New owners take over long-running Steamboat business Mountain Home Stove and Fireplace

Brian and Charlie Coates took the reins of Mountain Home Stove and Fireplace this year, excited to carry on a tradition of service that stretches back 22 years.

“There will be no changes to what we offer, and the staff and the workforce and all that stuff will be the same,” Brian said. “We are excited and enthusiastic about being here and want to work effectively with everybody, whether it’s someone downtown that has an old gas burning unit they use to heat their home, or if it’s someone who has just arrived in the valley and wants to build their dream home with great views and a great location. We want to be able to serve everybody.”

At 2620 S. Copper Frontage Road, unit 6B, Mountain Home Stove and Fireplace was founded in 2002 by Wolf Bennett, who partnered Jackie Buratovich to run the business the past five years. The two sold the business to the Coateses in January.

While the Coateses are new to this business, they are not new to the valley. Brian and Charlie lived and worked in Craig for six years before moving to Steamboat Springs four years ago. Brian worked for the Colowyo Mine as an engineer manager, and Charlie runs her own accounting business. The couple has two children — Hazel, 8, and Harry, 5.

Brian said that for years, he often had to commute from Steamboat Springs to Meeker for work — but last year, he started looking for business opportunities that would allow him to spend less time on the road, more time with his family, and more time in the community where he lives.

When he found out Mountain Home Stove and Fireplace was for sale, he entered into serious conversations about purchasing the business. It was also one of Charlie’s clients, so the Coateses already had a good feel for the operation.

“It seemed like a comfortable challenge that would keep us busy, keep me closer to home and showed a promising future,” Brian said. “Everything kind of just aligned, and we decided to jump in with both feet knowing this is our future right, wrong or indifferent. We’re going do everything to make it work because it seems very feasible financially and practically.”

Bennett also said the Coateses were a good fit, and Bennett plans to continuing to working at the business during the transition. He said it’s important to him that the Coateses are successful, and the business he started continues to thrive in the Yampa Valley.

“I don’t want to just settle down and watch the day go by,” said Bennett, who has lived in the Yampa Valley for nearly 30 years. “I know people who have retired — they stop and they die.”

Bennett said he has different plans, and still teaches a spin class at the hospital. He also purchased and is remolding a house in Craig. He also plans to continue installing wood and gas stoves, sweep chimneys, and maintain and repair stoves when needed.

Bennett is confident the Coateses will have success with the business he built.

“Charlie had been doing the books for us, working with my partner, doing bookkeeping and stuff, so she knew the business when they bought into it,” Bennett said. “Brian is sort of the key person there. He’s really smart. He’s a great learner, and I was really happy to have somebody buy the business who wants to build it, wants to make it even better and wants to be here for a long time. They want to make Steamboat a better place … and they’re both very good.”