Though a staple of launching ships and boats, throwing a bottle of champagne at a new lobster restaurant was not required.

On Oct. 29, Mason’s Famous Lobster Rolls held a grand opening celebration of the company’s first location in the Pikes Peak region, at 13560 Roller Coaster Road near the intersection of Northgate Boulevard and CO 83. The new location will be owned by franchisee Jason Arends, a local businessman who has in the past owned car dealerships and worked in construction, roofing, synthetic exterior and landscaping.

This venture is more personal, he said.

“I’ve felt that Springs needed something different, and I wanted to open a local business,” he said. “(I wanted it to be) something that hadn’t saturated the market, and that Springs residents would enjoy, and something I would enjoy.”

Mason’s is an Annapolis, Md.-based chain founded in 2014 by Dan Beck. Many of its locations dot the eastern seaboard, and only five — soon to be six — are located west of the Mississippi River. The first location in the state opened at the Cherry Creek Mall in Denver in 2021.

The final push to get the restaurant in our area began in March, Arends said. He saw the location, in the rapidly expanding Flying Horse area, and told the company representative that it was perfect — and that he should immediately jump on it. And adding to the fun, the newest stop will have the company’s first drive-thru.

The opening celebration Wednesday was a “soft” grand opening, he said, with an official following three days later. A standard roll at the Colorado Springs location will cost around $23, Arends said.

On online search showed that Denver location prices for rolls range between $16.95 and $22.95. Other menu items, like the lobster mac and cheese, go for $19.95.

“I want to push local… This is not some big conglomerate trying to take over Springs,” he said. “I want this to be a place we can mingle with the community. It’s kind of treat to have a delicious lobster roll, and this is a great place to (treat yourself).”

Mason’s has 35 locations across the U.S. and one restaurant in Milan, Italy.