Mr. Estes Park

Brownfields Making History

Mr Estes Park — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 15:26:26 +0000

If you live in Estes Park, “Brownfields” is all you need to say. Over the years however the store and the name have changed. The service and the quality of goods has not. Here is a picture of the latest change at Brownfields.

: Brownfields New Look

Brownfields recently made history again by changing the name and the sign on the front of the store. Brownfields has always been the consistent theme over the years and everyone knows Jerry, Don and ”Brownfields Crew”.

Just in case you forgot what the old look was, here is a shot before the sign was removed for the new look in 2011.

Brownfields Trading Post. This was the look that Brownfields had from 1986 until July of 2011. Don and Jerry were out front admiring the new sign and knew that they had done the right thing when they heard a little boy tell his dad “I want to go to the Trading Post”. It has to give you a great feeling as a store owner to get such immediate feedback. Enough so that they have remembered it all of these years.

Like many Estes Park businesses that started as the “Mom & Pop” store, the original store was started in the Preston House at 350 East Elkhorn Avenue, and still today’s address. You can tell that there have been many changes over the years since then.

The Preston House in Estes Park

During the 1950′s, the store was known as a leather shop. Not just any leather shop, but a western leather shop.

Brownfield's Leather Shop 1950's

You can see that the sign on the front of the store boats a Western Leather shop. The streets are dirt in front of the store in this shot taken in the 1950′s. Estes Park was still a little western town with kids running horse races up and down main street in the summer time for something to do.

The 60's What Else Can Be Said

Typical of the 60′s, the store took on the 60′s George Jetson look. We were all so full of ourselves in the 60′s, but that is a whole different subject that I will address later. None the less, a very interesting look.

Brownfields New Look - 1978

In 1978 they cleaned up the look of the store by removing the 60′s look and changing the color scheme.The name of the store still brandished “The Leather Shop” in 1978. The location is still the same on Elkhorn Avenue.

Brownfield's New Look 1987

In 1984 the front of the store was changed to the “Western” look that it has today. A very significant improvement and a classic look that has stayed the time for over 27 years.If you live here, visit here or just wandering through by accident, make sure you stop at Brownfields an Estes Park Legend. Brownfields the New Look

The New Look & The New Name

Have a great day and don’t forget to stop in and buy something – they have great deals every day, new merchandise every week.

Estes Park Moose

Mr Estes Park — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 23:01:54 +0000

Colorado has a small moose population that seems to be growing every year. The few moose that we have can be found mostly on the Western Slope or the West side of the Continental Divide. You really have to know where to look for them or you won’t find them. Over the past few years we have had some bulls wander over to the Eastern side of the Continental Divide looking for love. Once they figure out they are lost they typically head back up the Poudre Canyon for the Western Slope to find their friends.

Recently we have had some sightings of some moose around Estes Park. This cow along with her calf have been wandering around town for the last several days. The first sighting was by the big slide at 7:00 AM on Sunday morning. I’m afraid I was actually asleep and didn’t get that call. The next day by the Catholic Church and moving North. I captured this shot while the cow and her calf were resting at the MacGregor Ranch North of Estes Park yesterday.

Mother Nature camouflages the young so that they disappear right into the habitat that they are surrounded by. You can barely see the ears of the calf to the left of the mother. These moose are much lighter in color than the typical moose which helps them in disappearing into the background of the grass, trees and rocks.

It is exciting to see moose make a comeback in Colorado. The other half of that is that they are much more aggressive animals than elk particularly when they have young around. The Rangers and Department of Wildlife Officers will have their hands full educating the tourists that these animals are actually a threat if approached. You can’t just walk up to them with your camera.

Have a terrific day!

San Diego Watching

Mr Estes Park — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 03:18:43 +0000

The beautiful Colorado Mountains had to take a little break while I went to San Diego.

San Diego Bay Sunset

I spent a little time on the Pacific Ocean looking for some interesting marine critters. We went on a whale watching boat. No guarantee’s that you’re going to see any whales.

Sum Fun - Dana Point

The crew on the Sum Fun which sails out of Dana Point Harbor in California were terrific. Food was great as well.

There She Blows

We were lucky enough to see a grey whale headed North from Mexico towards Alaska. The grey whales head north to the lush Alaskan waters to feed all summer.

The Fluke

I think it is everyone’s wish to be able to see “Flipper” up close and personal. We got to see lots and lots of Flippers. This particular Dolphin was headed our way with a great big smile on his face.

Flipper with a smile

Flippers, Flippers and more Dolphins

Hope you enjoyed the pictures, have a great week -

SUNRISE WITH ATTITUDE

Mr Estes Park — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 20:16:50 +0000

Even though it wasn’t this mornings sunrise (I’ve been saving this one) it is definitely a sunrise with an attitude.

