The air in Edwards used to smell like stale beer and darkness

Aspen —The air in Edwards used to smell like stale beer and darkness. For nearly two decades, the building known as Etown was a cavernous sports bar where the only light came from the glow of multiple television screens. It was a community hub, sure, but it was a heavy, dim place defined by huge black furniture and a layout that felt increasingly inefficient as the years wore on.

Then JD Childress bought the place.

Childress, the owner of the newly renamed CAYA (Come As You Are) restaurant, didn’t just want to refresh the space. He wanted to gut it. According to the Vail Daily, which republished the story from the October issue of Vail Valley HOME Magazine, Childress spent several months inside the old bar before deciding to “blow it up and start fresh.”

It wasn’t a cosmetic update. The renovation team, which included Alex Chay, CEO and partner of Ulfbuilt, and David Shike of Shike Design, touched every system in the building. Acoustics, heating, cooling, plumbing, lighting — all of it was replaced or rebuilt. The goal was to transform the dark, enclosed sports bar into a bright, open dining room that blurs the line between inside and outside.

Let’s do the math on the physical changes. The old layout was cramped. The new design removes the bulky black furniture and replaces it with practical, spacious seating. Walls were opened up to broaden natural light. The entrance wall now features double-glass doors, each 12 feet wide, along with extra windows to usher daylight into the main room. Light, natural wood tones now greet diners at the hostess station, replacing the previous gloom.

The bar itself was reshaped. Previously U-shaped, it is now hexagonal, featuring custom steel shelving lit by LEDs to highlight the liquor. A large pergola sits above the bar, holding plants and Childress’ cookbooks to create a homey feel. The entire bar top and surround are made of stone and steel.

Outside, the transformation is just as stark. The inoperable fire pit on the unfinished concrete patio is gone. In its place, the team installed steel paneling around the sides of the building, reusing some of the vintage barnwood already on the structure to pay homage to the old bar. The south-facing patio, now surrounded by a custom steel privacy screen, is dotted with new umbrellas and tables.

The result, according to Childress, is a “jaw-dropping moment” when you walk in. The inside-outside feel is intentional. As Alex Chay noted, if you sit inside with the doors wide open during lunch, there is nice airflow and light coming from outside to inside.

For folks in the valley, this isn’t just a new restaurant. It’s a shift in the social fabric of Edwards. The dark sports bar is gone. In its place is a bright, airy space designed for natural light and open flow. Whether you’re there for the food or the atmosphere, the change is visible the moment you cross the threshold. The heavy, black-furniture era of Etown is over. CAYA is here, and it’s bright.