Menya Noodle Bar is a restaurant at 951 16th St. Mall that serves a variety of rich and flavorful Asian dishes. Opened in 2016, Menya’s menu is packed with many different types of ramen flavors, poke bowls, and its customer’s favorite dish, the Menya Special, which consists of pork belly in pork broth over ramen.
However, due to construction on the 16th Street Mall, customers have had difficulty trying Menya’s delicious dishes. Foot traffic and sales have decreased drastically for Menya ever since the 16th Street Mall started its construction back in April of 2022.
“Yeah, it has definitely affected us,” says manager Daniela Holguin said. “We used to have four servers for lunchtime and right now we are down to one because there are not a lot of people.”
A sign at the front booth tells customers that their business has been “highly affected” by the construction, and that they are dealing with understaffing and to please be patient with them as they work to survive the construction.
A couple of her staff members had to pick up more hours at different jobs. Moreover, there aren’t any opportunities to hire new staff members. Thankfully, they received grants from the city of Denver to help cover labor expenses.
“We have applied for grants, and they have been helping,” Holguin said.
The 16th Street Mall is home to many businesses that range from restaurants to retail, fast food, and grocery. The mall has been a destination for residents and tourists to enjoy the free RTD MallRide, seating arrangements and its iconic design.
Opened in 1982, the mall was designed by I.M. Pei and Associates, who also designed the Louvre in Paris and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. The mall has seen its fair share of wear and tear over the years, from cracked and slippery sidewalk pavement to trees and plants that are no longer in good health, to outdated furnishings and narrow sidewalks. It has required frequent maintenance.
Construction began at Wazee Street and will end at Broadway. The goal is to improve safety and mobility, provide better opportunities for visitors, attract more customers and commuters, and increase enjoyable experiences and revenue. The updated look will include new furnishings such as tables, chairs, shading structures, benches, and planters. There will be more space for the free RTD MallRide to pass, as well as for walking and sitting.
Another business straight across the street from Menya is a Sportsfan apparel shop. Even though the two are different types of businesses, they are both affected by the same issue: limited walking space, fencing, and loud noises on their mall block. According to Myles Gregory, a two-year Sportsfan employee, the construction has resulted in a 30% decrease in average foot traffic.
This portion of the construction where Menya Noodle Bar and Sportsfan is located between Curtis Street and Champa Street is set to be completed by late 2024, according to the city of Denver’s website. Not only do Holguin and Gregory express their dissatisfaction with the construction, but a bystander who requested anonymity explained how they enjoy the fully completed area of the mall, but when asked if they would go up the street where the construction site is, they responded candidly, “why bother.”
The bystander, a Denver native, describes how they used to visit 16th Street before it became a mall and how it has changed dramatically over time.
“It is an improvement; it looks better with the new trees, and it is more welcoming now, but I avoid the construction because of the dust and noise.”
Another pedestrian named Viera expressed her frustration with the construction. “It’s a pain,” Viera said. “I am a street photographer. Going up and down. It’s not easy; it really hasn’t been easy. Being born and raised in Colorado, I say we have two seasons, winter and construction.”
Viera also said that the construction has been taking too long and the city is not delivering on promises. She is frustrated that she doesn’t want the construction sites in the background of her photos and it’s hard to navigate up and down the mall. Viera expressed disappointment at how little had changed in the completed sections.
“I think it kind of looks the same,” Viera said. “I mean, they changed a few things, it’s still the same old, same old.”
On the other end, Little Finch is one of the businesses that served its time dealing with the construction. Located at 1490 16th St. Mall at Blake Street. Manager Jaden Spencer says business is getting better week after week.
“We are doing a lot of marketing; I think that is also why we kind of stayed neutralized versus tanking,” Spencer said. “We are seeing more people coming through, more people coming back, seeing the same faces again.”
Spencer says he has been doing community building, and that Little Finch hosted a happy hour event to bring people together to enjoy coffee and pastries. He added they did not receive grants from the city of Denver, but the Downtown Denver Partnership has been helpful, notifying them about delays and updates. Still he is unsure when mall construction will be completed.
“Yeah, there was no specific date,” Spencer said. “I don’t think they’ll have an exact date until a couple of weeks out before being finished. I think their goal is fall of 2025.”
Construction has been delayed, and complaints from customers and business owners continue to pile up. One way PCL Construction has been trying to finish on time is by doing night work. This helps to reduce the negative impact on businesses and commuters, while also promoting a safer work environment for construction workers.
Another helpful solution for businesses is that they are given the option to apply for a grant and to see if they qualify. As of last month, there has been $1.3 million in funds for business support on the mall.
Bucket List contacted the Downtown Denver Partnership to inquire about the construction delays and timeline but did not receive a response by press time. Despite numerous issues for Menya Noodle Bar and the other restaurants and shops along the 16th Street Mall, businesses are adapting and finding new ways to move forward, whether through marketing or simply keeping open signs to attract customers.
“If I had a place down here right now, I would be pissed, to be honest, because it’s just taking too long,” Viera said.
