Restaurant expansion waits for approval from city
A remodel at Hapa Sushi Grill and Sake Bar on the Hill originally scheduled for winter break will be put on hold while owner Mark Van Grack clears his plans with the city of Boulder.
Van Grack hopes the remodel will be completed by the end of March when students return from spring break. Van Grack hopes the expansion may make Hapa more of a destination for hungry Hill visitors.
The issues left to resolve with the city do not have anything to do with controversy’s that has plagued The Hill in recent years.
“We’re not anticipating any issues or problems,” Van Grack said.
The Hapa Franchise Group must meet with the City of Boulder Planning Board make sure everything meets FDA standards.
The restaurant will expand into the space currently occupied by the vegetarian Indian restaurant Masala to increase the seating by 60 percent, Van Grack said. The restaurant will also put in a full bar, giving it one of the largest selections of sake in the city, he said.
Hapa’s liquor license stipulates the restaurant can only serve alcohol until midnight.
The Hapa Franchise Group is working with interior designers to create a “very cool-looking space,” Van Grack said.
“It’ll probably feel more like the other Hapas,” Van Grack said. The designers have also worked on Pearl Street and Denver locations of the restaurant.
