A sign of the times: Grace Chapel will replace Boot Barn at Orchard & I-25 but the huge Sheplers sign will stay
Freda Miklin reports that Grace Chapel will replace Boot Barn at Orchard and I-25. Council voted 4-3 to retain the huge non-conforming Sheplers sign.
Freda Miklin ·
On August 17, when the Greenwood Village City Council took up the question of the repurposing of the Boot Barn at 8500 E. Orchard Road, alongside I-25, into a church, Grace Chapel, there was little question that the new use would be unanimously approved, as it had been on August 4 by the City’s Planning & Zoning Commission.
The question on lots of people’s minds was, what was to become of the huge non-conforming Sheplers sign that was there when GV annexed the property in 1987? Although it is not permitted by the city’s sign code, since it was already in place when the property was annexed, it is considered grandfathered in, as long as it/the property is not changed. When the case was heard by the Planning & Zoning Commission, the question about the sign was passed on to the city council.
During the discussion about the project, staff stated that unless the council made an affirmative decision to keep the sign in place, it would have to be removed as part of the remodeling of the building and the property.
Asked his preference, Grace Chapel Pastor Josh Weidmann said they would like to keep it as it is, making only necessary repairs, but no changes to the sign or its message advertising Sheplers.
GV Council Members Donna Johnston and Libby Barnacle, who represent District 3 where the property is located, were strongly in favor of retaining the sign. Johnston even said that if the church didn’t want it, she’d buy it. District 1 Council Members Paul Wiesner and Ann Nelson were against keeping the sign. Nelson said, “I’d propose a citywide auction.” Council Member Bob Doyle felt the sign no longer fit with the use of the building but the other representative from District 2, Jay Schneiderman, was in favor of keeping it. District 4 Council Member Tom Stahl said he didn’t have a strong opinion, so would defer to Johnston and Barnacle, because it was in their district. Council Member Katrin Mezger was not present but attending the meeting electronically. She was not able to get her voice connected, so the vote proceeded without her, and it was 4-3, in favor of retaining the sign.
Back in 2015, Greenwood Village revised its zoning code to use a customized list of allowed and special uses in its Mixed Commercial zone that emphasized revenue generation. By doing so, they effectively removed houses of worship and other civic uses which had been allowed in that zone district until then.
On February 2, 2026, the GV City Council reversed course and passed an amendment to its zoning code to specifically add event centers and places of worship as an allowable Special Use within the Mixed Commercial zone district. The code amendment included a new definition of event center to make clear that it excluded overnight accommodations “or any component of a sexually oriented business.”
The zoning code change was passed unanimously via the City’s consent agenda, meaning there was no discussion or debate about it by the council during the meeting, nor any public input.
In the audience at the city council meeting that evening, observing and listening, but not speaking publicly, were officials from Grace Chapel.
On August 17, the GV City Council considered a Special Use Permit and Site Development Plan application from architect Doug Spuler, on behalf of Grace Chapel, to establish a place of worship for 1,000 people with 257 parking spaces at 8500 E. Orchard Road. The structure is a 59,818 square foot, two-story building that was the former home of Sheplers western wear company (which now appears to sell online only) that built the building in 1977 and operated there until 2015, when Boot Barn took over the location, selling the same merchandise.
Boot Barn is planned to remain there, operating until June 30, 2027. Renovations are expected to be completed in fall 2028, when the church will be open to its parishioners and the community.
The architectural revisions planned for the site include new lighting, interior and exterior building renovations, a reconfigured parking lot, a fenced outdoor play area, and increased open space and landscape areas.
A Neighborhood Input Meeting was held at City Hall on January 27. Six neighbors attended. At that meeting, it was stated that a required Traffic Impact Study for the project had been performed and it determined that no improvements were required for the new church because it was mostly used on Sundays when there is little other traffic.
At the city council meeting on August 17, church officials, including Pastor Josh Weidmann, stated that the facility would be used seven days a week, including as a coworking space, and with a coffee shop.
Print source: The Villager, Vol. 44 No. 40, Aug. 27, 2026, pages 1 and 7. Page 1 is the lead; page 7 is the jump. The print jump headline spells the retailer Shepler’s; the page 1 deck and body use Sheplers. Both are kept as printed.
Print longhorn-medallion crop from the Aug. 27 lead. The featured image is the Sheplers sign photograph. The source crop already clips “will replace” and the medallion edge; it is not used as a second story’s hero.