Lakewood’s new Chipotle at the corner of Abrams and Richmond is hosting its grand opening today at 11 a.m. They hosted an invite-only soft opening yesterday, to give their employees a few hours of pre-opening prep time. If the location feels a tad smaller than other Chipotles, that’s because it is. Nate DeMercurio, a Lochwood neighbor who does marketing for Chipotle, says it has a smaller footprint than most stores, but Chipotle figured this location would be mostly take-out centered. DeMercurio says the kitchen area is also more open than most, allowing guests to watch the entire cooking process. That’s because transparency has become increasingly important to the company, which is also the reasoning behind the floor-to-ceiling windows on all sides of the dining area. The colorful slats on the outside of the building are unique to the location, but DeMercurio says he wouldn’t be surprised if Chipotle uses the concept again on future stores.
