A sign outside Creager Business Depot, 1375 W. 47th Ave. in Denver, on Thursday, Aug. 28, 2025. (Justin Wingerter/BusinessDen)
A longtime distributor for convenience stores in Denver’s Sunnyside neighborhood that blamed city permitting delays for its financial difficulties last year has now shut its doors.
“Creager is CLOSED,” a sign at 1375 W. 47th Ave. reads. “We are truly grateful for your loyalty and support over the years. Serving you has been both an honor and a privilege.”
Creager Business Depot, which has been around since 1958, sold groceries, cigarettes and an eclectic mix of other goods to small stores. It had 17 employees as of last year.
In 2023, Creager moved from a warehouse in Globeville to its Sunnyside location. That move caused an unexpected cascade of problems, its owner later told a bankruptcy court.
“The City of Denver Building and Fire Departments delayed contractors and massively inflated the moving budget,” forcing Creager to pay rent at both locations for eight months “due to delays that were not in the company’s control,” Donald Creager said in May 2024.
That led the company to fall behind on its payments to the Colorado Department of Revenue, which it owed $1.9 million for sales and excise taxes — and has a long history with.
Creager Business Depot at 1375 W. 47th Ave. in Sunnyside. (BusinessDen file)
In 2011, Creager Business Depot sued the state agency, accusing it of wrongly taxing blunt wraps. That set off a six-year legal battle over whether those rolling papers are taxable tobacco products. A Denver judge ruled they are, the Colorado Court of Appeals ruled they are not, and the Colorado Supreme Court, in a 4-3 decision, decided they definitely are, in 2017.
The business filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in May 2024 to protect itself from enforcement by CDOR after falling behind on the payments. It emerged from bankruptcy last fall.
“The debtor anticipates that the debtor’s cash flow in the first year following confirmation will allow the debtor to build sufficient cash to maintain its inventory, pay ongoing expenses and pay creditors,” Creager’s attorney, Jenny Fujii, wrote at the conclusion of its bankruptcy.
But 11 months later, Creager is closed. Donald Creager, who goes by Chip, did not return phone calls and emails from BusinessDen seeking to discuss what caused the closure.
A sign outside Creager Business Depot, 1375 W. 47th Ave. in Denver, on Thursday, Aug. 28, 2025. (Justin Wingerter/BusinessDen)
A longtime distributor for convenience stores in Denver’s Sunnyside neighborhood that blamed city permitting delays for its financial difficulties last year has now shut its doors.
“Creager is CLOSED,” a sign at 1375 W. 47th Ave. reads. “We are truly grateful for your loyalty and support over the years. Serving you has been both an honor and a privilege.”
Creager Business Depot, which has been around since 1958, sold groceries, cigarettes and an eclectic mix of other goods to small stores. It had 17 employees as of last year.
In 2023, Creager moved from a warehouse in Globeville to its Sunnyside location. That move caused an unexpected cascade of problems, its owner later told a bankruptcy court.
“The City of Denver Building and Fire Departments delayed contractors and massively inflated the moving budget,” forcing Creager to pay rent at both locations for eight months “due to delays that were not in the company’s control,” Donald Creager said in May 2024.
That led the company to fall behind on its payments to the Colorado Department of Revenue, which it owed $1.9 million for sales and excise taxes — and has a long history with.
Creager Business Depot at 1375 W. 47th Ave. in Sunnyside. (BusinessDen file)
In 2011, Creager Business Depot sued the state agency, accusing it of wrongly taxing blunt wraps. That set off a six-year legal battle over whether those rolling papers are taxable tobacco products. A Denver judge ruled they are, the Colorado Court of Appeals ruled they are not, and the Colorado Supreme Court, in a 4-3 decision, decided they definitely are, in 2017.
The business filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in May 2024 to protect itself from enforcement by CDOR after falling behind on the payments. It emerged from bankruptcy last fall.
“The debtor anticipates that the debtor’s cash flow in the first year following confirmation will allow the debtor to build sufficient cash to maintain its inventory, pay ongoing expenses and pay creditors,” Creager’s attorney, Jenny Fujii, wrote at the conclusion of its bankruptcy.
But 11 months later, Creager is closed. Donald Creager, who goes by Chip, did not return phone calls and emails from BusinessDen seeking to discuss what caused the closure.
