The star went dark in 2017, in what was then announced as a temporary closure. Eventually the sign was taken down. It had never borne a name. It didn’t need to. It was a logo. It was a statement. It was an icon.
It was The Blue Star.
Fast-forward — make that slow-forward — through nearly another full decade, and the beacon is back. The Blue Star will officially return on Dec. 1 after years of planning, anticipation and transformation. Its Ivywild location at 1645 South Tejon Street will be the same, but its latest iteration is more than just a reopening. It’s a reimagining.
“Our goal has never been to simply reopen a restaurant,” says Joseph Coleman, founder of The Blue Star and owner of Blue Star Group. “We want to bring back the feeling that made The Blue Star so meaningful to this community in the first place, while thoughtfully building on the legacy that made it special.”
The Blue Star Legacy
That feeling Coleman mentions ran deep for many. For more than two decades The Blue Star was a supernova at a time when the Springs dining galaxy had far fewer luminaries.
Coleman started the restaurant, his first, in 1995. Its original location was in Old Colorado City in what is now Paravicini’s. Back then the dining room held 16 tables and the menu featured a handful of entrees, but the concept represented a bigger vision of what elevated dining could be in Colorado Springs. The Blue Star quickly outgrew that space, moving to its Ivywild spot in 1998.
With Coleman at the helm and Chef James Davis (now at Chiba Bar) in the kitchen, The Blue Star built a loyal following over two decades. It shone as a creative pioneer. Its new American cuisine was inventive but approachable. Its wine program was thoughtful; the cocktails creative. The vibe was warm and welcoming, sophisticated but unpretentious. Stepping into The Blue Star gave the sense that you had discovered something special. You felt like an insider while the team welcomed all to savor the experience on the inside.
Despite that, Coleman closed The Blue Star and its sister restaurant Nosh in 2017. He says there were critical system- and culture-based issues that had to be addressed across the Blue Star Group’s four concepts. The move was always intended to be temporary.
“I originally thought it was going to be a couple of years,” Colemans says. “When we were building Stellina [Pizza Cafe] in 2019. We thought that the Blue Star would be right behind it.”
Then the COVID pandemic changed everyone’s plans, especially in the restaurant industry.
Building on the Past, Creating for the Future
Many long-time Springs residents remember the restaurant’s rich history, but as Coleman set out to create The Blue Star 3.0, that legacy was the starting point, not the end. He says he wasn’t interested in recreating the past. To truly recapture the magic, the restaurant would have to evolve. After all, to truly be The Blue Star is to pulsate with innovation at the forefront of the dining galaxy.
As it nears the official opening date, it appears The Blue Star is shining once again, drawing from the glow of its long-time soul while radiating with new adventurous energy.
“From beloved ‘TrueBlue’ dishes to familiar touches woven throughout the space, we’re honoring our history while embracing an exciting new chapter,” Coleman says. “The food, the atmosphere, the people, the energy — it all matters. We want guests to walk through our doors and feel that they’ve arrived somewhere special.”
One step inside The Blue Star and it’s apparent this is a whole new restaurant. The open space has been fully redesigned with a chic modern flair. You can see end to end across the entire dining room, but it is also divided by a partial wall with a glowing two-way fireplace. A large glass wine case is still to be installed there before the grand opening. The central bar anchors the south half of the room. The north half has clear views into the open kitchen from its cozy circular booths.
Upholsteries are suede, primarily with a deep signature navy, providing a rich anchor against original, exposed brick walls. The lighting sets off the space with an artistic flair. Hanging pendants evoke constellations, and the rear wall features a wide, arcing light installation that serves as a statement piece. It’s a sexy space all around.
There is also now a private events space, the Meridian Room, available for gatherings and celebrations up to about 50 people. It’s a worth a look to see the framed, wine-stained Blue Star original menu.
On the Table
The Colorado Springs dining scene has come a long way since The Blue Star closed. Coleman’s Blue Star Group has continued to be an active driver within it through Stellina Pizza Kitchen, Ivywild School and other concepts. But when it came to reestablishing The Blue Star at the forefront of innovative cuisine, Coleman looked outside the scene.
“I knew that we weren’t going to hire a chef from Colorado Springs in order to improve the scene,” he says. “You had to bring some outside blood or some outside influence in. So we did that. We got a great chef from California, and he’s doing great things.”
That executive chef is Nicholas Paulerio who has arrived from the vibrant San Diego scene. Most recently, Paulerio served as Chef de Cuisine at Stake Chophouse & Bar in Coronado. His background includes The Lodge at Torrey Pines in La Jolla, a AAA Five Diamond property. And alongside his mentor, Chef Paul Arias, he helped The Fishery in San Diego achieve Michelin Plate recognition.
