Welcome to the Denver Gazette’s Metro Moves. You’ll get the latest metro Denver openings, closings, hiring and promotion news here. To submit your company’s news, drop an email to bernadette.berdychowski@denvergazette.com.

Local investor acquires Thompson Denver hotel

Colorado-based investor McWhinney Real Estate acquired the Thompson Denver hotel on 1616 Market St., the company announced last week.

McWhinney, which owns several boutique hotels in downtown Denver such as the Maven Hotel at Dairy Block and The Crawford Hotel at Union Station, bought the hotel run by Hyatt and its amenities for an undisclosed price.

Thompson Denver is an 11-story and 216 room hotel that debuted in February 2022. It has more than 10,000 square feet in meeting and event space, a gym and the French brasserie Chez Maggy and Parisian cocktail Bar M from Michelin-awarded Chef Ludo Lefebvr.

“As a local investor, McWhinney has the advantage of deeply understanding this market, allowing us to craft offerings that embody a strong sense of place and establish a distinctive position for each of our properties within the downtown hospitality landscape,” said Omar Palacios, chief hospitality officer at McWhinney, in a press release.

Barnes & Noble to open first Boulder-area bookstore in 20 years

National bookstore chain Barnes & Noble is opening a new location in Superior on Wednesday, marking the first new store in the Boulder area in nearly 20 years.

The new bookstore will open in Superior Marketplace on 550 Marshal Road in the former Party City store, next to Ulta.

The store was built with the newer Barnes & Noble layout design and an “updated” café.

“The Superior Barnes & Noble is one of our first new locations to open their doors this year, and we look forward to welcoming customers into this beautifully designed bookstore,” said James Daunt, CEO of Barnes & Noble, in a news release.

Barnes & Noble is quickly expanding and debuted more stores in 2024 alone than it had between 2009 and 2019, a long period of closing down stores, according to the chain. The national bookstore also acquired Denver’s once-independent bookstore Tattered Cover last year for $1.8 million.

The chain plans to open 60 new locations in 2025.

Olive & Finch expanding with several locations this year

Local “fine-casual” eatery Olive & Finch Collective is expanding this year.

Its first expansion will debut Wednesday with a grab-and-go kiosk at Denver International Airport called Finch, On the Fly.

The kiosk will have quick meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner including burritos, sandwiches, salads, pastries, cold-pressed juice and more at the airport’s Concourse A.

DIA launched about 30 new concessions last year and plans to open another 30 in 2025, many of them being popular local brands.

“Our mission is to bring high-quality, chef-driven food to everyone, no matter how much time or money they have,” said Chef Mary Nguyen in a press release. “Finch, on the Fly will do just that, fulfilling busy traveler’s cravings for healthy, delicious food and drinks on the go.”

Olive & Finch, founded in 2013 by Nguyen, is also opening another location in Downtown Denver’s Union Station in either February or March this year and a second eatery at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts within the second quarter.

The gourmet fast-casual restaurant has two open locations in Denver, one in Uptown on 1552 E. 17th Ave. and another in Cherry Creek at 3390 E. 1st Ave. The company also has a café, Little Finch, open on 16th Street Mall.