Preserving history
Stained-glass window from now closed Blue Parrot to be restored
The Louisville Historical Museum is having one of the stained-glass windows of the nowclosed Blue Parrot restaurant restored for preservation after the window was damaged during the building’s remodel to the Mexican restaurant Verde. As part of its collection, the museum plans to display the stained glass in the front window of its building once restoration is complete.
Funds to support the conservation project were raised by the Louisville History Foundation to supplement the city’s budget for the museum. The foundation launched a campaign in March prior to COVID-19 lockdowns and raised $1,200 from 26 donors.
Costs of the restoration were estimated to be $2,700, according to Catherine Wessling, chair of the Louisville History Foundation. The remainder of the cost was supplied by the foundation, then went directly to conservator Cathy King, of Colorado Art Glass, who is restoring the piece.
“For anyone visiting Louisville over the past 100 years, the Blue Parrot was a familiar name and sight,” Wessling said. “The stained-glass window is an iconic piece of our history, and having it restored for the museum collection will ensure the story of the Blue Parrot continues to be shared for another century.”
Wessling says the museum also has the original neon sign, a scale and a dough roller from the Blue Parrot in its collection.
Before permanently closing in January 2017, the Blue Parrot served not only as a well-known restaurant, but as an icon for the town of Louisville. In business for almost a century, the Italian restaurant attracted crowds of diners with homemade pasta and sauce.
“When moving to Colorado, this was one of the ‘must do’ experiences,” said King. “It was cool to be able to enjoy this iconic establishment.”
The stained-glass window is one of two added when repairing the Blue Parrot restaurant after a fire in 1988 that destroyed much of the building, according to Wessling. One was over the bar, and the other is the one being restored that was in a large window facing Main Street.
Tracy and Peggy Schlickenmayer of LTS Glass donated glass for the repairs of the window. According to Wessling, several family members on both Tracy and Peggy’s side worked at the Blue Parrot at one time, including Peggy’s mother, Margarete Harbuz, who worked there as a waitress for almost 20 years.
“The Harbuz family made Louisville their home for almost 60 years and lived just a few blocks from ‘the Parrot,’” Wessling wrote in an email. “Tracy’s aunt Shirley Hutsell also
worked at the Blue Parrot as a waitress for many years. All family members on both sides enjoyed many dinners with the famous Blue Parrot spaghetti.”
The restoration work is being done by King, who doesn’t have a set time for when the glass will be complete. She says the piece has extensive damages, but she hopes to finish the project by late fall.
“All restoration projects present their own unique challenges,” said King. “I have completed numerous restoration projects in my career and can say each one can be distinctive. However, this is my first parrot window I have restored.”
Having worked with glass for years, she values the longevity and history the Blue Parrot put into its business.
“We are a family business ourselves and can relate to what it takes to run a family business,” said King. “The Blue Parrot (stained glass) is such an iconic piece to Louisville and other surrounding communities, and we are honored to restore it back to its original state.”