CASTLE ROCK, Colo. — In a town where the perception of wealth often overshadows the reality of need, Mary Grothe opened a restaurant intended to bridge that divide.
Sunday Salmon, a community-driven dining space, aims to provide nourishing meals while fostering connections among neighbors in Castle Rock.
“We have 3,000 neighbors here that live at or below the poverty line,” said Grothe, the founder & CEO of Sunday Salmon. “A lot of people may not think that about Castle Rock because it's such an affluent, beautiful town, but we're not the city of Denver. We don't have resources like a major metropolitan area would.”
The restaurant welcomes diners to pay what they can or even nothing at all. Grothe said they already have reservations for Sunday, with diners who intend to pay for other patrons’ meals.
“If you feel led to pay for your meal, great. If you want to pay for your neighbor’s meal, even better,” Grothe explained. “But you don’t need to pay. We are fully funded through donations.”
The concept was born from Grothe’s desire to create a place where those in need could sit down for a nutritious meal and have conversations with others in the community who may not belong to the same demographic.
Funding for the project has come from various sources, including corporate and individual donations, but the bulk of the money has come from Grothe herself. She sold personal belongings in order to see the restaurant open, putting in over $50,000.
Currently, the restaurant is only open on Sunday evenings. Grothe plans to start lunch service on Sundays and eventually open during the week.
You can make a reservation at Sunday Salmon through this link.
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