By the horns

One of the newest kids on Durango’s restaurant block, The Tangled Horn, is in a pickle. According to owner Seth Broadhead, the eatery/music venue at 275 E. 8th Ave. (next door to Anarchy Brewing) is in danger of closing its doors.

Broadhead, who opened The Horn last October with help from his brother, Willow, put out a plea with a link to a crowd-funding source this week. “(We) took a leap of faith in 2024, launching The Tangled Horn, a vibrant new restaurant designed to bring families, artists and good food together in a uniquely Durango atmosphere,” Broadhead wrote. “But after eight months of resilience, heart and grit, the dream stands at a tipping point – and I am asking the community for help.”

In true startup fashion, the brothers poured sweat equity and personal funds into building the restaurant, navigating permitting hurdles and assembling a bar, kitchen and outdoor space. But the journey has been far from smooth. From burst pipes and faulty appliances to staffing struggles and surprise legal fees from a Snowdown Fight Club event (which, as it turns out, ran afoul of a rarely cited Colorado law), the challenges have piled up.

Despite all this, Seth said the establishment has given back, spending more than $20,000 to hire local musicians and buying more than $30,000 worth of ingredients from Colorado farmers and producers.

Seth said when the space – formerly occupied by Macho’s, which moved out in 2022, and DNA Rock and Blues Bar, which failed to open after two years – he jumped at the chance for his dream: a farm-to-table-based restaurant. Most recently working as a general contractor, Seth spent 10 years working on farms in Sonoma County, Calif., and five years as a chef in the Bay Area.

However, Seth said he now faces the possibility of selling his home to keep the dream alive as loans, debt and overhead costs mount. He said all options are on the table, from partnerships with local investors to working with another chef on a breakfast concept to hosting events and fundraisers.

 
“The Tangled Horn cannot survive without help,” Seth said.

Folks can step up by donating to its crowdfunding campaign at www.indiegogo.com/projects/save-the-tangled-horn#/. Or better yet, go enjoy a burger, beer and some live music under the shady trees of its back patio.
A fundraising party also is in the works. Stay tuned to Insta (or your beloved Telegraph “Stuff to Do” section) for dets.