The Sports Castle building at 1000 N. Broadway on Dec. 10, 2025. (Max Scheinblum/BusinessDen photos)
Sporting goods may return to Denver’s Sports Castle.
Ski and bike shop Evo is considering a move into the 60,000-square-foot building at 1000 N. Broadway, the company told BusinessDen on Wednesday.
“Anyone who knows Colorado, Denver, you just know the castle,” Evo founder and CEO Bryce Phillips said.
Evo currently operates two blocks away in a handful of buildings at Ninth Avenue and Broadway.
“We love our spot. We’ve been there almost a decade now, [but] you can imagine the potential energy that would be felt from a customer experience perspective in a building, in an icon like that,” Phillips said.
Plans for the project, which were submitted to Denver this week by Kemberlin Architecture, are basic. They indicate that the 100-year-old building would be renovated and a rooftop amenity added. In addition to Evo, there would also be space for a bar and a “grab and go” food/beverage service, the document states.
It would be in line with Evo’s other locations in Portland, Seattle and Salt Lake City, which all operate in repurposed old buildings. Phillips said the company is working through timelines, planning and budgeting for the Sports Castle.
“We have work to do with regard to moving through feasibility and ensuring the viability of such a large project. The permitting and cost hurdles are real,” he said. “Our hope is that we can get over those hurdles and turn the corner, setting all sights on creating an extraordinary gathering place for the outdoor community.”
Evo currently operates out of a handful of buildings at Ninth Avenue and Broadway.
Founded in Seattle, Evo expanded to Denver in 2016 when it purchased the Edgeworks/Doctor Bicycle business at 860 Broadway. The following year, it leased half the first floor of an adjacent building, eventually growing to occupy the whole structure. In 2021, the company expanded further, purchasing 845 N. Lincoln St. for $1.2 million to grow its rental operations.
The Sports Castle is owned by a partnership led by Tom McLagan, executive chairman of Denver-based Hyder Construction, which paid $6.5 million in 2021 for it and a parking lot across the street.
McLagan did not respond to a request for comment.
The structure was built in the 1920s for the Cullen-Thompson Motor Co. and housed an auto dealership for decades. In 1970, Gart Bros. Sporting Goods opened at the store, giving it the Sports Castle moniker. The store became a Sports Authority when that chain acquired Gart Bros. It closed in 2016 along with the rest of the Sports Authority chain. The building has been used intermittently as an events venue since.
Phillips said he considered purchasing the building back when McLagan bought it. His mother is from Allenspark, and he remembers going to the store when visiting Denver.
“It’s a dream opportunity,” Phillips said of the project.
The Sports Castle building at 1000 N. Broadway on Dec. 10, 2025. (Max Scheinblum/BusinessDen photos)
Sporting goods may return to Denver’s Sports Castle.
Ski and bike shop Evo is considering a move into the 60,000-square-foot building at 1000 N. Broadway, the company told BusinessDen on Wednesday.
“Anyone who knows Colorado, Denver, you just know the castle,” Evo founder and CEO Bryce Phillips said.
Evo currently operates two blocks away in a handful of buildings at Ninth Avenue and Broadway.
“We love our spot. We’ve been there almost a decade now, [but] you can imagine the potential energy that would be felt from a customer experience perspective in a building, in an icon like that,” Phillips said.
Plans for the project, which were submitted to Denver this week by Kemberlin Architecture, are basic. They indicate that the 100-year-old building would be renovated and a rooftop amenity added. In addition to Evo, there would also be space for a bar and a “grab and go” food/beverage service, the document states.
It would be in line with Evo’s other locations in Portland, Seattle and Salt Lake City, which all operate in repurposed old buildings. Phillips said the company is working through timelines, planning and budgeting for the Sports Castle.
“We have work to do with regard to moving through feasibility and ensuring the viability of such a large project. The permitting and cost hurdles are real,” he said. “Our hope is that we can get over those hurdles and turn the corner, setting all sights on creating an extraordinary gathering place for the outdoor community.”
Evo currently operates out of a handful of buildings at Ninth Avenue and Broadway.
Founded in Seattle, Evo expanded to Denver in 2016 when it purchased the Edgeworks/Doctor Bicycle business at 860 Broadway. The following year, it leased half the first floor of an adjacent building, eventually growing to occupy the whole structure. In 2021, the company expanded further, purchasing 845 N. Lincoln St. for $1.2 million to grow its rental operations.
The Sports Castle is owned by a partnership led by Tom McLagan, executive chairman of Denver-based Hyder Construction, which paid $6.5 million in 2021 for it and a parking lot across the street.
McLagan did not respond to a request for comment.
The structure was built in the 1920s for the Cullen-Thompson Motor Co. and housed an auto dealership for decades. In 1970, Gart Bros. Sporting Goods opened at the store, giving it the Sports Castle moniker. The store became a Sports Authority when that chain acquired Gart Bros. It closed in 2016 along with the rest of the Sports Authority chain. The building has been used intermittently as an events venue since.
Phillips said he considered purchasing the building back when McLagan bought it. His mother is from Allenspark, and he remembers going to the store when visiting Denver.
“It’s a dream opportunity,” Phillips said of the project.
