Creating Carbondale’s Infrastructure
This month’s feature is Lynn Kirchner of Amore Realty (the cute victorian house caddy corner to the pool), she’s been a fixture in the Carbondale Community for a few decades now. We wanted to take an opportunity to shine a light on her as someone who has had a front-row seat to change and development in Carbondale, and who has used her platform, connections, and resources to uplift other organizations and events that make Carbondale, Carbondale.
You've had a front-row seat to Carbondale's evolution over the years. What are some of the biggest changes you've witnessed, and what has remained wonderfully the same?
“Growth, affordability and the views of Mt Sopris are the biggest changes. Views of Mt Sopris were unobstructed when we moved here in 1990. Trees were planted and have grown up and houses and buildings are now where open spaces once were making our beautiful mountain less visible. With the growth, the demand to live here has increased and the values have increased. As pointed out in Forbes Magazine in 2024, Carbondale was ranked number one where home values have grown the most over the past two years with the median home value jumping from $256,998 in 2004 to $1,440,404 in 2024 which is a 460% increase. An example is our own home which we purchased for $150,000 in 1990, a simple ranch-style home just under 2000 sf, remodeled in 2008 adding 1300 sf, new roof, windows, doors, added Solar, redid all the landscaping and today our home is appraised for just over $2M. It blows us away. We would not be able to afford to buy our own house today.”
As someone who helps people find a home here, what do you think it is about Carbondale that makes people want to put down roots? Is there a favorite piece of Carbondale history, local legend, or memory that you love sharing with newcomers?
“Throughout the years, what I have recognized is that people are traveling through Carbondale, and it calls to them. Sometimes they don’t know why, but as they spend time here they come to realize that the openness, the all-day sunshine, the 350 + sunshiney days, the people, the music, the arts, the (fill in the blank) appeals to them enough so they want to live here. I share about our cattle drives, and things that they will not see every day anywhere else.”
You've supported many local organizations over the years. What inspires you to invest in the community beyond your work as a realtor?
“My background is Human Resources. I originally came to the Valley to help recruit medical staff for the hospitals and engineering firms working on projects like I-70 in Glenwood Canyon and the Hwy 82 expansion to 4 lanes. I got into real estate because I couldn’t find a broker that wanted to work nights, weekends and holidays with the people I was relocating into the valley. I built my business on being available when people needed me, not on a M-F, 8-5 work week. The same could be said about investing in the community. Starting with children, schools, sporting events and community events. Even though we have no children of our own, my husband David and I have always supported the kids, the schools, their sporting events, and fundraising activities. We’ve been to more football, basketball and baseball games, musical recitals, plays, graduations, bought more magazines and candy bars than some people with kids. When it came to the community of Carbondale, David and I were always volunteering. I was one of the first women in Carbondale Rotary, held the position of President twice.
I was fortunate to be in a position where I could utilize my organizational skills to get community members to rally around some projects with other like-minded individuals to save some things we are able to still enjoy today – that would have gone away or never gotten off the ground. For example, The Rodeo, CCAH (now Carbondale Arts), The Clay Center, KDNK, Rotary, First Fridays, Summer of Music, One Table Gatherings, and Carbondale Homeless Assistance. Some events I remember fondly, that newcomers will never have the opportunity to experience are: Rotary’s Annual Fundraiser which was called “Great Balls of Fire”, a dress-up dinner, dance, auction event where we hosted 600 guests. Computers for Kids which David helped start that brought computers into the homes of kids whose families could not afford them. Carol Rothrock’s Artist Tours, Steve’s Guitars Lobster & Music Festival, Friday Night (Locals Night) at Mountain Fair, where we would sit on our blankets and all bring a dish and share while listening and dancing to the music. (The first “one table, one blanket” gatherings)
When George Stranahan expressed and interest in bringing a Community School to Carbondale, I was fortunate to work with Mike Strang as a business partner and one of our most treasured transactions was helping Bud and Alverda Fender sell their family ranch in Satank to George so he could make the Community School a reality. I was also part of the group that supported Montessori. We started out with a classroom in the Carbondale Elementary School so that the kids graduating from Mark Ross’s Mt Sopris Montessori for preschoolers (which I was a Board Member for many years) had a continuation of Montessori. That has progressed over the years, to what we have now with our current Ross Montessori School (Named after Mark Ross) which offers a pre-K-8th grade curriculum.”
Lynn with husband, David Clark
How have the arts, local events, and organizations shaped Carbondale's identity in your eyes?
“They are the threads that bind the fabric making Carbondale what it is. People use to compare our town to the TV show “Northern Exposure” with our own KDNK being compared to KBHR 570AM on the show… Maybe it was the snowmobiles down main street during our snow storms and we had some epic ones back when we got snow. Kids skiing for free and the schools taking kids to the slopes or to learn Nordic skiing for free.”
Community doesn't happen by accident. What do you think has allowed Carbondale to maintain such a strong sense of connection, even as it's grown?
“It’s no doubt, it’s been the individuals who are the glue. The people who give selflessly, and are always putting others and the community first. My husband David, commuted from Denver from 1990 to 2000 until we had the technology here that allowed him to work remotely. That was a huge commitment to being here, but we felt it was worth it. When he would get home on Friday nights, he was often committed to helping with some function or fundraiser that weekend and he’d get back in the car on Monday morning and head to Denver exhausted from our go-go-go volunteer schedule. We were honored by the Town of Carbondale as “Couple of the Year” for our commitment to our community.”
What are you most hopeful for when you think about Carbondale's future? Are there traditions or values you hope never change?
“Our unique community traditions like Potato Days, The Rodeo, Mountain Fair, Music in the Park, The Cattle Drive thru town every spring and fall.”
Looking back, is there a local event, project, or community moment that stands out as especially meaningful to you?
“There are two. The First was in the early 90’s helping long time locals Lois Hayes and her son David Hayes (A very Proud Special Olympian) relocate their mobile home and then years later helping them replace their mobile home with a brand new one. David Clark and I will never forget David Hayes, in the old City Market building which was next door to the Mobile Home Park where they lived, Jumping up and down and shouting into the loud speaker as they were delivering his new home “It’s here, it’s here – THAT’S MY NEW HOUSE!!!” Those moments where the entire store was cheering, congratulating him and those of us involved had tears flowing because it’s why you do it! Volunteers raised the money, and made it happen. Again, newcomers to the community will never get to see David Hayes sitting in the trunk of his mother’s car, holding the handle of his red wagon, which held his lawn mower and weed whacker as she drove him around town for doing the lawns at Village Smithy and Town Hall and 689 Main and many others. So our stories may not resonate with many reading this, but they were very significant to the time where Carbondale was a small community with a BIG HEART.
Second would be Starting Carbondale Homeless Assistance14 years ago. What happened when I saw a former client the night before Thanksgiving coming out of the laundromat with her dog Jewel and realizing she was living out of an old beat up motorhome. It was below zero out. I posted on Facebook if anyone was interested in helping me help our homeless and at our first meeting a week later, and over 130 people showed up. It took us almost 7 years to get Elana situated and settled into senior housing in Glenwood Springs, but we helped her with the help of our community, get dentures, helped her with Jewel as she aged and passed on, helped her with her vehicles and she is the reason CHA is alive and well today helping others.”
Lois & Davis Hayes
Arrival of the Hayes home