In this episode of the Pathfinder Podcast, Pam Bricker, a driving force behind the revitalization of Greeley’s downtown, shares her journey from business owner to community leader. Pam reflects on the growth of Greeley’s downtown, her role in launching the Greeley Blues Jam and Friday Fest, and her vision for the future of the city. Tap or click the play button below to listen to: “Pam Bricker – Leading Greeley’s Downtown Transformation; The Greeley Blues Jam; Friday Fest and More”
Pam Bricker discusses her pivotal role in transforming Greeley’s downtown into a vibrant hub for culture and community. From starting her own business, Mariposa Plants and Flowers, to becoming the first executive director of the Downtown Development Authority, Pam’s efforts have helped shape the city’s unique atmosphere. She delves into the origins of the Greeley Blues Jam, the success of Friday Fest, and the importance of preserving Greeley’s historic charm amid rapid growth. A heartfelt look at the dedication and passion behind one of Greeley’s most influential community leaders.
Leading Greeley’s Downtown Transformation; The Greeley Blues Jam; Friday Fest and More Transcript
Pam Bricker: We love New Orleans. We do a lot of visit to New Orleans because it’s just such a fun place. Al said one time he said, Wow, Well I wish we had something like this and I just looked at him and said, well, why couldn’t we have something like this?
Lori Gama: Welcome everyone. Today’s episode of the Pathfinder podcast. Today we’re thrilled to have a very special guest with us. Pam. Bricker Pam is a Cornerstone of community development, and revitalization in downtown Greeley from her early involvement, as a business owner downtown. And then, as the first executive director of the DDA Pam’s vision, dedication, and tireless efforts, have not only enriched our local culture, but have also created a sense of belonging and community. That is truly unique to Greeley. Let’s start first. With you started a business here in Greeley. What year did you start it? And what it, what was it called?
Pam Bricker: Oh gosh, I can’t even remember how many years ago. It was a long time ago. And I had a partner Christine Thomas, who she and I loved plans we we did plant care for businesses as we started. And then as we grew, we decided to open a shop And that is still thriving, Mariposa, plants and flowers.
Lori Gama: And then Years later you decided to move downtown, right?
Pam Bricker: Yes.
Lori Gama: But at that time around like what year was it that you moved there?
Pam Bricker: It was probably about Maybe 15 years ago and I loved what I saw because I love the historic building. But I also saw a pretty sleepy place that didn’t have a lot of businesses and or a lot of action.
Lori Gama: So when you located down there and you looked around and saw that What happened then,
Pam Bricker: Well I got involved with the Downtown Development Authority. That wasn’t existent. And I I just got real active with that organization and started thinking, what do we need to do here, you know, to make more things happening. And that’s when, You know, I, I was asked To say, well, would you be interested? Kind of running things downtown. And I said, well, I’ve got a business, I have to run and I went to my employees and I said, you know, they want me to do this and they said, do it. We can handle this. They had worked for April a long time so that’s how I got involved. And You know a A place actually downtown where people could go to to see the downtown area and And have somebody to talk to about it. Um and then at that point too, then I started going around to all the businesses and started talking to them about what do we need to do? How do we need to grow? And Yeah, that was kind of the beginning of it.
Lori Gama: So first of all, you have your team at that point in the business was running so well that you the business owner could step away. Yeah, that’s really, really good. That’s what business owners should strive for.
Pam Bricker: Yeah, and it wasn’t like, I just stepped away, right? And yeah, you know, and because I stayed very busy with Mariposa for quite a while, Um, but they, they really did the share of the work. And and let me Help downtown.
Lori Gama: And I really think that’s great that you went around to all the business owners downtown and just ask them for their thoughts and ideas, right?
Pam Bricker: Absolutely, absolutely.
Lori Gama: How helpful was that?
Pam Bricker: Um I think very helpful But I will have to tell you what what was the biggest change is when we started being able to have common consumption In the downtown, also known as the go cook as the go cup. And That was we were one of the first communities to do that And it was because there was some legalities before you bore that. And that is what really started bringing particularly West Really into downtown, which was very important. Um, and of course, the go cup. You know, was in Spring and summer Every Friday night. So that was, that was a big, big plus,
Lori Gama: big game changer. And when did you, and how did you guys think of the idea of Friday Fest?
