When news broke that the iconic Sundance Film Festival would be relocating to Boulder, we were thrilled—though maybe not entirely surprised. Boulder has long been a magnet for creativity, culture, and bold ideas, and few places embody that spirit more than The Sink. For us, Sundance coming to town isn’t just a major cultural milestone—it feels like a homecoming.
After all, Sundance’s most legendary figure got his start right here within our walls.
The Museum of Boulder is about to become a portal into The Sink's vibrant past! From August 24th to January 14th, you can engross yourself in the unique art and history that makes The Sink so iconic. This immersive experience delves into the restaurant's history and the vibrant counter-culture surrounding it, including relics from the past, art, music, and an interactive component for visitors near and far.
As we entered The Sink's 100th anniversary, we knew we had a remarkable story to tell—the tale of a Boulder institution that has stood the test of time and been the backdrop of countless memories and shared moments.
As the current caretakers of The Sink, we felt a deep sense of responsibility to share some of the many stories that have unfolded within these walls and pay tribute to everyone who played a role in making it what it is today.
Terry and his buddy Moe owned M&T plumbing and did plumbing for Herbie when the restaurant transformed from Herbie's Deli back to The Sink in the late 80s. While working on the remodel, the artist Llloyd Kavich was repainting the walls. "He was an eccentric guy," Terry said. "The next thing I knew, my caricature was on the wall…
The Coloradan's Lisa Friedrich Truesdale has written a captivating article about The Sink's 100th anniversary, tracing our history and some fun memories from CU alums. We want to thank Lisa for her excellent work bringing our story to life.
The Sink has served generations of CU Buffs in its 100 years in business. Here are some highlights from the insightful article:
January 26, 2023
In case you haven't heard, The Sink turned 100 this year! For a special anniversary issue of The Boulder Weekly, Colin Wrenn sat down with us to talk about this momentous milestone, history, upcoming celebrations, and more.
Read the full article here.
Read the article from the daily camera to learn more about The Sink’s history with the Kauvar family and what his friends and family remembered about him.
If you’ve ever been into The Sink, you’ve walked underneath Llloyd Kavich’s “Sinkstine Chapel” on the ceiling of the entryway. This brilliant re-creation of Michelangelo’s “The Creation of Man” shows God handing a Sinkburger to Adam and perhaps some Sink Rats. The Sinkburger is a classic hamburger made with shredded American cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, and The Sink’s famous hickory sauce.
Boulder, at that time, was a “dry town” – i.e. no alcohol could be sold – even though you could buy it outside the city limits. Thus, the only “non-alcohol” you could buy was 3.2 beer (3.2% by weight or 4.0% by volume). Since it was “non-alcoholic” you could drink it when you were 18. The other beer tavern that I remember on the hill was Tulagi’s just up the street (now closed). Named for the island in the Pacific where a major WWII battle was fought depicted by a giant painting on the wall – and I think the owner’s son participated in the landing (and was killed), and the other was “TTs” or Timber Tavern on Arapahoe St. in downtown Boulder.
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