Dives and drips
The Point has new owners after 30 years, but it's the same beloved dive; Lolley's Ice Cream to expand into downtown COS from Monument + food & drink news & events
It’s a Friday afternoon at The Point and I’m perched at the bar solo, about to treat myself to the weekly fish and chips special and a can of Athletic beer. (It’s not that I don’t want a pint of the Station 26 Juicy Banger IPA off tap, but I’ve still got work to do afterward and want to stay sharp.)
My bartender Karen, who I’m later told has worked at the spot for 25 years, is handling the room solo. She ducks in and out from behind the bar, heading out with buckets of bottled beer on ice and returning with more orders to put in the POS. She’s in the weeds, but denies it when I ask if it’s normally this busy when one bartender is on the clock. “This is slow,” she says with a coy smile.
While I’m awaiting my food and she’s pouring shots the phone rings behind the bar. “I ain’t answering that shit,” I hear her say to herself. Or maybe she’s saying it to me and my bar mates (who I don’t know) a couple of seats down. Either way, it’s funny.
This is the kind of dive bar where your water tastes a bit like sprite off the soda gun and there’s an aroma of diner coffee toasted onto the drip machine’s hot plate. The kind of dive bar where the people around you will start talking to you, maybe comment on your food. “That looks good,” the guy on my right says when my fish and chips arrive. Almost everyone’s bantering with Karen, and the place’s co-owner Zane, once he arrives and starts milling about the back bar restocking items and digging Karen out. (I glean there’s a second bartender on shift come nightfall.)
It’s also the kind of dive bar that’s such an eclectic mix of things mishmashed together that it’s hard to put your finger on a singular description of its vibe. There’s Midwest undertones, perhaps from the dated orange laminate bar top with its brass railing on the front. Then vinyl bar stools and a claustrophobically low drop ceiling. Beer signs. Sports memorabilia and Broncos signage. Military flags and banners. TVs. Neon signs and logo-etched mirrors. And don’t forget the surfboards, a nod to the original beach theme. Outside of spots for customers to sit there’s not an inch to spare, exemplified best perhaps by the bar’s top shelf of random tchotchkes.
The Point turned 30 this past June, and it got new ownership on July 1. Zane (Heavner) and his friend Hunter Lewis (of the Bill’s Equipment Rental & Supply family) purchased it and began making improvements. Such as a newly refurbished patio that faces Cheyenne Mountain from the tiny parking lot off Eighth Street. Zane created a website and tried to fill out history about the spot to the best of his and longtime customers’ knowledge. “We’ve improved the cleanliness of everything and updated the food,” he says. Without stepping on the toes of tradition at the spot, they aimed to just “make it better.”
To that end, they’ve kept the popular weekly specials like the fish and chips and locally legendary fried chicken on Wednesdays. (Seriously, even the Broadmoor chefs have come for that over the years.) They’ve added chicken and waffles at brunch. And music bingo and live music nights on Tuesdays as well as trivia on Thursdays.
Zane, who left 25 years Army Special Forces service as a Green Beret, tells me he never worked in the restaurant industry, joking that he went straight from the Army to work in oil fields to this. On his online profile he wrote that it’s a “seamless pivot” from being a leader to become a bar owner. Hunter meanwhile had been a longtime customer and supporter of The Point, so purchasing it when it became available was a bit of a historic preservation act.
The two have worked through a couple chefs already and have stabilized the kitchen, Zane explains. He notes the extra steps they’re now taking to par bake wings before frying them. He cites buying fresh beef (not frozen) locally through Sara’s Sausage for the popular Point burgers. “People come for the drinks but stay for the food and company,” he says. “We’re that kind of neighborhood bar.”
I crunch into my fish and chips, composed of commercial fries with a little crunch coating, which honestly could have been plated hotter; they’re around room temp. My strips of swai lingered a little long in the fryer, too, arriving dark brown with bits of black on the edges. Still, they’re light and fluffy inside and enjoyable next to some heavily dressed slaw with a little hot sauce color and kick to it.
The price is right at $13.99. I give grace, reminding myself I’m at a dive bar. Besides, the guy who complemented my fish and chips when they came out ended up ordering some too. I look over at him before I leave and he seems pleased as punch.
Lolley’s Ice Cream to grow from Monument to downtown
I last expressed my fondness for Lolley’s Ice Cream this past February when I caught a seasonal winter flavor named Monument Moose. As of February 2026 the shop will be passing the five year mark since it soft-opened in downtown Monument.
And by early spring 2026 — this is the exciting news part — they aim to be open at their new location in downtown Colorado Springs — in the former Berkshire Hathaway Realtors office next door to Side Dish sponsor T-Byrd’s Tacos & Tequila.
You can say “yayyyyeee!” now. I did when I saw SideDishSideKick’s news-breaking photos.
