JOHN ARNOLF0
AUTHOR · STORYTELLER · ENTREPRENEUR
The Silver Grill Cafe
An American Story and Counter Seat to Fort Collins History
A memoir of family, community, and an entrepreneur.
John Arnolfo is an author, entrepreneur, storyteller, and coach to other entrepreneurs. In his memoir, The Silver Grill Cafe: An American Story and Counter Seat to Fort Collins History, John shares his remarkable family story, from the arrival of his immigrant grandparents to the sale of the Silver Grill Cafe, his award-winning restaurant.
Author
John has been a serial entrepreneur since starting a junk-hauling business and working as a ditchdigger, waiter, real estate agent, and gravesite salesman while attending Colorado State University. He first sat the Grill’s worn linoleum counter during his senior year and from that day loved the sound of sizzling bacon, the smell of strong coffee, and the taste of homestyle food served with a side of humor by no-nonsense waitresses.
After earning his degree, John spent four years in Vail, Colorado, before deciding to look for a restaurant to buy. It was only after he and his former college roommate gave up the search that they learned the Silver Grill in Old Town Fort Collins was for sale. They made an offer on the spot.
Over the next 40-plus years, John built the Silver Grill into a highly acclaimed restaurant known for its famous cinnamon rolls and helped transform Old Town into the jewel of Fort Collins.
Since selling the Silver Grill in 2021, John has become a popular storyteller and a coach to other entrepreneurs. He is a proud father of two sons, a Colorado State University alumnus, and a Fort Collins resident.
Entrepreneur
“My grandparents’ and parents’ entrepreneurial spirit influenced my decision to purchase the Grill, to ride out its lean years, and to take the crazy risks I did to expand it.”
-John Arnolfo
In 1979 — armed with a desire to work for himself but no experience as a restaurant owner—John and a partner, Mike Gress, bought the Silver Grill, a tiny cafe in what many considered to be a sketchy part of town. Despite equipment that had not been maintained for years, cracked linoleum floors, and walls that were moist and discolored from years of grease and tobacco smoke, the novice owners saw only potential.
Reality quickly set in when they served just 12 breakfasts on their first day and grossed $166. During the years that the Grill ‘s income failed to cover expenses, John and Mike worked two and sometimes three jobs.
Grit and Determination
John knows what it takes to run and grow a small business successfully: perseverance and pivots, risks and relationships, missteps that lead to growth, and lucky breaks.
Invaluable Lessons
John knew he wanted to be an entrepreneur from the day he started his first business as a teenage junk hauler. Through his experiences as a waiter, a real estate agent, and even a gravesite salesman, he learned lessons about both business and personal integrity that were instrumental in developing and running a successful business.
Building Community
John played an active role in transforming Old Town from an area that had lost much of its luster into the jewel of Fort Collins. He knows well what it takes help revitalize a struggling urban center.
Stories from behind the Counter
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