Extreme sports. Casual setting.
When Ryan Galbraith and his business partner Chris Stinson heard about a vacancy in Olde Town Arvada, they jumped at the opportunity to bring a mix of nightlife and action sports to the corner of Grandview Avenue and Webster Street.
The result is Cheapskates, a bar and eatery that invites visitors to pull up a chair to catch the latest motocross competition, monster truck race, skateboard video or X Games program.
Galbraith said the venue fits well with Generation Xers who are now raising children of their own.
“Skateboarding is now second generation. Their kids are growing up watching their dads skateboard instead of just throwing the baseball,” he said.
Galbraith and Stinson are no strangers to the world of extreme sports business. Stinson manages a motorcycle company, and Galbraith previously worked in sports marketing.
On top of that, the two hold the Guinness World Record for longest trip on pocket bikes, covering 445 miles from Denver to South Dakota.
“I’ve spent my whole life on two wheels, whether it’s mountain biking or motocross,” he said.
Despite the focus on extreme sports, Galbraith wouldn’t label the venue as extreme.
A chalkboard-coated back wall displays drink and food specials, and skis and helmets adorn the remaining walls.
“It’s something a little different, but we didn’t want to go overboard,” he said, pointing out that a wall plastered with skate decks might not seem inviting to families or casual diners who want to come in for a meal.
As the name of the place implies, Cheapskates’ menu is aimed at attracting customers who want to go easy on the pocketbook.
The venue exudes a do-it-yourself, community-centered aesthetic, he said.
He and Stinson did all the construction themselves, even laying down the tile and installing the bar.
Cheapskates features local brews on tap, and cooks try to use local ingredients when making burgers and tacos, he said.
Chamber of Commerce ambassador Terri Rhoades said Cheapskates encourages a local flavor with its Pay It Forward wall.
Visitors can pay for a drink or food item for a friend, write the item and recipient’s name on a card and pin it to the wall.
Recipients can look for their name on the wall when they come in at a later time.
After redeeming their item, “a lot of times people turn right around and buy a drink for someone else,” Galbraith said.
Galbraith said Olde Town is becoming more friendly as a nightlife destination, and he plans to partner with other bars and restaurants to organize a pub crawl or other promotions.
“People want to be out and about, and we want to make it comfortable for everyone,” he said.
Mike Stahl, who stopped in for a beer on a recent day, said Cheapskates fits into Ole Town’s neighborhood feel.
“It’s nice to have Olde Town as a destination,” he said. “It’s a community place. We don’t have big box stores or an IKEA, and that’s what I like about it.”
Cheapskates is located at 7501 Grandview Ave.
For more information, call 303-423-7770.