Pam Bricker: I’ve always been a music lover, And I also had employees that were using lovers and that’s that’s what draws people, you know, to come downtown. It wasn’t just to come downtown and drink a beer. It was to listen to music and have fun and that is still going on today,
Lori Gama: You and Al your husband, Al and your whole family. Your music lovers.
Pam Bricker: Yes. Indeed.
Lori Gama: And you like to travel, we do tell us about that.
Pam Bricker: Well, um, you know, we, we love New Orleans. We do a lot of visit to New Orleans because it’s just such a fun place. So that’s where, um, you know, we really would always bring that music back, a lot of Blues, you know, kind of music. And then, um, Al said, you know, we’ve been there doing that for quite a while outside one time. He said, Well, I wish we had something like this and I just looked at him and said, well, why couldn’t we have something like this. And so That’s how we created things too.
Lori Gama: So it seems to me like, throughout your life, you kind of maybe just bend that way like planted seeds And then from there grew things. So tell us more about how the Greeley Blues Jam, sprouted, from that seed, from that statement he made to you. And you said, why not, what couldn’t we?
Pam Bricker: Well, I have to say that we have a lot of friends that felt the same way and that’s, we put together a big committee that still exists today. And many of them were were the originators of it as well. Tom Welsh, who was at Island, Grove was a good friend and jumped all over it as well. And um, so that’s, that’s how the blues Jam started and that has brought people from all over the country into our community in Vegas. Actually, we actually have discovered a lot of musicians because there’s a big blues Bender down there. Um, and that that has also been Something that we leaned on by going to that event as to how do they make things happen and how do we? And then we got to meet a lot of the performers and then we still do that we go every, every year to to Vegas to make that happen.
Lori Gama: It is quite an event. It’s just it’s it’s a stellar Community event.
Pam Bricker: It is Well, one of the things that, you know, while I was running the downtown area, I didn’t want it just to happen and I would grow. So that’s when we started the Friday night party which is free and open and packed The the night before we always have a great band Play that that night. And so that also brings people in for more than just a day. So they’ll come in early and that that really benefits our hotels and our restaurants. And, um, so people have a great time on on Friday night and then on Saturday all day, they come and listen to the great music at Island Grove
Lori Gama: and people can go from venue to venue downtown as well. Like,
Pam Bricker: yep, the bar is in Distillery every every bar and a lot of the restaurants Um book, Um, mostly local entertainment at that point. And um, and when I say local, that’s Colorado, It’s not just greatly. We have a lot, a lot of musicians that come in. And every every bar is full and cabin music On that Friday night
Lori Gama: and the musicians come because you guys treat them pretty special.
Pam Bricker: Yes, we actually do. We bend over backwards And then When you do that, musicians, talk to other musicians Because these musicians come from all over, we actually had somebody from Canada last year that came, but they, they hear about it and they’re like, oh yeah, this is a great event and they they share that with other musicians. So it’s very easy for us to come up with a great lineup
Lori Gama: And this year that the date it’s going to be on is
Pam Bricker: it’s the it’s Friday May 31st and June 1st is at Island Grove
Lori Gama: And So people can also Camp there with RVs or nearby.
Pam Bricker: Yes we have lots of RVs and tent camping is available, too cool.
Lori Gama: And you have it’s it’s run by volunteers, right?
Pam Bricker: Volunteers yeah, absolutely.
Lori Gama: And I bet you have lots of stories you can share with us. What’s what’s one that or one or two that stand out that you like to share?
Pam Bricker: Well we had a little trouble last year with with A very unexpected rain that that wasn’t even in the forecast and we were all set up. We that morning everything was going great. And all of a sudden, the storm came From the East unexpectedly and rain. Like I haven’t ever seen rain before and completely flooded the park. And because because The the one thing that we’ve always done Is always had the event center. Um, In case of rain And We just all got busy and took everything inside and saved the day, Which was, You know, a blessing. Because Um, yeah I I don’t know what we would have done, we would have had to refund money, I mean because it was a swamp out there it was like there was any any way that music could have been done outside?
Lori Gama: Wow.
