After 25 years, Chipotle is leaving Denver.
The fast-casual burrito chain announced Wednesday it plans to move its headquarters from the Mile High City to Newport Beach, California.
The company, launched in 1993 by founder Steve Ells next to the University of Denver, said in a news release that operations based in Denver will relocate to Southern California or to an existing office in Columbus, Ohio.
Following the move, expected to take place during the fourth quarter this year, Chipotle will no longer have a Denver office. The company said it also is closing a New York office.
The Denver and New York offices total a combined 400 employees, according to the company.
Chipotle already had been planning to move its headquarters, but it was expected to shift down the street, not 1,000 miles away.
The company, currently based out of offices at 1401 Wynkoop St. and 1515 Wynkoop St., announced in December that it had leased 126,000 square feet across five floors at 1144 15th St., a new 40-story office tower completed this year.
Since then, however, Chipotle brought on a new leader. Brian Nichol, formerly the top executive at Taco Bell, took over as CEO in March.
“The consolidation of offices and the move to California will help us drive sustainable growth while continuing to position us well in the competition for top talent,” Nichol said in a statement.
Newport Beach is a city of approximately 86,000 on the southern end of the Los Angeles metro area.
Chipotle isn’t the first burrito giant to bail on the Denver metro. Rival Qdoba, which opened its first location in Denver in 1995, decided in 2016 to move its headquarters from Lakewood to San Diego.
After 25 years, Chipotle is leaving Denver.
The fast-casual burrito chain announced Wednesday it plans to move its headquarters from the Mile High City to Newport Beach, California.
The company, launched in 1993 by founder Steve Ells next to the University of Denver, said in a news release that operations based in Denver will relocate to Southern California or to an existing office in Columbus, Ohio.
Following the move, expected to take place during the fourth quarter this year, Chipotle will no longer have a Denver office. The company said it also is closing a New York office.
The Denver and New York offices total a combined 400 employees, according to the company.
Chipotle already had been planning to move its headquarters, but it was expected to shift down the street, not 1,000 miles away.
The company, currently based out of offices at 1401 Wynkoop St. and 1515 Wynkoop St., announced in December that it had leased 126,000 square feet across five floors at 1144 15th St., a new 40-story office tower completed this year.
Since then, however, Chipotle brought on a new leader. Brian Nichol, formerly the top executive at Taco Bell, took over as CEO in March.
“The consolidation of offices and the move to California will help us drive sustainable growth while continuing to position us well in the competition for top talent,” Nichol said in a statement.
Newport Beach is a city of approximately 86,000 on the southern end of the Los Angeles metro area.
Chipotle isn’t the first burrito giant to bail on the Denver metro. Rival Qdoba, which opened its first location in Denver in 1995, decided in 2016 to move its headquarters from Lakewood to San Diego.
And that’s why, in Denver, we choose Illegal Pete’s!
Glad they finally have a leader who knows something – Their past mgmt has been total shit.
Everyone is tired of reading about their miss-steps and stupidity. They fit in CA.
More talent than Denver?
And has anyone heard of qdoba since?
Chipotle decides to raise it’s operations costs by relocating to the really ‘inexpensive ‘ left coast sarcasm intended . Denver’s liberals must be too conservative.