Then I reached out to owners Shelley and Dustin Sapp to ask why (not sooner, closer to me, thank you). Dustin starts by noting their existing draw to Monument from as far as North Denver and South Colorado Springs. He says they even have one customer who makes an annual pilgrimage from Texas for their ice creams — all scratch- made in house, and all gluten-free, with vegan and other dietary-restricted options too.
“We’re hoping to be more accessible, especially to the gluten-free and sensitive crowd, and to those that don’t live near Monument,” Shelley adds. “The whole point is to make our ice cream easier to get.” Plus, says Dustin, “There’s still a lot of people who’ve never heard of us. So when we saw a spot available across from Acacia Park, we couldn’t pass it up.”
They say the new space will have a “slightly different feel” design and atmosphere wise, given it will be in the heart of an urban environment. Sleepy, small mountain town Monument offers a much cozier and destination-drive vibe, reinforced by the 150-year-old, historic home they occupy on 2nd Street. They’ll stick to the same overall branding at the COS store, but change the color palette a bit to bring in a bit of “maturity” and “sophistication” to match the existing tin ceiling and exposed brick elements.
As for other differences between the two, additional space in COS will allow Lolley’s to offer 16 signature flavors (up from 12 in Monument) in addition to 4-6 seasonal flavors that’ll be synced to both. They’ll be able to pour fountain sodas in COS and make fresh floats, and there’ll be sizable indoor seating plus a rear patio in the new place. Expect a healthy assortment of baked goods too.
I ask the obvious question, about moving in one block away from long-established and beloved Josh & John’s, and Dustin says they don’t believe they’ll be stepping on any toes. “I met John and he’s been nothing but gracious to us,” he says, noting that downtown is large enough for there to be camaraderie versus competition. Plus, with Lolley’s catering to the allergen-sensitive crowd, and a different ice-cream-making process than J&J’s, it’s really a different product.
I’ve now made ice cream with J&J’s several times for our Side Dish collaboration series, so I’m familiar with the base mix they begin with and how they build and layer flavors. In hearing Dustin and Shelley describe their methods, I can confirm it’s very different. Each batch starts with milk, cream and tapioca syrup that they pasteurize (which allows the proteins to bond to give the ice cream a good textural chewiness), and the full process takes three days.
For what it’s worth, I love both businesses’ ice creams and having to choose between them would be like choosing a favorite child. (I’m told … I don’t have kids myself. Like ice cream, they’re sticky when in toddler form. Ick.) I’m going to take a super diplomatic route and say I’d be happy for Lolley’s on even days and Josh & John’s on odd days, would that I could stomach that much ice cream in a week and retain my delicate figure.
If you haven’t been to Monument to experience Lolley’s yourself, consider starting with their most popular flavor, called Chocolate Decadence. They melt fine South American chocolate into the base as they’re making it to impart a “much richer chocolate flavor.” Another bestseller is their cookie dough, partly because celiacs can rarely find a gluten-free version elsewhere. A third must-try is the Graham Slam, which features a honey-cinnamon base with crumbled GF graham crackers.
“We also do espresso drinks,” Dustin says, inviting me to try their affogato rendition that they’re quite proud of next time I’m up in Monument. It’s made with local Serranos Coffee there, and we leave off with them teasing that they might partner with a Springs roaster to further distinguish the downtown COS shop. Either way, I’m up for it, and I personally can’t wait to see the new shop open 1.7 miles from my house via the fastest route. (Yes, I just mapped it.)
Bites & Bits
• NaRai Thai Restaurant announced earlier this week that it will cease operations at its Rockrimmon location as of Dec. 28. The spot has been open for 18 years. Owner Jasmine Andrew says the NaRai Siam Cuisine on Cheyenne Mountain Boulevard will remain open. And she just opened White Lotus Cafe last month on Bass Pro Drive farther up north. “Closing this chapter in Rockrimmon is bittersweet,” she tells Side Dish, “but the community’s love and support will forever stay with us.” When I ask the reason behind the closure, presuming it relates to not wanting to compete with herself with two nearby eateries, she confirms it, saying “We are consolidating to one northern location.”
• Applications are open until Dec. 31 at Exponential Impact for a Survive & Thrive SPICE workshop. That stands for SPrings Independent Culinary Establishments and the four-week mentorship program is aimed at locally owned restaurants inside enterprise zones in El Paso County. Participants will get between $4,000-$10,000 (in exchange for gift cards) and a grant stipend. The idea is the gift cards will be distributed throughout local nonprofits, which should bring new guests to the restaurants down the road. Area chefs and business leaders are among presenters (and disclosure: I’ve been invited to be a guest speaker as well). Attend a virtual Q&A session from 10-11 a.m., Dec. 11 and/or an in-person application assistance session from 1-3 p.m., Dec. 29. Apply here.
• Via Westword: Colorado Swerves National Trends on Drinking, Continues Drinking. “… Coloradans are still drinking more than most people in the country, with the state ranking third in alcohol consumption based on what the average adult spent on alcoholic beverages for private consumption in 2024.” Click into the article to find the two states that reportedly drink more than us.