Paulerio’s balancing act is both to preserve The Blue Star’s culinary history and to propel it forward creatively. The new menu features several True Blue dishes from the past, including Almond Rosemary-Crusted Salmon, The Blue Star Hummus, Swiss Onion Soup and the Corleone dessert.
Paulerio says the salmon provided a challenge and revelation. With extensive seafood experience from San Diego, he says his first thought was, Why can’t I do my crispy skin salmon?
“To be able to come to the Springs and talk with the chef who created that dish [James Davis] and then work with my chef team and find something that was exactly like that yet creative, relevant and still simple — when we finally got it right, I was like, ‘OK, I get the allure of this dish,’” he says. “It’s one of those things where you come in with your own idea and identity and realize that you’re walking into someone else’s identity, and it’s humbling. So it was really awesome to experience that.”
Paulerio exudes a warm and welcoming personality, and you can expect to find him visiting tables especially as The Blue Star reestablishes itself early on. He has also brought some exciting new elements to the contemporary American menu, including a full sushi program.
We had a chance to attend a media preview for a sample of what’s to come as the team fine-tunes its opening menu. Everything we tried was excellent, from the House and Wedge salads to the rich Chocolate Pot de Creme topped with Chantilly cream and that Corleone that eats like a deconstructed granola bar with vanilla ice cream. In between, the Spicy Curry Butternut Squash Soup was a savory delight with a warm heat from Fresno chilis. The Seared Ahi sings with an orange-soy glaze on a bed of toothy black rice.
The Seared Daikon Radish “Scallops” is a boundary-pushing vegan entree built on a bed of flavorful cauliflower puree and roasted Brussels sprouts. “I think the vegans need a little love too,” Paulerio says, adding that he’s working on a vegan Moroccan tagine entree as well.
Beef lovers will be excited to see the Filet Mignon, as well as Steak Tips and Blue Cheese Frites. And the Spiced Duck Breast is another intriguing option we have yet to try.
Those who remember the innovative Nosh can rejoice that Coleman says we’ll find some old Nosh favorites on a secret menu moving forward. That includes the Nosh noodle bowl, calamari and a few others, he says.
Beverages have always been an integral part of The Blue Star experience, and we expect to see that continue with a sophisticated yet approachable wine list. Early cocktails feature a mix of classics and creative riffs. The Blue Star Old Fashioned is built to perfection with Buffalo Trace Bourbon—smooth and just sweet enough. The Seven Across is an excellent twist on a Negroni made with Lillet Blanc and pomegranate.
Zero-proof cocktails are well represented too. Those who enjoy beet juice should not miss the Beatnik. It is definitely beet-forward but delivers a tart sip with rosemary on the nose. The Smoke & Mirrors satisfies a smoky yearning with its lapsang souchong black tea.
Radical Hospitality
Underlying it all is The Blue Star Group’s approach to radical hospitality, a fundamental belief that every guest deserves to feel genuinely welcomed, known and celebrated. Coleman says his teams described it in their earlier days as “intense attentiveness.”
“It’s treating people as if they’re coming into your home,” he says boiling it down to its foundation.
Coleman is quick to credit his leadership team, especially COO Megan Obernesser and HR and Organizational Development Director Dixie Ryan, for translating the concept and training staff in a way that has built cohesive culture.
“Culture is everything. Everything,” Coleman says. “If we succeed, it will be because of employees and culture, not because of our pricing.”
That culture and sense of inviting space has always been at the heart of The Blue Star’s success. Coleman is reflective when we talk about the relaunch. Excited, yes, but thoughtful and present.
“You can ask the staff: I cry every day,” he says.
Are they tears of joy? Of frustration?
“There’s both,” he replies. “I mean, I lost my favorite employee a couple of years ago, and her picture will hang in The Blue Star in the back. I miss her. There are tears of accomplishment, like, Hey, we did this. There are probably tears of relief. There are tears of gratitude or appreciation that we can do it.”
He likens the experience to the emotions of being a parent and cites the Last Time Theory that all of life’s small actions will be experienced for a final time at some point.
“You don’t know when that that last one is,” he says. “If you have a daughter, there’s going to be a last time you braid her hair. So to be present with that, to think about that — I’m very, very aware of that.”
The family metaphor is fitting for The Blue Star. Coleman’s restaurants have always been community builders. Yes, the creative food, drinks and ambiance play a vital role. When combined with that level of hospitality, they keep you coming back and make you feel part of the community. It’s like being part of the family.
In the case of The Blue Star, that feeling has imprinted deep memories that keep people remembering a decade after the doors closed — and celebrating when they reopen. Come Dec. 1, The Blue Star won’t just be reopening; it will be expanding the family.
Watch for grand opening details at thebluestar.net.
