128 West Elkhorn ..also referred to as 130 West Elkhorn
Word has it that on one night that the town ladies gathered for a social hour in the back of the confectionary and the next day one of the teachers in attendance was fired from her position at the school after the group was busted for gambling at their 'ladies social'. We're still working on confirming this neighborhood legend, but it might have just been 'playing cards'.
George Church (1870-1939) arrived in Estes Park in 1905, and operated a saddle making and leather shop in this building for many years. That saddle shop was moved to a smaller building on the back of the lot to make way for the sweet shop, run by Mrs Church.
Church's Confectionary included a soda fountain near the front of the store, the back bar is still in place on the right side as you enter the front door. Complete with stained glass lamps and a marble counter, the mirror is cracked at the lower right side. According to the building owner, youth groups used to use this place in the winter and on one occasion a candle was allowed to get too close to the glass mirror and cracked it. Fortunately the poorly located candle didn't take the rest of the place with it.
During at least one winter many years ago, two notable local artists spent the winter living in this building, as evidenced by the phthalo green walls left behind in the rear of the space- another story we're working on verifying before dropping any names....
High Country Gifts closed permanently in 2021, and the property was sold to the owner of the adjacent property at 124 W Elkhorn in 2022. It is now branded "Estes Park Distilling Co" and serves as a gift shop for the distillery on the West Elkhorn side, and after removing some buildings on the back half of the property, has an open courtyard with picnic tables served by the kitchen in the other building.
Current use Estes Park Distilling Co
Former uses Saddle & Leather Shop (1920) Church's Confectionary (1926) Castle of the Dolls (1962) Wigwam Dress Shop (1968) High Country Gifts (1975-2021)
