Red Feather Bar and Café totaled in June fire

By Linda Bell
Correspondent

"It was a quirky little bar where a lot of friendships were made through the years," said Clint Ouellette, co-owner of the Red Feather Café and Bar.

An early morning fire destroyed the 80-year-old building located in the heart of Red Feather Lakes village on June 6.

According to Red Feather Lakes Volunteer Fire Department Chief Steve Robinson, the fire is thought to have been electrical and started in the attic over the kitchen. Three factors helped the department contain the fire to one building, he said. There was no wind, they had enough responding personnel and they had enough water close at hand.

Robinson said it was a difficult fire, but the department had practiced for such a fire in the main village by positioning equipment and running water shuttles, so when this happened, everyone knew how to do the job.

The main objective was containment, Robinson said, especially for the nearby hardware store, the library and the small tackle shop located only 2 feet from the bar's outside wall. He said a propane tank between the bar and the library was disconnected and dragged out of harm's way.

Troy Buyse, Ouellette's business partner, said his first reaction to the fire was anger, but now he's looking forward to rebuilding and giving back something even better to the community. Both Buyse and Ouellette said they are extremely thankful and grateful for all the support they've received from the Red Feather Lakes community.

Buyse's wife, Roxanne, was one of the many volunteer firefighters at the scene that drew the support of four other volunteer units in addition to Red Feather Lakes VFD. She sprained her ankle during the fire, and volunteer firefighter Dan Carlson was treated at Poudre Valley Hospital for smoke inhalation.

Buyse said he and the bar's former wait staff are now employed at Fox Acres Country Club. Ouellette said he is currently managing the High Country Restaurant, also in Red Feather Lakes.

Buyse said a lot of memories are attached to the old café. "Luckily, we saved the well-carved table top with so many names, dates and initials," he said.

As soon as he gets the go-ahead from the insurance company and a permit from the county to tear down, the design and building process will begin to create a new café in the same location, Buyse said. He expects to have a grand opening sometime in late spring next year.

"Extensive plans for remodeling the café were already planned but not in process at the time of the fire," Buyse said, "because we wanted to wait until after the July 1 smoking ban went into effect before tearing out carpet."

Ouellette said he and Buyse met when they worked at Fox Acres Country Club. They purchased the bar in 2002 from Kenny and Louise Stevens. The original structure, which later became the commercial kitchen, was built in the early 1920s as a cabin, Buyse said, and then added on to several times over the next 30 to 40 years after it became a bar and restaurant. Longtime area resident Gene Barker said it first opened as Emma's Café in the 1930s.