Gambles Work Wear – No Spangles or Sparkles Here

The farming and ranching families in the North Fork Valley are the backbone of our community, and there are many. For several years, folks needing everything from boots to boleros went to one place for all their western wear needs – Farmer Franks. Midway between Paonia and Hotchkiss, the iconic brown compound that became a destination was the go-to place until the doors were closed some years ago. Fortunately for farmers and families alike, Kim Shay, owner of Gambles Hardware in Hotchkiss, has decided to fill the void of the past few years. She has opened Gambles Work Wear in the old hardware store building her family has owned for many years, is stocking the shelves with a wide range of products, and is ready to serve her ranching neighbors.  

Kim saw the need for a business to step in the empty footprint left behind by the demise of Farmer Franks, and while she’s been plenty preoccupied running one of the busiest hardware stores in the county, she’s been chewing on the ranch-wear clothing store idea for years. Kim has held onto the building that housed the old hardware store for years and finally decided that the timing was right to open a workwear store there. 

The building, built in 1903, has been home to an engine shop and a pool hall, among other businesses, and was purchased by her family in 1990. It had served the community as a hardware store since 1942 and continued to do so until Kim decided the business simply needed more space. Gambles Hardware moved across the street, and since then, she has had to expand the area of that building as well to accommodate an ever-growing inventory. 

The old location is the perfect fit for a workwear store, with the original wood floor, pressed-tin ceiling, and ornate wainscoting. A sizable mural, which runs much of the room's length, was uncovered in 1993 after a flood forced the family to tear down a false wall. Although the artist is unknown and the mural suffered some damage, as it was hidden for many years, it is a testament to the valley's history. Kim consulted with a professional art restorer who advised her to “just love it as it is” rather than trying to restore the piece. Somehow, the minor marks and scattered holes make it all the more endearing. 

“No spangles or sparkles here.” That’s what it says on the door. What you will find inside is a host of necessities for working folks. Medical scrubs, rain gear, boots a-plenty, authentic western snap-button shirts, and a solid offering of outdoor wear provided by the Dickies brand. Kim claims she went with Dickies over other brands like Carhartt because Dickies has a better reputation for a better fit in their women’s wear line. The brand is made in the USA, and the store has everything from jeans and work pants to jackets and vests. “Assorted Sundries” also appears on the window outside, and if the eclectic offerings at Gambles Hardware are any indication of what’s to fill the shelves of Gambles Work Wear, Kim will soon be taking shopping to a new level in Hotchkiss.

The doors to the store opened to the public on February 11, and Kim is still filling shelves and taking requests for specialty items. A running list of customer suggestions is kept behind the counter. Meanwhile, new orders keep coming by the day. Kim plans to move the vast array of scrubs, hospital shoes, stethoscopes, blood-pressure cuffs, scissors, and other medical supplies to the loft to make room for the incoming orders of boots. Aside from a wide range of muck boots, soon an offering of cowboy boots, steel-toed work boots, hiking boots, and more will fill the store's back end. 

Kim is proud to be bringing back a little piece of Farmer Franks to the valley. The old-time signs that used to adorn the old midway shops are now hanging on the outside back wall of Gambles Hardware as a tribute. She hopes to serve the folks of the North Fork with the same variety of workwear offerings and a little more to boot. “We don’t rent pigs. Neither goats or donkeys bought or sold,” reads another sign on the front door. And although this is a wink to her clientele and a reference to Larry McMurtry’s Lonesome Dove, those are probably the only items that won’t be found in Gambles Work Wear if Kim has her way. 

Gambles Work Wear is open from 9 to 6, Monday through Saturday, and is located at 178 E. Bridge Street in downtown Hotchkiss.