Evergreen’s Little Bear Saloon sells for first time since the ’70s

Little Bear Saloon, the decades old downtown Evergreen bar and music venue known for its Wild West vibe, has new owners. Kenneth and Judy Jeronimus sold the business at 28075 Highway 74 in November. Kenneth bought Little Bear in 1976, according to Colorado Serenity Magazine. The bar was sold to JR Iannaccone, Patrick Robson and his wife Alexandra, according to Little Bear staff members and Iannaccone’s daughter.

Iannaccone owns Bistro Del Lago, an Italian restaurant down the street from Little Bear, and Evergreen based JR Landscaping and Property Maintenance. Robson was formerly vice president of global partnerships at Live Nation Entertainment, according to his LinkedIn page. Reached by BusinessDen, Iannaccone said he and the Robsons are not doing interviews.

He declined to comment beyond saying the new ownership group is “preserving the history and enhancing the experience.” BusinessDen’s attempts to reach the Jeronimuses were unsuccessful. The couple appear to still own the bar’s real estate, as Jefferson County records do not show a recent sale.

The bar has been known as Little Bear since the 1970s, but was known as Red Ram Saloon prior to that. Its building dates to the 1880s, and has also housed a church, a drug store and a dance hall over the years, according to Westword. According to its website, Little Bear hosts live music shows four nights a week, with performances across genres such as jazz, honky tonk and bluegrass.

Its website describes a “rough hewn interior” with memorabilia strewn across the walls and an atmosphere known for representing “the best of Colorado’s wild, dusty past and its rebellious, independent spirit.”.