About Us

Our Mission at CBG is to provide unparalleled, high quality glass and glazing services to our community.

Over 30 Years

At Crested Butte Glass you get a quick response, up-front pricing, and ‘Signature quality’ installation.

CBG has a wide variety of glass types in stock and a local shop to cut, polish, drill, and fabricate glass so you have the fastest possible delivery.

The founder has over 30 years’ experience in the glass industry and has installed about every type of glass imaginable. This know-how is a key element in making sure you have the best possible professional experience.

History of Gus and Glass

All Glass Service – 1970 opening, Lakewood CO

I grew up loving the glass industry. My father was a big influence and mentor. He and my mom owned a glass company they founded in 1970. Our family was all glaziers as far as I can remember.

At age 12, I cut my first piece of single strength glass and have been doing it ever since (picture of me on lower right). Two years after opening, my parents launched Evergreen Glass as their second location in 1972.

Evergreen Glass – 1972 opening, Evergreen CO

Johnny Knowles

Then in the 80s, I moved to Gunnison and went to work as a glazier for Knowles Glass & Service. Johnny Knowles founded the company in the 50s and was the first local glass shop in Gunnison. He owned several service companies (including propane delivery, farm equipment, chain saws, snowmobiles) and contributed significantly to the development of the valley’s infrastructure. His history goes way back to 1905 when he and his twin sister came to Gunnison as infants as his family settled west of town and established Knowles Ranch.

Fun Fact: Johnny is an alumnus of Western and was a member of the first group of students who built the “W” on Tenderfoot Mountain in the 20s.

In 1958, Johnny Knowles purchase the La Veta Hotel and located the glass company in the building. The La Veta Hotel opened in 1884 with 107 rooms. It was four stories’ tall with a bank safe, an elevator, and a bar with the largest plate glass mirror in the State of Colorado. It was built on Boulevard St. and Gunnison Ave for a construction price of $200,000 and was owned by B.W. Lewis.

La Veta Hotel 1884

La Veta 1960

….In this picture you can see Knowles Glass bay door in the front where the La Veta grand entrance used to be.

Later in 1943, the hotel closed prematurely and was auctioned off for $8,350 at a Sheriff’s sale. The new owner removed the top three floors to allow for the first floor to utilized as commercial space before selling to Johnny. The old solid wood floors and tall ceilings made for a good shop to fab glass. When I worked there in the 80s the original wallpaper was still up on the walls and the original bank safe was still operational.

Locals:

When I first worked at Knowles Glass, Johnny introduced me to the manager Mac Mangum who was a long-time local resident. He was a member of the Gunnison Fraternal order of Elks and an avid Elk hunter. He took me on my first elk hunt to Saw Tooth Mountain. Mac had two sons who also worked at the company. Flynn Mangum lived in Lake City and drove the school bus every day for the district before clocking in at work. Lynn Mangum lived in town with his wife and kids and also owned a small carpet installation company. The lead glazier for the company was Ernest Hartley who had 20 years’ experience. Ernie was originally from Garden City, KS when he moved to Gunnison with the wife and kids in the 70s.

Local Glaziers

John Knowles: Jan-4-1905 to Jan-6-1994

Mac Mangum:
http://www.tributes.com/obituary/show/L.-J.-Mangum-65843976

Flynn Mangum:
https://www.deltacountyindependent.com/obituaries/flynn-mangum/article_020fe236-9f13-51d2-9e27-badb2dd97a15.html

Earnest Hartley:
https://www.theindependent.com/obituaries/hartley-ernest/article_247993f6-4436-5cc4-9a37-01e201f72da9.html

Gus 1982

Fun Fact: when I first met Johnny, he did not believe I was a glazier until I showed him my toolbox, he said I was way too young. But then he hired me on the spot once he saw that I had the correct tools, and I started cutting and installing glass in the valley. The job Johnny gave me allowed me to attend Western and I graduated with a BA in Business.

Mac and Ernie sent me to Crested Butte and around Gunnison many times to install glass including shower doors, mirrors, and insulated units. The company installed a lot of glass out of the old La Veta serving the community for years.

Grand Lodge:

Then later in 1993, while working in Denver, I received a call from MacGregor Wathen Construction to provide glass and glazing to a new hotel that was being built on Mtn. Crested Butte. That was my introduction to the Grand Lodge, two buildings with 226 rooms from the ground up over a three year period.

Loading glass windows in the building

The Grand Lodge is was originally developed by Bo Callaway. Bo and his family moved to Colorado in 1976 and acquire Crested Butte Mountain Resort which they managed for approximately 30 years. Previously he was the US Secretary of the Army under Presidents Nixon and Ford and a Congressman from Georgia. The Grand Lodge is now managed by Vail Resorts.

Gus 1994 Grand Lodge

Today

Fast forward to 2016, I met Barbra Breeding who owned the Western Store on Tomichi Ave with the Iconic white horse on top for the sign. She sold me her Sky Hill Ranch in West Elk Meadow outside of town where I now live. This led to meeting Fred & Lisa Niederer who own Alpha Mechanical. They renovated the old Trough Restaurant for their new facility and sold me their original building on 10th street and Gunnison Ave.

310 S 10TH Street, Gunnison

Gus & Pam

It is here, only two blocks away from the La Veta Hotel, that I have returned and founded Crested Butte Glass to carry on the legacy of my early mentors who loved and lived here in the valley.