Tuesday, February 23, 2021

In-and-Out Burger Is a Go for Downtown Lakewood

Although I'd heard a while ago that the corner of Wadsworth and Alameda was under consideration for one of Denver area's first In-and-Out Burgers, there was a long period when nothing seemed to be happening. 

Well, things are happening now, as evidenced by the construction happening on the corner, as well as the banner hanging out front. Woot!

Now, I first heard about In-and-Out Burger in the 1980's, when high schools friends who'd moved to Colorado from California regaled me stories of the chain's burgers. I also recall a cheerleader I knew who coyly modified the In-and-Out Burger bumper sticker in her locker by carefully cutting out the "b" and the "r" in "burger." Such was the 80's.

It wasn't until the mid-90s that I actually tried an In-and-Out Burger-- and it was good! So I'm pretty happy to have one in my neighborhood to keep me out of McDonald's.

That said, the architecture is pretty standard fast-food design, the building on a small pad with lots of room around it for a drive through and parking. The building does front Wadsworth, and the drive-though looks as if it will be hidden behind the structure, which I suppose is a sort of win. But it's a lot of asphalt.

It also seems likely, at least in the short term, that downtown Lakewood's In-and-Out Burger is going to drive some horrendous traffic our way.

Time to brace ourselves for lots of people with the urge.