By Kate Bartlett
Cattaraugus native Brooks Lefeber is no stranger to the Ellicottville area. Growing up in the area and skiing at HoliMont since 3 years old, Brooks is very familiar with the community. Brooks worked at Holiday Valley for several years as a ski photographer, and owned Double Diamond (DD) Bar on Monroe Street for 8 years. He now owns Brooks Lefeber Auctions, specializing in online auctions, estate sales, consignments and business liquidations.
Brooks discovered a knack for photography while working at Holiday Valley. He started working at Holiday Valley in high school, then moved into the photo service industry photographing skiers in action for several years. He took this experience and studied photography at the Rochester Institute of Technology.
He worked various jobs while in Rochester, moving back to the area to open Double Diamond, in 2003. He applied the skills he’d learned in various positions in the industry to open and manage the bar, which was located at 26 Monroe Street, currently Natures Remedy. “Double Diamond was a lively venue for laid back fun,” describes Brooks. The bar featured live music and got into the craft beer market as they were becoming popular during the 8 years DD was open. “We witnessed a lot of substantial changes to the area during the time the bar was open. It was just a quiet ski-town with not many restaurant/bar options back when we opened in 2003. When we closed our door in 2011, Ellicottville had transformed into an all-seasons resort town with a diverse variety of restaurants and bars alike.”
After the restaurant closed, Brooks worked at Ellicottville Brewing Company, The Depot, and Madigan’s, getting more involved in the community and furthering his experience in the business field. Energized and inspired by his work, Brooks decided to open his own auction company, Brooks LeFeber Auctions. He graduated from the Missouri Auction School in 2016, the oldest and largest auction school in the world, and became a Certified Appraiser through the Certified Appraisers Guild of America.
Brooks enjoys appraising people’s ‘treasures’ and assists with estate, consignment and business liquidations. “Many of my customers are elderly people who’ve acquired a lot of things and aren’t sure what certain possessions are worth. They don’t want to burden their children with their belongings. Others are just looking to simplify or downsize. I help customers get the most for their possessions, simplify, and sometimes uncover hidden treasures in the process.”
fun,” describes Brooks. The bar featured live music
and got into the craft beer market as they were
becoming popular during the 8 years DD was open.
Brooks has a large market of buyers through his online auctions. He photographs items and posts on his online national market, attracting a high volume of customers. His obscurity markets have everything from an 1860’s casket lid from a prison, to Senator Hamilton memoirs and letters from Theodore Roosevelt. “I love finding these treasures. Some of these items are amazing, and people don’t even know what they have. They end up being the perfect addition to someone’s collection. I love what I do and I get to help people in the process.”
Through his experience in the auction business, Brooks has gained a deeper appreciation for history. “I’ve always enjoyed history. My job grants the opportunity to learn about significant moments in the past through specific items. Everything tells a story.” He enjoys the excitement of un-covering treasures and learning about the past in the process.
Outside of work, Brooks has auctioned at several charity events in the community. He helps out with the Rotary Club and hosted the Ellicottville Ski Tree auction event.