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and Rita Colacci. ("Colacci's Restaurant" would become the legal owner of the property in 1968.) The story of Louisville's Colacci family members and their competing restaurants is well known. Mike and Mary Colacci started the business that became the Blue Parrot Restaurant in around 1919 and moved it to 640 Main (its current location) in about 1922. Their sons, Joe (1916-2007) and Anthony (1918-2006) worked in the family business, which for a long time was the only restaurant where one could go to get Italian food in Boulder County. After Mary Colacci died in 1949, Mike Colacci returned to his native country of Italy and brought back a new wife with her grown children. Family dynamics led to a rift, with the result that Mike (followed by Joe) continued to operate the Blue Parrot, while Anthony split off and opened Colacci's Restaurant up the street with his wife, Rita, serving much the same food as what was being served at the Blue Parrot. The following photo shows Rita, daughter Mary, and Anthony in 1943: There ended up being plenty of business for everyone, as the two establishments less than two blocks apart solidified Louisville's reputation as a family -friendly restaurant town that drew customers from all over the region seeking spaghetti, chicken, and shrimp dinners and other Italian specialties. Many recall these years and remember that visiting families generally tended to favor one restaurant or the other, but if the line at the preferred restaurant was too long, one could just go to the other one. The fact that Louisville was not a "dry" town like many of the surrounding communities (including Boulder) added to its appeal, and the bars at Colacci's and the Blue Parrot both did well. Later, Mike Colacci's stepsons opened "Luigi's" and "Pasquale's" on Main Street, also serving Italian food. Other restaurants in Louisville where one could get similar food included the Three Coins Restaurant at 525 Main and Berardi's on South Boulder Rd. (at what is now Union Jack Liquor). Anthony "Joe" Madonna was the contractor for the remodel of the existing buildings at 816 Main. According to several sources, he remodeled the existing buildings and added a kitchen to 6