Pam Bricker: So it was that was probably our most uh eventful year from Pat one other time. We uh we had to To go inside, but we we knew it the night before So we were all ready, you know. But this last minute thing last year was Was, was kind of a craziness, but we made it. Yeah, it happened. And people had a great time.
Lori Gama: Have you ever heard the term Grace Under Pressure? I think you guys had Grace.
Pam Bricker: Oh yeah, that’s how you get things done, especially in a crisis situation.
Lori Gama: So who influenced you the most? Like, I I’m thinking it’s your parents tell us about how your parents influence, like, your community-shipness that you have Were your parents pretty influential.
Pam Bricker: Uh, oh absolutely. Um, My father was actually a politician in Nebraska and Had been the governor of Nebraska and went on to be a senator From Nebraska. And and he was a great man. A fun man. He was a small business owner who worked his way up into the political world and Always had fun and it’s hard and and he’s the one who taught me how to run a business. Because I used to work for him and I was, Uh, younger. Um, So yeah, that was very important. I remember, I remember so much when we decided to move to Colorado because my husband had an opportunity to move here with this business. Um they were like what you’re going to Colorado and I said Dad, you take us to Colorado every summer up in the mountains And I fell in love. What do you think? So, we always and it’s not that far to go to Lincoln. I still have family there and we, we visit often, but that that’s how we ended up in Colorado. I don’t know.
Lori Gama: Actually, a friend, told you about Greeley, right? I think that’s what you told me.
Pam Bricker: Yeah, yeah. It’s my friend Christine who, who lived here and we came out to see where we were going to live. And We stopped to see her. And We found a house right away and said, hey I I love this place and I still really love this place. I I would never have Wanted anyplace else to live that greatly Colorado.
Lori Gama: I I agree. And thank you, Christine Thomas. She’s a great human being that Community mindedness that you have. It’s, it’s very important and I think a lot of people here in Greeley have that. I’m not saying that other cities and towns don’t have that, but there’s something special about Greeley that we tend to like work together more. There’s many generations here That pass on their business to the next generation and instill those values. Um what’s your vision for Greeley? What what do you hope will continue to happen or or happen more of?
Pam Bricker: Well, you know there, I have mixed Feelings about the fact of how how Colorado was growing so much. And My, one of my concerns is, How Greeley is growing so far, you know, to the West that those people do more in Loveland and other areas because in many cases they’re closer to that than they are to our downtown. So that’s one of my concerns Um but you know you can’t stop, You know, the population is going to to continue to grow but it does really still then make Uh important for the downtown to make sure that the people out west know what’s going on downtown and what they’re they’re missing if they don’t
Lori Gama: right can we talk about if you activities people can do downtown like it’s there’s such a variety of things I do.
Pam Bricker: Yeah. And we, you know, we have all kinds of different events in the park Um down there. And there’s, there’s great music playing, almost All the time. Great beer. Wonderful beer. Uh, and so yeah, it’s and again, there’s that feeling of a historic, Um, a city that kept its history, Um, and that happened by having, you know, because they used to have everything covered with cheap metal, over these beautiful buildings and I don’t think there’s very many places anymore that you that you see with the kind of history that that we show. And it’s just, it’s just a wonderful atmosphere, right? And with that beautiful Park and with that big Civic Center, you know, we just have we have a lot going for us in the downtown area
Lori Gama: We do and there’s an ice skating rink. There’s multiple restaurants boutiques. There’s a place where you can throw axes exactly Distilleries. There’s an award-winning Brewery here. There’s so much in now. We have Link library and innovation Center, which is a, which is incredible place.
Pam Bricker: I mean, it’s getting national attention. I mean, that’s, That’s incredible. I love this place.
Lori Gama: I know. I love it too. Pam. If you could go back to your 20 year old self, what would you tell her with all the knowledge and experience you have? Now, what would you tell her?
Pam Bricker: Well I think I always told her Where she was going and what she wanted to do. Um, I don’t, I’ve always had a mind of my own and, And a, You know, really Always looking for the next adventure, Um, and I think that’s, that’s what keeps me going still. So,
Lori Gama: That’s awesome. Well, thank you on behalf of all of Greeley for all of the things that you’ve done your leadership. Everything. You’re volunteership everything you donate. Thank you so much and thank you for for doing the Pathfinder podcast today with me.
Pam Bricker: it was my pleasure.
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