Two of the largest commercial spaces in Briargate went dark in 2026. Both reopen by Oct. 30. The Container Store left 1925 Briargate Parkway in April, and L.L.Bean celebrates its grand opening in that same 13,000-square-foot space on Friday, Oct. 30, beginning with an 8:45 a.m. ribbon cutting. Urban Air Adventure Park closed suddenly in September at 7730 N. Academy Blvd. A brand-new company called Cloud Quest bought its assets at auction on Sept. 28 and opened the doors on Oct. 9.
Put those two together with a first-in-the-city restaurant opening at The Promenade Shops on Oct. 27, and the shopping corners off Briargate Parkway and Academy are refilling faster than they emptied. Here is the calendar for the rest of October, and what each date replaces.
Three weeks, dated
| Date | What | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Open now, since Oct. 9 | Cloud Quest, in preview mode | 7730 N. Academy Blvd., Market at Chapel Hills-West |
| Thu., Oct. 22 | Movies Under the Mountains: Hocus Pocus, starting at sunset | The Promenade Shops at Briargate |
| Sat., Oct. 24, 3–5 p.m. | Boo at Briargate trick-or-treating | Starts at Pikes Peak Patio, The Promenade |
| Tue., Oct. 27 | Mendocino Farms opens | 1765 Briargate Pkwy., Suite 807 |
| Fri., Oct. 30 | L.L.Bean grand opening | 1925 Briargate Pkwy. |
| Sat., Oct. 31, 9 a.m. | L.L.Bean free gift with purchase | 1925 Briargate Pkwy. |
| Through Fri., Nov. 13 | Kids Winter Coat Drive | The Promenade |
Most of the new activity sits between Oct. 22 and Oct. 31. The two replacements bracket that stretch, with one fast turnaround at the start and one slow remodel at the end.
The fast refill on North Academy
Eleven days from auction to open doors
According to The Gazette's Oct. 8 report, Cloud Quest bought the assets of the Colorado Springs Urban Air location at auction on Sept. 28 and then had 10 days to renovate the 46,000-square-foot building before opening under its own name. This Briargate building is the company's first location anywhere. It sits in the Market at Chapel Hills-West shopping center between Kelly Johnson Boulevard and Goddard Street.
General Manager Ashley Miller told The Gazette the quick turnaround was intentional. "We wanted to maintain fluidity, to be a staple in this community and to quickly be back in service for our guests," she said.
What's inside, and what isn't finished yet
Cloud Quest opened Oct. 9 in what the company calls "preview mode." Some attractions are running and others are still being built. The full list includes:
- Adventure slides, a flight deck and obstacle courses
- Dodgeball and rock climbing
- Go-karts and laser tag
- An arcade
- A new toddler play area
- A bar, plus a menu of pizza, chicken tenders, wings, fries and pretzel bites
Miller said the menu will grow to include burritos, calzones, salads and sandwiches. If you're planning a birthday party or a snow-day outing in November, call ahead and ask which attractions are open. That list will probably look different a month from now.
The building is also a local job source. The company has hired 45 employees, many of them between 16 and 22 years old, and is still looking for more staff. For anyone looking for a first job, that's a large new employer about a mile away.
The slow refill on Briargate Parkway
The Container Store closed in April. L.L.Bean then remodeled the space, and its grand opening comes about six and a half months later. That's slower than Cloud Quest's 11 days, but it involved a full remodel by a national retailer rather than a quick refresh of an existing setup. The Gazette reported in August that the company was aiming for late October. The store's own page now sets the date.
Here's how opening weekend works, according to that page:
- Friday, Oct. 30, from 6 a.m.: the line for the giveaway can start forming.
- 8:45 a.m.: ribbon-cutting ceremony.
- 9 a.m.: the first 100 people in line get an exclusive Colorado Springs Grand Opening Boat and Tote. You don't have to buy anything, but you must be 18 or older.
- Saturday, Oct. 31, from 9 a.m.: the first 100 customers who make an in-store purchase get a free Puffer Blanket, which L.L.Bean lists as an $89.95 value. One per person, ages 18 and up, while supplies last.
That Saturday is also Halloween. If you have trick-or-treating plans that evening, the 9 a.m. giveaway still leaves plenty of room in the day. For the costumed version of the shopping center, The Promenade's own event comes a week earlier.
The Promenade's October, around the openings
Movies Under the Mountains shows Hocus Pocus on Thursday, Oct. 22. Pre-movie activities start two hours before sunset, and the film starts at sunset. Two days later, Boo at Briargate runs Saturday, Oct. 24, from 3 to 5 p.m. This year's theme is Toy Story. Trick-or-treating starts at Pikes Peak Patio next to Ted's Montana Grill and moves out to participating shops and restaurants. Any costume is welcome.
The Kids Winter Coat Drive runs through Nov. 13, with donation bins at Brighton Collectibles and the property management office. As of today, The Promenade's events page doesn't list a 2026 tree lighting, Santa arrival or holiday market. Check back in November before you plan around one.
Mendocino Farms, between the two weekends
The one restaurant on the calendar opens on a Tuesday. Mendocino Farms opens Oct. 27 at 1765 Briargate Parkway, Suite 807. FOX21 reports it will be open 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. If you saw an earlier date online, The Gazette corrected its own opening date. The paper also noted that the company's location list had at one point shown a September opening, before a spokesperson confirmed October.
Up to now, Mendocino Farms in Colorado has meant a drive to Denver. The brand opened its first Colorado location in Cherry Creek in May 2025, then added Highlands in March and 16th Street in May. Briargate's is the fourth in the state and the first in Colorado Springs. The Los Angeles County company, founded in 2005, is known for sandwiches, wraps, salads and seasonal soups. Its most popular items include the "Not So Fried" chicken and Peruvian steak sandwiches. There's also a kids' menu, along with vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options.
What's still listed without a date
The Promenade has more turnover coming, but no confirmed dates yet. Writing for SpringsMag on Sept. 2, Jeremy Jones listed American Eagle as expected before the end of the year, Kendra Scott as opening this year and Lululemon as expanding in the fourth quarter. The center's store directory shows American Eagle as "coming soon" with no date. Lululemon is still operating at 1845 Briargate Parkway, Suite 439, and no expansion date has been posted. One part of that plan is already done. Apple has reopened in a larger space next to Ulta.
The center's owner explained the strategy to SpringsMag.
"Our vision and merchandising strategy remain focused on introducing highly desired brands and fresh experiences to Colorado Springs." Lara Silversmith, director of leasing strategy at Asana Partners, in SpringsMag
So far in 2026, that strategy has shown up as a series of swaps. A space closes, a new name moves in, and in Mendocino Farms' case the newcomer is a brand's first in Colorado Springs. The next openings to watch for are American Eagle and Kendra Scott. Until they post firm dates, the safe expectation is sometime before New Year's.
New openings like these are part of what Nicole Strom covers when she helps people moving to the north side figure out where weekends happen and how close they'll be to them. If you're selling a home in Briargate, a new store a short drive away is the kind of detail she adds to listing marketing. If you or someone you know has a move coming up, start your move with Nicole Strom and request a free relocation guide.
