Harman's Will Close in Cherry Creek in October

Chef Mark Fischer spent almost five years making a go of his 140-seat restaurant space in Cherry Creek North.

But after nearly two years running Phat Thai there and three more operating the new American eatery Harman's Eat & Drink, he will close the latter at the end of October.

"Our lease will not be renewed; or at least, not without us enjoying an unjustifiable increase in rent," Fischer announced this week in a press release.

Fischer, who also owns The Pullman in Glenwood Springs, as well as Phat Thai and Town in Carbondale, named his concept at the corner of Second and Fillmore after Edwin P. Harman, who is credited with settling what is now Cherry Creek.

The neighborhood has come a long way since the days when a single man purchased 320 acres there in 1871; Harman's neighbors in business now include Starbucks across the street and True Food Kitchen next door.

Fischer has been nominated multiple times by The James Beard Foundation for Best Chef Southwest. In 2014, he traveled with the Harman's team to New York to cook at the Beard House.

Amid all the accolades, Fischer has also experienced multiple closings. In addition to the Denver concepts, his flagship restaurant Six89 closed in Carbondale in 2012.

Here are his words about Harman's closing:

IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT HARMAN'S IS ALREADY 3 YEARS OLD. THANK YOU FOR BEING OUR FRIENDS.
TO ADDRESS THE RUMORS: OUR LEASE WILL NOT BE RENEWED; OR AT LEAST, NOT WITHOUT US ENJOYING AN UNJUSTIFIABLE INCREASE IN RENT. WE'VE DECIDED TO CLOSE HARMAN'S AT THE END OF OCTOBER.
AS RESTAURANT OPERATORS, WE TALK ABOUT SUSTAINABILTY ALOT. GIVEN THAT INCREASE, OUR RESTAURANT IS NOT SUSTAINABLE.
ADMITTEDLY, WE'VE STILL GOT LOTS OF WAYS TO GROW AS A RESTAURANT.
OUR PLAN IS TO CONTINUE TO OPERATE AS IF WE'VE GOT SOMETHING TO PROVE, BECAUSE WE DO. IT INCLUDES GROWING THE BUSINESS AND BUILDING GOOD RELATIONSHIPS WITH EACH OUR, OUR GUESTS, AND OUR COMMUNITY.
THE MEASURE OF OUR COMPANY SHOULDN'T BE JUST ABOUT HOW WE OPEN AND OPERATE OUR RESTAURANT. WE NEED TO DISTINGUISH OURSELVES BY HOW WE CLOSE A PLACE.
UNTIL THE END OF OCTOBER, WE'LL BE EMBRACING EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO COOK FOR YOU, TO POUR TASTY LIBATIONS FOR YOU AND TO SERVE YOU.
SO PLEASE JOIN US. WE'LL BE KEEPING IT INTERESTING, FUN AND REWARDING.