The Regional sold after 3 years in Old Town Fort Collins

After just more than three years warming Old Town with The Regional's cozy comfort food, its chef and founder is officially moving on.

Kevin Grossi, who started The Regional in Denver before moving it to 130 S. Mason St. in Fort Collins in 2018, sold the eatery earlier this month — passing the torch to brothers CJ and Joe Gladstone and CJ's girlfriend, Heidi Mulcahy.

"I’ve loved the restaurant. It’s always been amazing," Grossi told the Coloradoan Tuesday. "But I’ve wanted to spend more time with my two daughters and my wife."

Grossi's oldest daughter, Juniper, was born three days after The Regional opened in Fort Collins — leaving him to miss out on much of her early days, Grossi said. His second daughter, Willow, was born last spring.

"I kind of knew deep down if someone came along (wanting to buy The Regional), I would definitely entertain the idea, but I didn’t think that would happen," Grossi said.

One night in 2019 — on a break from a house hunting trip to Fort Collins — a friend of CJ Gladstone suggested he and Mulcahy have dinner at The Regional.

"I remember calling my brother afterwards and saying, 'I just ate at this place I could totally see owning,' " CJ said.

He soon learned Grossi was receptive to selling The Regional.

"It was like fate," CJ said.

Since his mom and sister both live in Colorado, CJ said he and Mulcahy were planning a move to the state, especially after they both fell in love with Fort Collins — "it's our final stop," CJ said.

The couple officially made the move from San Diego to the Choice City in 2020. Originally from small towns in Ohio and Vermont, the two had met in San Diego where they worked in various restaurants and where CJ once owned a sushi and tapas spot.

After ironing out details of The Regional sale last year, Mulcahy started working at the restaurant in May and CJ joined a few months later so they could adjust to its daily operations.

Under their ownership, Mulcahy and CJ say The Regional's current staff will stay, including head chef Patrick Romsa and bar manager Taylor Holm.

Mulcahy will continue to serve, tend bar and work as The Regional's front-of-house manager and CJ will keep working behind the scenes and help in the restaurant at night. Joe Gladstone, CJ's brother, lives out of state and won't be involved in the restaurant's daily operations.

CJ and Mulcahy will add a weekend brunch at The Regional starting Saturdays and Sundays in March. They also hope to make some improvements to its expanded outdoor patio, which was added to The Regional's adjacent parking lot as a 2020 pandemic necessity.

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Besides the addition of brunch and some patio renovations, the couple says they will be keeping The Regional's offerings unchanged, including its regional American comfort food concept and focus on sourcing fresh, local ingredients.

"We really want to keep Kevin's vision and concept," CJ said. "We've become such great friends with him over the last year."

After handing off The Regional, Grossi's last day at the restaurant was Jan 5.

"It was tough for me to exit," Grossi said, noting that he's happy to know CJ and Mulcahy won't be changing the concept he created.

"It's been sinking in more and more," Grossi said of the sale. "But this restaurant didn't define who I was as a person, it defined something I worked on."

Grossi plans to now go into "full family mode," which will include a bit of a "restaurant detox," he said.

"From COVID and the employment crisis, it's definitely taken a toll," Grossi said.

Grossi plans to use some of his free time doing chocolate work, with possible plans for a "ghost restaurant for chocolate," he said. He and his family will stay in Fort Collins until the house they're building in Superior is finished. The plan, in its early stages, is currently on hold following the devastating Marshall Fire, he said.

The time will eventually come for Grossi and his family to leave Fort Collins, though. And when that happens, he can leave knowing the cozy restaurant he dreamed up will live on.

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Erin Udell reports on news, culture, history and more for the Coloradoan. Contact her at ErinUdell@coloradoan.com. The only way she can keep doing what she does is with your support. If you subscribe, thank you. If not, sign up for a digital subscription to the Coloradoan today.

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Fort Collins restaurant: Old Town's The Regional has sold