On a rainy Friday in late May, Mary Nguyen welcomed about 500 guests to the grand opening of Olive & Finch’s fourth location at the Denver Performing Arts Complex. Small bites like vegetarian lumpia and Saigon Sammies (made with plant-based crispy chicken) were passed around.
As one of the busiest destinations in the city, the complex is a major milestone for the brand. It also fills a longstanding gap in the area’s dining options.
“When you go to a show at the Arts Complex, your dining options are limited. Mostly, you’ll find sports bars, greasy spoons, or high-end full-service restaurants, which are often expensive,” Nguyen explained. “It’s exciting to have thousands of people come for a show and be able to get the exposure, but also give them the opportunity to not go to a full-service restaurant if they just want to grab a drink, a snack, come in with their kids, or avoid spending $150 per person.”
The debut followed closely on the heels of Olive & Finch’s Union Station opening in March. More than bold bets on the city’s future, these new downtown locations reflect Nguyen’s personal commitment to Denver’s revitalization.
“There’s a narrative that downtown is dead, that it’s not safe. But I’m here all the time. I see something totally different. There are new restaurants opening, the streets are active, there are interesting people looking for things to do,” Nguyen said.
“I’m a Denver native. If I want to see a vibrant, activated downtown, then I’m going to help make that happen. I’m not waiting for someone else to do it,” she added.
Before the Arts Complex and Union Station locations, Nguyen began working on Little Finch (Olive & Finch’s fast-casual sister concept) on 16th Street back in 2021, long before the area’s multi-year renovation plan broke ground. Rather than viewing the once vibrant corridor as a lost cause, she saw herself as the first to an area ripe with potential.
“If you look at the investment the city is making … no other city in America is spending $600 million to revitalize their downtown. Honestly, I think I’ve done a great job coming in at the beginning, because in 10 years – actually, probably just two years, or even one – Denver’s going to come back,” she said.
These new locations represent the tip of the iceberg for Nguyen. By the end of 2026, Olive & Finch is on track to operate 10 locations, including one outpost in Denver’s Golden Triangle neighborhood, and two more storefronts at Denver International Airport. These sites will join the four open Olive & Finch locations; Little Finch on 16th Street; and Finch, On the Fly, a grab-and-go kiosk that debuted in Denver International Airport this January.
“Everything that we’ve done has been really intentional. It just happened that now we’re ready, and it’s all happening at the same time,” Nguyen laughed.
Intentionality has been central to Olive & Finch’s growth. From 2013 to 2017, the team focused on refining operations, building a solid infrastructure, and ensuring every expansion would preserve the brand’s commitment to scratch-made, chef-driven food. A major component has been the launch of an in-house production and distribution company, which enables all locations to maintain Olive & Finch’s standards. That same company also services wholesale clients like hospitals, hotels, grocery stores and airport concessions.
“The wholesale side is actually the largest part of our business,” Nguyen said. With demand rising, the wholesale operation is projecting a 25% increase in sales next year.
“I know a lot of restaurants sometimes lose their ‘special sauce’ as they grow. For us it’s different because we’re producing everything…We really wanted to create a sustainable model, but also a company that’s sustainable,” Nguyen continued.
Still, the growth is entirely self-financed and independently owned by Nguyen, who left behind a career in finance to pursue her passion for hospitality.
“We don’t have partners or investors, Olive & Finch is independently owned by me,” Nguyen shared. “What started as a passion project has grown into what it is today. I’ve always known I wanted to build a hospitality company, I just didn’t know it would look like this.”
