Best Record Store

Lurking around every one of Twist & Shout's cash registers, display racks and merchandise cases are employees who'll share a little -- or a lot -- of what they know without the music-snob sneer. Of course, if members of the Twist staff were feeling a little smug, we couldn't blame them: Fifteen years after vowing to cultivate the best record store in Denver, owner Paul Epstein and his wife, Jill, preside over a rarified retail gem. Why do we love it so? For starters, Twist has the city's best selection of new CDs from artists both mainstream and totally remote. It regularly hosts in-store performances by artists stopping through town on tour. (The Flaming Lips and Elvis Costello are recent drop-ins.) It's one of the few outlets where local musicians are invited to sell their merchandise without the hassle of consignment. We also love Paul's willowy white hair, the ample listening stations, the Little Homies for sale. Mostly, we love that Twist & Shout remains an actual family-style store -- complete with in-house cat! They shake it up, baby.