Award-Winning Farow Restaurant announces Jan. 11 closure

In a Jan. 3 e-mail to "friends and valued guests," Farow Restaurant owners Lisa and Patrick Balcom announced that their upscale eatery in Niwot will be closing on Saturday, Jan. 11.

Soon after the restaurant opened in 2021, Farow began receiving recognitions and awards for their hyper-local focus, commitment to a more sustainable food system, fair wages for farmers, and innovative menu. Among them were the Slow Food Snail of Approval, and numerous awards from Boulder Weekly including Best New Restaurant, Best Organic Restaurant, and Best Appetizers and Desserts.

At lunchtime the day after regular diners heard the news, Lisa Balcom greeted diners, chatted with a few and accepted their well wishes.

Balcom echoed the comments of other small business owners in Niwot and said, "escalating costs make it difficult to do business in the area."

She emphasized that the specific reason for the decision was the insurmountable challenge posed by mandated minimum wage increases. These annual increases are scheduled to continue until the year 2030, when the minimum wage will reach $25/hour. Balcom said these actions "make the business unsustainable."

The wage mandates apply only to the 7% of the Boulder County population located in unincorporated areas. Balcom asked gently, but with some emotion, "Why are they doing this,...targeting non-incorporated areas?"

Boulder County's incorporated communities, representing 93% of the population, are given the option of raising their minimum hourly wage rates. To date, most of those communities have either declined to do so or postponed their decisions, creating a stark divide in how small businesses in different locations are impacted. The City of Boulder eventually increased its minimum wage, but to a lesser extent than what the county's legislation calls for.

Farow's owners attempted to address the challenges in a number of ways while remaining true to their commitment to farm-to-table cuisine.

They expanded upon their initial 2021 business model by adding Pie Dog Pizza at their Niwot location. In 2024, they further expanded into Longmont's Parkway Food Hall with booths for both pizza and a new concept inspired by Asian street menus. The Longmont ventures did not gain the hoped-for traction.

With the closure of Niwot's 1914 House last summer, the Balcoms decided to shift from their fine dining, dinner-only concept to a more approachable neighborhood spot with one lower-priced menu for both lunch and dinner. Their series of creative offerings and rebrandings simply weren't enough.

Balcom is uncertain of her next career move, but has ideas for a cookbook, for deeper involvement in the Slow Food movement and, with Patrick, a possible YouTube podcast on the "cool produce grown on the Front Range." First, however, she recognizes that she needs to take a deep breath after the intense effort of the past few years.

There is little doubt that the Balcoms can continue to build on their passion, commitment and creativity. Unfortunately, they and other small business owners are finding it increasingly difficult to do so in Niwot.