Riviera Supper Club

Open in  1947

I love a good neon sign and I love the term "Supper Club".

We spotted this sign 6 years ago while traveling through Glenwood Springs and vowed we'd come back and check it out.

Glenwood Springs in 2024

​Don and I were back in Colorado in July.

We stayed at the Hotel Maxwell Anderson on Seventh Street. 

Just a block west on 7th, we could climb up to the walking bridge that crossed the river. It gave us a good view of our hotel...
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​... and a good view of the iconic Supper Club and Lounge. Two buildings? I was confused.

I wasn't sure if dining would be an option for us that night. But I figured we could at least experience the place with a drink in the Lounge.

The Lounge Section

I wandered down from the hotel around 4 to get a peek at the place.

I passed the  pink neon words spelling "Lounge" and paused at the rounded corner, to admire the glass block window. Love the vintage look!

One Business or Two?

​I studied the patio space in front of the 1-story building. 

There was a door opening to the "Lounge" building and a different door to the 2-story building, which held the "Supper Club" sign. It suddenly became clear that this was no longer one business, but 2 separate restaurants. At least the exterior had the '40s vibe of the ole supper club, that once housed a dining hall, bar, lounge and dance floor.

"Riviera Scratch Kitchen"

The corner restaurant's new name was written on the large front window. The words scratch and kitchen are not exactly words I associate with a mid-century restaurant. But I learned later that Chef Travis Owen has been impressing diners with seasonal scratch cuisine, since 2016. 

The restaurant wasn't open yet, but I stuck my head in and noticed a tiny bar area to the right of the door. The bar section did indeed have a vintage feel, so I rushed back to report to Don.

5:30

We headed over a 5:30, hoping there would be 2 seats open at the tiny bar.

We could see there were already plenty of diners, as we headed towards the entrance.
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Dining Room

The dining area was small, with a relaxed, open vibe. I so wish I could have seen photos of this space, 60 years ago.

I didn't  spot a piano anywhere. I'd read that owner Jonathan Gorst, played regularly. But that may have been a previous owner. 

​The Bar

​The bar was hopping and we were lucky to find 2 stools together. It had a fun lively feel, with a few dining at the bar.

I didn't catch our bartender's name, but he was pleasant and efficient, as he prepared drinks for bar and restaurant customers, while training an equally pleasant young woman.

Don and I ordered martinis because that seemed the appropriate choice, while sitting at a bar that's been serving cocktails for 77 years.

While sipping our cocktails, we looked for hints of the old Riviera Lounge. 

How many renovations in 77 years?  Could we be sitting at the original bar? Was the mirror old? I snapped a mirror photo like we used to do before the days of selfies.

Then I snapped an equally lame selfie, to capture the musical note decor behind us. That piece of "art" has probably been around a while.

​The only thing worse than our selfie, was the blurry photo I took when I hopped up to make a trip to the restroom. 

My photo barely shows the bumped-out space behind us, which was so much more curious than it appears. The cozy nook made me imagine Al Capone huddled over a cocktail, in a dim corner... Capone did frequent Glenwood Springs, but he died 1947. So unlikely he ever stepped foot in the Supper Club.

​Signs of the Past

I took a trip to the restroom in hopes of spotting some hints of the past, along the way.

There was little to see. The sign on the door is not one we would have seen 50 years ago.

I got excited when I saw a framed photo on the wall. Was this a photo of the Riviera? I so wanted to get some scoop from our bartender, but he had his hands full. The photo hardly matches up, with all the windows.

​Off at 7

It was 7, when we finished up and headed out. I left feeling a little disappointed that I hadn't learned anything at all about the history of this place.

But the neon was glowing and that pleased me. 

More Neon

​Don and I headed up the stairs to the walking bridge. We had more exploring to do.

It was a treat looking back and seeing the blue and pink neon glowing.  

​Hot Springs Bathhouse

We crossed over the river and looked down on the historic Hot Springs Bathhouse.

There were still plenty of guests "taking the waters" as they did back when the bathhouse opened in 1888. 

Hotel Colorado
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We continued across and spent an hour enjoying the garden patio bar at Hotel Colorado.

The grand hotel was built in 1893, 54 years before the Riviera Supper Club opened. There's a lot to love about this old town!

Back Across

It was about 8:45 when we headed back across the bridge towards our hotel. Which opened 1915, btw.

And the depot! It opened in 1904. I clearly love dates.

​Good Night

​By the time we reached the stairs on Seventh street, the neon had already been turned off. The Riviera was closed before 9.

Since our very brief visit to the Riviera, I've been perplexed why I can't find more information. I wish I'd just spoken with a local or 2, who might have had some memories to share.

Mostly it's fun to know that we had a tiny Riviera Experience. The sign lured us years ago and we did sip martini's while that sign was glowing! Quite good enough!
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