Colorado Springs nightlife is concentrated downtown along Tejon Street, with neighborhood bars in Old Colorado City, taprooms scattered across the city and tasting rooms run by local distilleries. Game days, concerts and military paydays all move the needle. This page covers bar financing in Colorado Springs specifically; the Colorado Springs city page explains the broader local economy.
The local bar landscape
The Census Bureau’s 2023 County Business Patterns counted 96 drinking places (NAICS 7224) with paid employees in El Paso County, employing 1,023 people. That category covers bars, taverns and nightclubs; breweries with taprooms and restaurants with big bar programs are counted in other codes, so the actual field of competitors is wider.
Downtown keeps adding bars. In September 2026 a Colorado-themed sports bar opened on Tejon Street in a prominent space previously occupied by Oskar Blues, and the Downtown Partnership welcomed it as part of the street’s game-day and live-music mix. Rebuilt Tejon sidewalks with dedicated patio zones make outdoor drinking space a bigger part of the downtown bar model than it used to be.
Events drive peaks. Weidner Field brings professional soccer downtown, the 8,000-seat Ford Amphitheater has hosted touring concerts on the north side since August 2024, and Air Force Academy football adds fall Saturdays. Summer tourism around Pikes Peak and Garden of the Gods lifts westside bars, while winter is calmer.
Local producers are part of the scene. Bristol Brewing’s pub anchors Ivywild School, where Axe and the Oak also pours whiskey, Red Leg Brewing is a veteran-owned brewery on Garden of the Gods Road, and Distillery 291 makes whiskey in the city.
What Springs bars usually finance
- Remodels and patio build-outs through construction and renovation loans.
- Draft towers, glycol systems, coolers, ice machines and sound systems through equipment financing.
- Buying an existing bar and transferring its license, often with SBA loans.
- Brewhouses and taproom expansions through brewery financing, or stills and tasting rooms through distillery financing.
- Late-night venues with dance floors and security costs, covered on our nightclub financing page.
- Inventory and staffing ahead of concert and football seasons with a business line of credit.
Licensing to plan around
Colorado Springs liquor applications are filed with the City Clerk’s Office, which supports the Local Licensing Authority and schedules the public hearing required for a new license. The Colorado Liquor Enforcement Division reviews the state application after local approval. A tavern license requires light snacks and sandwiches to be available during business hours, and changes to your licensed area, such as adding a patio, generally need approval before you serve there.
How to apply
Start with the short online application and attach statements from your business bank account for the last three months. Lenders weigh verified deposits heavily, so card and cash sales that land in the business account make the strongest case. If you are buying a bar, include the purchase agreement and the seller’s recent financials.
Questions owners ask
How do bars in Colorado Springs get financing?
Most combine tools: equipment financing for draft systems and coolers, a term or SBA loan for a remodel or acquisition, and a line of credit for event-season inventory. Lenders review bank deposits, time in business, existing debt and credit. A broker can send one application to several lenders that work with bars and compare the responses.
Who issues liquor licenses in Colorado Springs?
The City Clerk’s Office handles liquor and beer licensing and schedules hearings before the Local Licensing Authority, which decides new local licenses. A state license from the Colorado Liquor Enforcement Division is the final step. Transfers when buying an existing bar follow a similar path, and a temporary permit may let you operate while the transfer is pending.
Can a Colorado Springs bar finance a patio or remodel?
Yes. A patio, rooftop or interior remodel can be funded through a renovation loan, term loan or SBA loan, depending on scope and your track record. Expect a lender to ask for bids from your contractor, written sign-off from the landlord and current statements. Adding outdoor service usually means modifying the licensed premises, so check with the City Clerk’s Office early.
More Colorado Springs and Colorado resources
Read about restaurant loans in Colorado Springs, visit the Colorado hub, or compare bar financing in Aurora. Ready to see options? Check what you qualify for.