Two Brands That Stayed in Denver Picked The Promenade Shops at Briargate This Fall
October 29, 2026
October 29, 2026
Until this fall, Colorado had one L.L.Bean store. It opened at Park Meadows in Lone Tree in 2014. Mendocino Farms came to Colorado in May 2025 and had three locations by this spring, at Cherry Creek, Highlands and on 16th Street, all in Denver. Both brands scheduled their first Colorado Springs locations at The Promenade Shops at Briargate during the last week of October.
The two opening dates are three days apart. Mendocino Farms was set to open Tuesday, Oct. 27, and L.L.Bean was scheduled for Friday, Oct. 30. Both dates land before the center's holiday hours begin. Around them, the shopping center off I-25 and Briargate Parkway has a toy pop-up, a larger Apple store and a short list of retailers still marked "coming soon." Taken together, they explain why the Promenade's first holiday weekend this year will look different from last year's.
The Gazette reported that Mendocino Farms would open at 10:30 a.m. Oct. 27 at 1765 Briargate Parkway, Suite 807. It's open daily from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. It is the brand's fourth Colorado restaurant. The chain started in Southern California in 2005 and now has more than 100 locations in six states.
The menu is set by the kitchen, not built to order. Company spokeswoman Debbie Fitzgerald told The Gazette that "every dish on our menu has been thoughtfully created by our chefs and culinary team." The fall menu at opening includes the "Seasonal GOAT" salad with Pink Lady apples and Farmhouse vinaigrette, plus a fajita steak salad with avocado and jalapeño ranch. The regular lineup includes the "Not So Fried" chicken sandwich and the "Farm Club." There's a kids' menu, along with vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options.
Fitzgerald also told The Gazette why the company chose this spot. The Promenade is "an established shopping destination surrounded by a mix of families, professionals and businesses in northern Colorado Springs." She added that Briargate lets the restaurant serve "lunch during the workday to family dinners, weekend shopping trips, catering and community events."
The city already has plenty of sandwich places. The same Gazette story named longtime favorites Trivelli's Hoagies, Mollica's Italian Market and Deli, and Wooglin's Deli and Café, along with newer brands like Cheba Hut, Snarf's and Capriotti's. Mendocino Farms joins that list as the only location south of Denver.
L.L.Bean's arrival started with a store leaving. The Container Store at 1925 Briargate Parkway closed in April, and by August its 13,000-square-foot space was being rebuilt for L.L.Bean, according to The Gazette. KOAA reported that the remodel on the east edge of the center was a $2 million project, citing the Pikes Peak Regional Building Department. KOAA also reported a planned opening date of Oct. 30 and about 40 full- and part-time jobs. The center's store directory lists the shop as Suite 611 with "OPENING 10/30."
The new store is about the same size as the Lone Tree location. A district manager named the local trails in the company's announcement. Kenon Mitchell, quoted by KOAA, said, "Colorado Springs offers incredible access to the outdoors, from the trails and red rock formations of Garden of the Gods to the landscapes surrounding Pikes Peak."
The brand showed up at the center a week before opening. L.L.Bean sponsored the Oct. 24 Boo at Briargate, the annual trick-or-treat event across the center, which had a Toy Story theme this year. Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory gave caramel apple certificates to the first 50 children, and the My Neighbor Felix team handed out 50 free kids' meal vouchers.
Each change has a confirmed date, a scheduled date or only a forecast.
| Tenant | Where | Change | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toys"R"Us | 1685 Briargate Pkwy, Suite 309, next to Warby Parker | Holiday pop-up | Opened Oct. 22 |
| Apple | Next to Ulta | Moved into a larger space | Reopened this fall |
| Mendocino Farms | 1765 Briargate Pkwy, Suite 807 | First Springs location | Opening set for Oct. 27 |
| L.L.Bean | 1925 Briargate Pkwy, Suite 611 | Replaces the Container Store | Opening set for Oct. 30 |
| lululemon | 1845 Briargate Pkwy, Suite 439 | Expansion of the existing store | Forecast for fourth quarter |
| American Eagle | Not yet announced | New store | Listed as "coming soon," forecast before year-end |
| Kendra Scott | Not yet announced | New store | Forecast for 2026 |
The Toys"R"Us shop is temporary. The center announced it as a seasonal store carrying brands such as LEGO, Barbie and Hot Wheels, and it now shows as "NOW OPEN." The lululemon change is an expansion of a store that's already there. The dates for the bottom three rows come from a SpringsMag preview published Sept. 2, and no specific opening dates have been announced for them.
The Promenade opened in 2003. It's owned by Asana Partners, a retail real estate firm. Its director of leasing strategy, Lara Silversmith, explained the plan in the SpringsMag preview: "Our vision and merchandising strategy remain focused on introducing highly desired brands and fresh experiences to Colorado Springs." She said the openings give guests "even more reasons to shop, dine and gather throughout the year."
The tenant list matches that plan. Two of the openings are brands new to the city. Two existing anchors, Apple and lululemon, are getting more space. The Toys"R"Us pop-up covers the gift season. All of it was announced to land in the fourth quarter, the same weeks the center starts its longer holiday hours.
The center has already posted its holiday hours. These are the dates to remember:
Black Friday weekend will be the first holiday rush for both Mendocino Farms and L.L.Bean, and the 9 p.m. close on Nov. 27 and 28 runs long past Mendocino's usual dinner hours. Two community drives are open now. The Promenade's Winter Coat Drive takes coats through Nov. 13, and a Care & Share drop-off runs year-round. Bring a coat to the drop-off on the way in for that first sandwich.
Santa's Cottage returns to Suite 415, next to Altar'd State. Visit Colorado Springs describes free photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus in exchange for donations, plus cocoa and cookies. As of late October, the 2026 dates and times were still listed as TBA. The center's events page is the place to watch for those dates, along with opening dates for American Eagle and Kendra Scott.
The center's own Pikes Peak views and its I-25 and Briargate Parkway location haven't changed. The difference this year is the store list. With the scheduled openings, getting to L.L.Bean no longer means heading north on the Interstate, and a Mendocino Farms lunch fits into a weekday errand loop in Briargate.
When storefronts like these fill at the center closest to home, it's a good time to check what your own home is worth. Sheena Crompton follows changes like these across north Colorado Springs and can explain what they mean for your street. Start with an instant home valuation and we'll talk through it together.
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