Sunrise with an "Attitude"

Hopefully we can all take this breathtaking feeling into and through the entire year of 2011.

Have a great day and go gettum -

JOHN RAMEY “STAR”

Mr Estes Park — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 22:48:46 +0000

John Ramey was a good friend. We lost him a couple of years ago, but John was truly the essence of Estes Park. John was a trader and a true entrepreneur. John owned the lot where the star is located in the picture below.

John Ramey's Star

It is always comforting around Christmas time to see the ”Star” and the figure Jesus looking down on Estes Park, almost as if protecting our little community. Estes Park is a special place with special people, special memories and a feeling that you can not get anywhere else that I’ve ever been.

Merry Christmas and may God bless your family as much as he has blessed ours -

Sleepy Little Village

Mr Estes Park — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 15:39:17 +0000

Our little town was wrapped in snow and clouds this morning. It’s going to be a “White Christmas” in Estes Park for sure.

Estes Park Sleeping as Dawn Awaits

I heard on the news this morning that above 9,000 feet they are expecting 7 to 9 feet of snow. I’m so glad that we are at 7,522 feet. We will have a little bit, but if you want more take a drive in the park. Tuesday was a terrific day. We had rain in Estes Park (you don’t have to shovel rain) and just above us about 800 feet it was all white with snow and snowing.

Have a great day-

Commission Artist Dennis Reinke

Mr Estes Park — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 22:46:57 +0000

Dennis & Gerald

Pictured below is Gerald with Dennis Reinke, renowned commission artist and art instructor from Estes Park. Dennis Reinke and Gerald Mayo were at Starbucks a local coffeeing hole. You never know who you are going to meet at the Estes Park Starbucks. Dennis was an architect, and developer in a previous life.

Dennis & Gerald

He is now doing what he enjoys the most. Dennis gets great pleasure out of his painting, and teaching others the craft. The majority of his work is commissioned artwork. People want pictures of their pets, themselves, a special scene from their house here to take back home.

You never know who you will run into at the Estes Park Starbucks. Many of our locals or part-time citizens are actually famous but you wouldn’t know it from looking at them.

Have a great weekend -

Real Estate Values

Mr Estes Park — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 04:30:57 +0000

There are so many ways to value your real estate. Every engineer that I’ve ever worked with wants to use the cost per square foot. Logically, how else could you do it? Estes Park, Colorado is different.

How Much?

The reason people come to Colorado, and particularly Estes Park are the mountains. The good news about those gorgeous mountains is that they are owned by the public. Land is one of Estes Park’s most valuable resources. We only have five square miles to sell, the rest is owned by the National Forest or the National Park. The five things that we do have to sell in Estes Park is rocks, trees, water, view and lifestyle. The better the view, the more the property costs. If it is on a river, stream or has a pond – the value goes up. The more trees you have or rock outcroppings that are on the property – the better the value.

We have a lot of customers that come into the office that want five or ten acres with a pond for two hundred thousand dollars. I simply tell them we have that, but it’s really close to Nebraska -

Have a nice day

Little Breezy

Mr Estes Park — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 15:43:16 +0000

I could hear the wind last night which is not unusual, but we are having a little more wind this year than normal. The forecast is that it is going to be warmer and along with the warmer comes more wind.

TREE CRASHES IN THE WIND

I must have been sleeping fairly soundly as I didn’t hear the tree come crashing to the ground.

: REMAINING TRUNK OF THE TREE

The portion of the trunk that you can see standing is approximately six feet tall. This should give some perspective on the size of the 40 foot plus tree that was the victim of last nights wind.

BRANCHES SEVERED AT THE FALL

It looks like someone took a chain saw and cut the branches away from the trunk of the tree. It fell with such force and violence it stripped all of the major branches from the trunk in the fall.

Enjoy your day -

GAS WAR CONTINUES IN ESTES PARK

Mr Estes Park — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 20:22:17 +0000

The Safeway Fuel Station is open for business and selling lots of gasoline.

Posted Gas Price Today

I actually didn’t have enough gas to make it to Fort Collins for a meeting last week and the station was close to the office. I’m in a hurry and stop to fuel up. Gasoline that day was posted on their sign at $2.45 per gallon. With the 10 cent discount the price became $2.35. I had to pick up some office supplies at Sam’s Club and their price was $2.53.

That means I purchased gasoline in Estes Park for 18 cents a gallon cheaper than the “Valley”. I’m guessing that is the first time Estes gas prices have been cheaper than those in the Valley in my lifetime. I guess if you live long enough you can see many changes.

Have a great day-