Expanded Argonaut Wine & Liquor opens

The manager of the new, 40,000-square-foot Argonaut Wine & Liquor store said Wednesday’s grand opening celebration went “very well.”

Mark Fetter, general manager of the store, said the event drew about 200 people — including Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper and other Denver business leaders.

The store’s 15-foot sign, in the shape of a bubbling champagne bottle, was raised at the corner of East Colfax Avenue and Washington Street at 10 a.m.

Nearby retailers also offered their wares at the event.

The new Argonaut, located at 718 E. Colfax Avenue, is the relocation of the old store situated on the same block and part of the continuing revitalization of East Colfax. The building was designed and built for sustainability by architecture firm Buchanan Yonushewski Group LLC and developer Hampton Development Co., both of Denver.

“This will certainly be the greenest liquor store that I’m aware of,” green-building consultant Brian Levitt said in a statement. Hampton Development hired Levitt for the Argonaut project.

The store was founded by Lazer Robinson of Denver and sons Hank and Jack Robinson in 1965, and continues to be owned by the Robinson family.