Illegal Pete's

The first Illegal Pete's location was opened up by Pete Turner on August 15, 1995, on The Hill in Boulder; Turner said that starting the business nearly killed him.{{cite web|title=History |url=http://illegalpetes.com/about/history |publisher=Illegal Pete's |accessdate=29 August 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120830035924/http://illegalpetes.com/about/history |archivedate=30 August 2012 }} Since then, the business has grown to include seven locations in Denver, two in Boulder, one in Fort Collins, and two in Arizona, one in Tucson and one in Tempe. Turner seeks old, historic buildings to transform into his locations and has done so with places like Mama's Cafe, and the vintage shop at Main Gate.{{cite web|title=Illegal Pete's taking over Mama's Cafe space, also opening Fort Collins location|url=http://blogs.westword.com/cafesociety/2014/05/illegal_petes_taking_over_mama.php|publisher=Westword Denver|accessdate=May 8, 2014}} The corporate headquarters of Illegal Pete's was in the historic Denver landmark, the Daniels & Fisher Tower in downtown Denver and now is located in a loft on Broadway near their S. Broadway restaurant.

The restaurant has become popular with hipsters,{{cite news|last=Alviani|first=Samantha|url=http://blogs.westword.com/backbeat/2012/07/denver-hipster-bars.php?page=3|title=Denver Hipster Bars|accessdate=29 August 2012|newspaper=Westword (Best of Denver edition, 2012)|date=10 July 2012}} college students, athletes, and musicians nationwide: in fact, international pop songwriter Jack Johnson first received the call saying Universal Records wanted to sign him while he was eating a burrito at Illegal Pete's.{{cite web|title=Jack Out of the Box: Jack Johnson|date=22 July 2010 |url=http://www.surfermag.com/features/jackoutofbox/|publisher=Surfer Mag|accessdate=29 August 2012}}

In 2014, Illegal Pete's attracted controversy from proponents of Race Forward's "Drop the I-Word" campaign, which seeks to eliminate the word "illegal" from American vernacular because of possible racial connotations. Two small groups of Latino activists demanded that the word "illegal" be dropped from the name of the restaurant, first in Fort Collins and again upon the opening of the Tucson location.{{cite web|author=Story by Julianne Stanford |url=https://www.azpm.org/p/crawler-stories/2015/11/16/76409-illegal-petes-set-to-open-in-tucson-despite-community-protests/ |title='Illegal' Restaurant Set to Open Despite Protests of Latinos - Arizona Public Media |publisher=Azpm.org |date=2015-11-17 |accessdate=2015-12-16}}{{cite web|author=|url=http://www.coloradoan.com/story/money/2014/10/22/residents-ask-illegal-petes-change-name/17738197/ |title=Fort Collins residents ask Illegal Pete's to change name |publisher=Coloradoan.com |date=2014-11-03 |accessdate=2015-12-16}} Founder Pete Turner has refuted any possible racial connotations of his business name in the media and in a public statement defending the use of the word.{{cite web|url=http://illegalpetes.com/blog/community/concerning-the-name-illegal-petes/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151120195549/http://illegalpetes.com/concerning-the-name-illegal-petes/ |archive-date=2015-11-20 |url-status=dead |title=Concerning the name Illegal Pete's… | Illegal Pete's |publisher=Illegalpetes.com |accessdate=2015-12-16}}

Illegal Pete's is involved in several facets of community involvement, including charity fund raisers like the "Smother Autism" campaign in April 2012,{{cite news|last=Ferner|first=Matt|title=Illegal Pete's 'Smothers Autism' For Autism Awareness Month, The Joshua School|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/03/illegal-petes-smothers-au_n_1400007.html|publisher=Huffington Post|accessdate=29 August 2012|date=3 April 2012}} which raised money for The Joshua School, "a Colorado-based, non-profit educational therapeutic day treatment center for children with an autism spectrum disorder and related developmental disabilities," or the award-winning Pete's Pints campaigns,{{cite news|title=Best Glass Act - 2012|url=http://www.westword.com/bestof/2012/award/best-glass-act-2118065/|accessdate=29 August 2012|newspaper=Westword (Best of Denver edition 2012)}} which raise money for local bands.

In September 2010, Illegal Pete's started the Starving Artist program,{{cite web|last=Herrera|first=Dave|title=Illegal Pete's to feed Starving Artists coming through Denver|url=http://blogs.westword.com/backbeat/2010/09/illegal_petes_to_feed_starving_artists_coming_through_denver.php|publisher=Westword|accessdate=29 August 2012}} which feeds out-of-town musicians for free at Illegal Pete's when they come through Denver or Boulder to play a show. Illegal Pete's was voted as the Best Place to Eat and Hang Out with Rock Stars{{cite news|url=http://bestof.voiceplaces.com/denver-boulder/w/best-place-to-eat-and-hang-out-with-rock-stars-2011-34922|accessdate=29 August 2012|newspaper=Westword (Best of Denver edition 2011)|year=2011|title=Archived copy|archive-date=31 August 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120831023448/http://bestof.voiceplaces.com/denver-boulder/w/best-place-to-eat-and-hang-out-with-rock-stars-2011-34922|url-status=dead}} by the annual Best of Westword of 2011. Illegal Pete's began throwing Starving Artist SXSW showcases{{cite news|last=Herrera|first=Dave|title=Illegal Pete's and Greater Than Collective's Second Annual Starving Artist Showcase SXSW|url=http://blogs.westword.com/backbeat/2012/02/illegal_petes_starving_artist_showcase_sxsw.php|accessdate=29 August 2012|newspaper=Westword|date=29 February 2012}} in Austin in March 2011. Pete Turner was featured in a front-page article of the Denver Post{{cite news|last=Baca|first=Ricardo|title=Does Colorado have any business being represented at SXSW? Yes|url=http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_20168179/does-colorado-have-any-business-being-represented-at|accessdate=29 August 2012|newspaper=The Denver Post|date=14 March 2012}} on businesses spending marketing money on representing Denver at SXSW.

In July 2011, Illegal Pete's launched "Greater Than" artist collective,{{cite news|last=Ferner|first=Matt|title=Illegal Pete's Launches 'Greater Than' Artist Collective|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/27/illegal-petes-launches-gr_n_911336.html|publisher=Huffington Post|accessdate=29 August 2012|date=27 July 2011}} a non-traditional record label that works with Colorado bands. The label was the brain child of Pete Turner and Suburban Home Records owner for 17 years, Virgil Dickerson. Bands signed to the label{{cite web|title=Uh, did you know that we have a record label? |url=http://illegalpetes.com/blog/media/music/did-you-know-that-we-have-a-record-label/ |publisher=Illegal Pete's |accessdate=29 August 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120830215554/http://illegalpetes.com/blog/media/music/did-you-know-that-we-have-a-record-label/ |archivedate=30 August 2012 }} included Denver darkwave band Snake Rattle Rattle Snake, cello prog pop songwriter Ian Cooke, active rock Denver darlings The Epilogues, the belovedly crass comedian Ben Roy, and songstress Esmé Patterson.

Travel Channel's Food Paradise aired a segment August 26, 2014 about the restaurant.{{cite web|title=Burrito Paradise|url=http://www.travelchannel.com/tv-shows/food-paradise/episodes/burrito-paradise|publisher=Travel Channel|date=August 26, 2014}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{official website|http://www.illegalpetes.com/}}

{{Fast-food chains of the United States}}

Category:Companies based in Boulder, Colorado

Category:Companies based in Denver

Category:Fast casual restaurants

Category:Privately held companies based in Colorado

Category:Restaurants established in 1995

Category:Restaurants in Colorado