<P> Founder Steve Ells attended the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park , New York . Afterward , he became a line cook for Jeremiah Tower at Stars in San Francisco . There , Ells observed the popularity of the taquerías and San Francisco burritos in the Mission District . In 1993 , Ells took what he learned in San Francisco and opened the first Chipotle Mexican Grill in Denver , Colorado , in a former Dolly Madison Ice Cream store at 1644 East Evans Avenue , near the University of Denver campus , using an $85,000 loan from his father . Ells and his father calculated that the store would need to sell 107 burritos per day to be profitable . After one month , the original restaurant was selling over 1,000 burritos a day . The second store opened in 1995 using Chipotle 's cash flow , and the third was opened using an SBA loan . To fund more growth , Ells ' father invested $1.5 million . Afterwards , Ells created a board of directors and business plan , raising an additional $1.8 million for the company . Ells had originally planned to use funds from the first Chipotle to open a fine - dining restaurant , but instead focused on Chipotle Mexican Grill when the restaurants saw success . </P>
<P> Founder Steve Ells attended the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park , New York . Afterward , he became a line cook for Jeremiah Tower at Stars in San Francisco . There , Ells observed the popularity of the taquerías and San Francisco burritos in the Mission District . In 1993 , Ells took what he learned in San Francisco and opened the first Chipotle Mexican Grill in Denver , Colorado , in a former Dolly Madison Ice Cream store at 1644 East Evans Avenue , near the University of Denver campus , using an $85,000 loan from his father . Ells and his father calculated that the store would need to sell 107 burritos per day to be profitable . After one month , the original restaurant was selling over 1,000 burritos a day . The second store opened in 1995 using Chipotle 's cash flow , and the third was opened using an SBA loan . To fund more growth , Ells ' father invested $1.5 million . Afterwards , Ells created a board of directors and business plan , raising an additional $1.8 million for the company . Ells had originally planned to use funds from the first Chipotle to open a fine - dining restaurant , but instead focused on Chipotle Mexican Grill when the restaurants saw success . </P>
when did the first chipotle on evans open
when did the first chipotle on evans open
1993
1993