A Modern Soccer Bar Debuts on Colfax
Robert Thompson, the entrepreneur behind the defunct Punch Bowl Social and the short‑lived Three Saints Revival, has opened BARna, a 10,000‑square‑foot soccer‑focused bar in Denver's LoHi neighborhood.
The venue blends a tapas menu with a full slate of live matches, from Premier League fixtures to MLS games, and even offers private karaoke rooms for groups looking to combine sport with celebration.
Thompson says he wants the space to feel “soccer‑first, not soccer‑stupid,” a philosophy that rejects the rowdy, pub‑style atmosphere of classic Irish bars in favor of a sleek, antiques‑laden environment he designed himself.
He chose the Colfax corridor because the street is undergoing a renaissance, bolstered by a new bus rapid transit line that he believes will draw both locals and visitors seeking a fresh nightlife destination.
Despite a mixed record that includes the bankruptcy of Punch Bowl Social in 2020 and the closure of Camp Pickle, Thompson remains confident that BARna’s soccer‑centric model will resonate with fans in Denver and eventually expand to cities with strong soccer cultures such as Dallas and Southern California.
The bar replaces the long‑standing Irish Snug, which shut its doors in 2022 after 18 years, marking another chapter in the evolving hospitality landscape of the Mile High City.