Historic Walking Tour
160 West Elkhorn
Built in 1923, the building offered 3 commercial spaces, and were occupied by the Marinello Beauty Parlor (left), Alpine Restaurant (center) and Alabama Tea Room (right).
In 1927 the owner of the restaurant now called the Cottage Inn, installed a large fish tank in the front window and stocked it with trout that could be served for a guests dinner. "Native mountain trout are always of great interest to the tourist visitors of Estes Park whether swimming or fried". In 1934 the Sunday dinner special was just fifty cents.
In 1962, new owners converted the restaurant into a "new-type" facility, where customers could serve their own food from a 20 foot long 'buffeteria', or choose traditional table service: "Hart's Buffeteria".
Original use
1923- Marinello Beauty Parlor (East)
1923- Alpine Restaurant (center)
1923- Alabama Tea Room (West/corner)
Current use
Toy Mountain (East)
Buckles of Estes (center)
Sports Hound (West/corner)
Former uses
1923- Alpine Restaurant
1926- Cottage Inn
1920s- Public Service office
1962- Hart's Buffeteria
1990s- Geppetto's Toys
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