Silverton, Colorado [2004]

Alongside all the old familiar favorites, there are plenty of fresh faces and places on the business scene in Silverton this summer season. All are open daily May through October unless otherwise noted.

Grogan Fine Art, at 1240 Blair St., features local painter Amy Grogan’s gorgeous, soulful pastel landscapes as well as a selection of work by local artists, handmade prints and note cards, and mahogany furniture from Belize. (Closed Sunday and Monday.) Naturescapes, in the old Matties boardinghouse next to Natalia’s Restaurant on Blair St., features Dale Malmedal’s superb nature photography of the area. Mountain Man Gifts at 1309 Greene St. is notable by its unique chainsaw carvings. You’ll also find Tom Haggard’s slate paintings, hand-crafted items, gifts and wildlife statues. The Motherlode, 1218 Greene St., carries a whimsical selection of novelty hats and handmade pet kerchiefs as well as a wide variety of tee shirts, clothing and gifts. 

While there are no brand new restaurants in town this season, there are several under new ownership or management. The Pickle Barrel, 1304 Greene St, is now managed by Paul and Sharon Zimmerman, and has a tempting new lunch menu which runs the gamut from chili-cheese fries to stuffed mushrooms with spinach and feta paté. Chef Bonnie still presides over elegant evening meals, served Thurs.-Mon. throughout the season. Full bar. Lunch served seven days a week. The Bent Elbow, 1134 Empire St., is now back in the Andreatta clan, having recently been purchased by Silverton native LeAnn Glenn (the niece of longtime owner Mike Andreatta) and her partner Pete Meisel. The restaurant offers a train buffet and salad bar, and a dinner menu featuring classic American fare. New this season is an upstairs hotel with six rooms, all with private baths, and each with a different theme. The Trail’s End Public House, 1323 Greene St., features eclectic comfort food and a full bar. Managers Christopher George and Joe Darr, a twenty-something pair of Silverton High School grads, have been pals since baby-hood and plan to bring in local and regional live music throughout the summer, as well as sponsoring a weekly “open mic” night. 

At the south end of town, Cheryl and Joe Jepson’s Canyon View Motel offers comfortably appointed, pet-friendly rooms at moderate rates with striking views of the Animas River Valley and Grenadier Mountains. This is the only truly ADA-compliant motel in town—two of the rooms even have roll-in showers.

Other new businesses in town include Scotty Bob’s Skis, which manufactures unique asymmetrical telemark skis; Dan Garner’s Bird in Hand, a graceful amalgamation of violin repair, letter-press printing (he uses a 1906 letter press and thick handmade paper) and metal engraving; Josh Galloway’s Silverton Original Supplies delivering hard-to-find commodities to Silvertonians; and Debby Foster’s Miss Lillie’s Teahouse in the lavishly renovated “old Salazar place” on Greene St. offering private catering, a Victorian Mercantile and three lovely guest rooms upstairs. Managing Broker Kimberly Werner has now established her own company, Silverton Realty, at 1340 Greene St. She is joined by Broker Associate Nicole Barr (formerly of Handlebars fame). Werner and Barr also run Silverton Property Management out of the same office, managing rental properties. 

Photo Captions:

1. Inside the Motherlode. SJPG photo.

2. Ragtime piano at the Bent Elbow. SJPG photo.