers, a clearer identity and a tighter connection between the venue and its main audience.
Thompson considered RiNo and South Broadway before choosing East Colfax, linking the decision to the corridor’s redevelopment and Denver’s $280 million bus rapid transit investment. He is opening BARna with British investor Luke Johnson as a 50-50 partner.
The location gives the project a neighbourhood story rather than positioning it solely as a destination bar. Its long-term test will be whether matchday energy becomes regular custom between fixtures.
As the next Premier League schedule gathers pace, BARna will be judged less by its opening concept than by its ability to turn early kick-offs, local rivalries and repeat visits into a sustainable football culture on Colfax.