• The Gazette this week reported on a new cookie shop in Monument; a gluten-free test underway at Cheba Hut with Udi’s bread; and a Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba promotion happening at JINYA Ramen Bar featuring limited-edition souvenir ramen spoons. (Though that last blip seems to misidentify the Japanese anime/manga series as “a K-Pop take over” in the subheading.)
Side Dish Dozen happenings
Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar: Join us for our Jolly Jax holiday events this month: Sugar cookie decorating on Dec. 17. Ugly Holiday Sweater Day Dec. 23. And reserve for the Feast of the Seven Fishes dinner, Dec. 24; $85 with wine pairings available.
Edelweiss: Now’s the time to pick up our holiday sweets for gifting or your special meal at home. We have Yule Logs for sale whole, in half logs or by the slice. And our Stollen (traditional German Christmas bread) is available through early January.
Wobbly Olive: Every weekday happy hour at both locations is 4-6 p.m.; all cocktails and beers are half off, plus $5 house wines. Allusion Speakeasy: You have to try the themed food on our current Stranger Things popups. One example: the L’eggo My Burger smash patty on a mini waffle bun with white American cheese, smoked maple syrup and crispy bacon.
Goat Patch Brewing: Live music with Chuck Snow Dec. 12, 5-7 p.m. at Lincoln Center. Live music by Joe Johnson Dec. 12, 5-7 p.m. at Pikes Peak Brewing Co. Return Dec. 13, 2-6 p.m. for a family-friendly Christmas Party with Santa and Grinch photos, face painting and more. Catch Monday Night Football, Dec. 15, 6-9 p.m. at Northgate.
Kangaroo Coffee: Give the gift of good vibes and great coffee this holiday. For every $25 Kangaroo Coffee gift card bought thru Dec. 25 get an extra $5 coupon. Come to our Holiday Swing Brunch Sip With Schnip Dec. 14, 9 a.m. to noon, with coffee flights plus brunch items by Red Gravy Chef Eric Brenner.
Stellina Pizza Cafe: Come for Happy Hours, Tuesdays-Thursdays, 3-6 p.m., Fridays and Sundays, 3-5 p.m. $2 off alcoholic bevs and select appetizers plus BOGO Gelato. And if you’ve never had our Italian Sausage Lasagna on house-made pasta you must. It’s made with a basil-béchamel and ricotta blend, artisan spicy sausage, slow-cooked crushed tomato sauce and Parmesan and Mozzarella melts.
Upcoming events
Dec. 11-23: Christkindlmarket in Old Colorado City. Food vendors include Wimberger’s Old World Bakery, Bob’s Roasted Nuts and Germans Pretzelkings.
Dec. 13: Hold Fast Coffee Cupping. 9:30 and 11:30 a.m. Limited to 10 people per session; $6 includes samplings and a $5 drink ticket good at Reception. Event to repeat Dec. 27.
Dec. 14: Gingergread House Contest at Red Leg Brewing Co. 6-7:30 p.m. Tickets required to compete, or come spectate and watch the action.
Dec. 14: Holiday Swing Brunch + Sip with Schnip at Kangaroo Coffee Hillside. Coffee flights, Gold Star Bakery sweets, brunch by Red Gravy Chef Eric Brenner.
Dec. 16: Passport to Piedmont wine dinner at Pizzeria Rustica. 6 p.m.; $89, benefitting Westside Cares.
Dec. 16: Neon Poker Night(s) at Cocktails After Dusk. 6-9 p.m. every Tuesday. $5 drinks; get an extra $100 in poker chips per dry good donated to Care & Share.
Dec. 17: Wine Talks Holiday Wines Unwrapped at Latigo Winery. 6-7:30 p.m.; $55. Followed by A Sparkling New Year’s Eve wine talk, Dec. 31, 4-5:30 p.m.
Dec. 18: American Culinary Federation Pikes Peak Chapter Holiday Happy Hour Mixer at The Warehouse. 4-7 p.m. A Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Chef Sigi Krauss.
Dec. 18: Cookies & Cocktails at Pure Distilling. 5:30-10 p.m.; $20 includes a cocktail flight and four macarons to pair.
Dec. 20: Local Relic’s Small Brew Saturday at The Carter Payne. Noon to 4 p.m.
Dec. 20: ‘Isa Pang Lasa’ (One Last Taste) dinner with Baon Supper Club at Good Neighbors Meeting House. 6 p.m.; $125 includes seven courses and takeaway treats.
Dec. 25: Natale d’Oro: A Golden Christmas Feast at Oro at The Mining Exchange. Seatings at 4 and 6:30 p.m.; $90, reservations required.
Parting shot(s)
If you enjoy this newsletter weekly and want to catch more behind-the-scenes content and B-roll, I invite you to follow my Instagram page (and SideDishSideKick’s). You’ll find content such as me (finally!) trying Chuckwagon 719’s stupid-good, $7.50 brisket trim burger, easily one of the best burger values in town for price and overall impact. Go ahead, click the link and take a bite.
