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Brownfield recounts 1956 family store, 1982 flood and downtownrenewal in Estes Park
Summary
Jerry Brownfield, owner of Brownfield's Leather Shop, recalls his family's 1956 store origins, the 1982 flood that put about 30 inches of water in the shop and how post-flood urban renewal and changing tourist demand transformed the downtown and the store's merchandise from western tack to outdoor and souvenir goods.
Jerry Brownfield, owner of Brownfield's Leather Shop, described how his family's business began in Estes Park in 1956 and how the 1982 flood reshaped both his shop and the town's downtown.
"We had about 30-some inches of water in our store," Brownfield said, recalling the flood that broke a plate-glass window and washed out inventory next door at Brody's supermarket. "We mucked it out and we're back in business in oh a week or so," he said, while noting the year was nonetheless a financial loss.
The flood, Brownfield said, also became a turning point for downtown rehabilitation: "It was the thing that really set off urban renewal because the town had gotten a little bit on the crummy side," he said. He described subsequent projects including a riverwalk and redevelopment of the former Brody's site into what became Barlow Plaza, which he credited with helping east-end retail recover.
Brownfield traced the family business from a summertime store and apartment in what is now Gaslight Square to purchasing the building they still occupy in 1961. He said the original merchandise mix centered on western boots, shirts, hats and saddle tack, reflecting his father's leatherwork and interest in horses.
By the early 1980s, Brownfield said a change in federal tax treatment that reduced private saddle-horse ownership nationwide diminished demand for western tack. "So, in order to keep the business alive, we changed over to more of an outdoor store," he said, recounting how an early $1,500 order of T-shirts proved unexpectedly popular with tourists.
He described incremental downtown change over decades: the Bartlett building and early storefronts, a 1984 remodel that revealed older signage under later facades, and later private redevelopment around 2000 that added a gallery, chain coffee and other retailers. Brownfield said these changes left the downtown physically improved and more commercially diverse than in earlier decades.
Brownfield also described the seasonal nature of Estes Park commerce and its effect on small businesses: merchants must often compress a year's revenue into roughly June through mid-October, he said, noting an advantage for long-standing businesses that own their buildings and avoid year-round rent.
He recounted family and civic involvement—his father served on the Chamber of Commerce and in rodeo organizing, his mother in local clubs; Brownfield himself served on the town board, joined the Jaycees and has announced local parades and festivals for decades.
The interview is part of an Estes Park Museum series documenting local growth and community memory. Brownfield closed by saying he hopes tourism continues to grow and that newcomers who risk making a living in Estes Park succeed.
