Dear Action Line,
Why did the Public House 701 restaurant suddenly close, “permanently” per its website?
I enjoyed the friendly and tasty addition to downtown Durango’s dining scene these past couple of years, but now the doors seem to be shuttered. Furthermore, I have a now useless gift card.
Signed, Stiffed instead of Stuffed
Dear Stiffed,
I noticed a few weeks back that Public House 701 appeared to be closed on a Friday night, which I found odd, but didn’t think to check back on the Second Avenue establishment until this question came into my inbox.
Action Line wasn’t a regular at the pub, per se, but I certainly enjoyed its cuisine and cocktails on more than a few occasions. My last trip there was in late February, and to an outsider it didn’t seem like the restaurant was about to close. But indeed, Google now marks the address formerly occupied by Public House 701 as “permanently closed.”
For those unfamiliar, Public House described itself as “a vibrant and inviting restaurant & bar perfectly located in Downtown Durango, Colorado,” according to its Facebook profile.
The place was opened by Dave and Connie Tolle in March 2023. The couple had familial roots in the Four Corners, in addition to well-honed hospitality bona fides. In 1992, Dave directed a banquet for Margaret Thatcher – yes, the one you’re thinking of – in Las Vegas. After his catering company called in reinforcements to staff the banquet, Dave met Connie, according to an article in Durango Magazine.
While all seemed gravy at Public House, records from a public hearing reveal potential financial struggles.
On Jan. 22, the city of Durango conducted a public hearing to discuss the possible suspension of Public House 701’s business license because the business was delinquent on sales tax payments to the city. Public House owed the city $9,754.31 in sales tax payments as of the date of the meeting, according to Exhibit 1 in the meeting agenda.
City staff members confirmed to Action Line that Public House paid its outstanding balance in February but heard from the owners that the restaurant will close.
“Running a business in Durango is tricky,” Connie Tolle said during the public hearing. “We do a lot of good things here in Durango. We have a lot of volunteering. Tonight we have Womenade. We have them every month raising money for their program, free of charge.”
Tolle also said during the meeting the restaurant got robbed in December 2023, which caused financial strain, and they also were forced to close numerous times over the years because of HVAC issues. However, it’s unclear what the exact reason for the final closure is.
The Public House 701 Instagram account posted a photo this week. Apparently taken from the passenger seat of a car driving down Highway 3, the picture looks across the Animas River to the Durango Mall and Axis health building. The south Durango landscape is covered in gray skies. The caption reads: “Goodbye Durango. You broke my heart.”
Action Line reached out to Public House’s business email address and messaged them on social media but didn’t hear back, so that’s all we can report for this week.
Know a good burger place in Durango? Send your recommendations to actionline@durangoherald.com or mail questions to Action Line, The Durango Herald, 1275 Main Ave., Durango, CO 81301.
