Trevor Phipps
For months, Woodland Park residents have raised a flurry of questions regarding the fate of the famous and legendary Swiss Chalet Restaurant that has sat idle for some time.
The acclaimed Woodland Park eatery was a staple in the city for several decades until former owner and Woodland Park Mayor Neil Levy passed away and his family sold the business.
The building is currently in contract to be purchased and the sale of the building is slated to take place sometime this month.
During a recent Woodland Park City Council meeting, it was confirmed that the building, which used to be the home to the Swiss Chalet located on the east side of town off Hwy. 24, was purchased by Carrie and David Platzer. The Platzers are not new to the restaurant industry. In fact, the couple plans to remodel the building and open an eatery coined, “Boards and Barrels Bistro and Whisky House.”
The eatery’s name leads to the fact that the establishment will offer barrels of beer and various kinds of charcuterie boards. In a somewhat unprecedented move, the city council approved the owners’ liquor license application on Feb. 1, even though the sale on the building had not yet closed.
According to Woodland Park City Clerk Suzanne Leclercq, the company had a special situation that prompted them to apply for a liquor license before the new owners had officially closed on the property. “Typically, we do not bring a license to council for a property that has not been purchased and closed on yet,” the city clerk explained. “Usually, I bring it to you when we have a contract or lease. But in order for them to close on their SBA (Small Business Administration) loan they need to have the liquor license first. So, we are asking for a special exception from council this evening.”
Leclercq said that the new owners are in contract and planned to close on the deal between Feb.9 and Feb. 12. But even though it was approved on a local level, the state liquor license will not go into effect until the owners have closed on the property.
New Details Released Regarding Swiss Chalet Transformation
Boards and Barrels owner Carrie Platzer addressed council to tell them a bit about their plans for the new eatery. This marked the first time that plans were unveiled publicly for the immediate and long-term future of the famed Swiss Chalet site, the subject of a plethora of rumors for the last few months.
Platzer said that she and her husband have been looking for an opportunity to open their own eatery, after working for years in the hospitality industry.
“I formerly worked for the Levy family in at the Pepper Tree Restaurant in Colorado Springs for close to six years and I absolutely adore that family,” Platzer said. “So, when this opportunity came up, I can’t even tell you the excitement.”
Platzer did say that they have ideas for a new concept that will vary from what the Swiss Chalet used to be. “It will be more of a frequently visited establishment we are hoping,” Platzer said. “It can still be for special occasions, but it’s not going to be that week’s pay to get you dinner and drinks.”
She said her husband David Platzer has worked in the restaurant industry for 37 years. In addition, Carrie Platzer told the council that she has had some sort of job in the food and beverage industry for 41 years. Platzer has worked at several eateries in southern Colorado including the Pepper Tree and the Broadmoor. Currently, Platzer runs the beverage program for six different properties in Colorado Springs.
“We are hoping to offer something a little different to the community,” Platzer explained. “There’s going to be a nice variety of things on the menu. David is very into old world techniques like making his own sausage and homemade sauces. There will be a lot of shareable plates.”
She said that with all the changes at the property, they decided not to try to continue keep the building as the Swiss Chalet. They plan on doing remodels to the building, including revamping the upstairs unit to use as a bed and breakfast and upgrading the outdoor seating.
“We are not going to try to go back in and rebuild what the Levy family did such a good job at,” Platzer stated. “But we are going to rebuild it into something that we can do a good job at.”
The new Swiss Chalet owner also announced plans for a Sunday brunch. The eatery will continue to have a popular wine list, and Platzer plans on using her skills as a sommelier to match drinks with food items.
The Swiss Chalet was first opened in 1962. Former mayor Neil Levy and his family owned the restaurant for 23 years before selling it at the end of 2022.
New owners purchased the building, remodeled it and reopened it as the Swiss Chalet in the beginning of 2023. The owners then relocated, citing family reasons and the building has sat empty for several months.
Platzer said that the opening date depends on how long the remodeling will take. At the recent council meeting, she cited several forthcoming projects, aimed at providing bar seating and remodeling the restroom area. Carrie Platzer hopes that everything will be completed by the end of March or the first part of April.
