Best Store at DIA 2016 | Out West | Best of Denver® | Best Restaurants, Bars, Clubs, Music and Stores in Denver | Westword
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Best Store at DIA

Out West

Denver International Airport

Did you forget to pick up gifts for the folks you left behind? No problem. Head to the center of the C Concourse, where Out West stocks an amazing array of Western and Southwestern-themed products — some actually made in the region rather than in China. (The owner, Avila, is based in Albuquerque.) You'll find Native American handcrafted pottery, hats, belts, toys, jewelry and T-shirts. And in case you're headed off on a business trip and neglected to pack proper apparel, you can even pick up an outfit that won't make you look too much like an extra in a Wild West show. There's a second store in the main terminal, but browsing here is a great way to pass the time when you discover that your flight's been delayed.

C Concourse
303-342-6446
avilaretail.com
Readers' choice: Tattered Cover

Best Neighborhood Shopping District

Tennyson Street Between 38th and 44th avenues

Tennyson Street has seen its share of turnover, much of it caused by a morass of a construction project five years ago, which decimated many shops along the beleaguered drag. But like America after the recession, Tennyson is back in business, with a fresh mix of shops, galleries and eateries that seem to click — and appear to have staying power. Sip some wine and browse for books at BookBar, shop for pre-loved secondhand garb at Clotheshorse, spoil your pet at Mouthfuls, find a handmade treasure at Jolly Goods or spruce up your man at Spruce — and when you're ready to take a load off, find a table at such popular restaurants as Parisi, El Chingon and Hops & Pie. Tennyson Street is back in the game.

tennysonst.com
tbbadenver.org
Readers' choice: South Broadway
  • Tennyson St., between 38th and 44th avenues, Denver, 80212 Map

Best Museum Shop

Buffalo Bill Museum & Grave

High up on Lookout Mountain, the Buffalo Bill Museum & Grave — part of the Denver Mountain Parks systems — honors William F. Cody, aka Buffalo Bill, a legendary character of the Old West and sometime Denver resident (we had to fight Wyoming to keep Cody here permanently) who was the first great marketer, according to museum director Steve Friesen. The museum is filled with exhibits celebrating Cody's life and the way in which he affected our view of the West: At one point the showman was the most famous man in the world. But it's the gift shop next door — in a log structure that was the first building on this stunning site — that really shows how the West was fun. It's full of much more than rubber tomahawks, though; you'll find great jewelry, a big book collection, art and clothing along with the kitsch.

Readers' choice: Denver Museum of Nature & Science

Best Place to Find Rare Local Records

Wax Trax Records

Jon Solomon

Although you can occasionally find rare local records at record stores around town, they're usually sitting unappreciated on a shelf or in a bin. A better choice is to head straight to Wax Trax, which has the best selection of local music — past and present — at a reasonable price. The 45s section of the vinyl store includes choice artifacts from Denver's past, including '90s indie pop, '80s and '90s hardcore and weirdo releases unique to this city. Also, in the Just In bin at the entrance, you can sometimes find old Ministry twelve-inches, way-out-of-print Fluid vinyl and early Pinhead Circus records.

Best Blu-ray/DVD Section

Twist & Shout Records

Ken Hamblin III

When a store houses its Blu-ray and DVD section a hundred feet from one of the city's best movie theaters, the items on offer had better be on point. As it happens, the folks at Twist & Shout are always up to the challenge. While big-box corporate stores continue to deplete their selection of physical media, indie charmer T&S goes all in, bulking up not just on quantity, but on quality and variety, too. From foreign greats to lowbrow comedy, from Antonioni to Zhang Yimou, it's all there — and if it's not, staffers can order it for you.

Best Record Store in a Bar

Bowman's Vinyl and Lounge

Music and liquor have a long history together, so it's not that big of a stretch to think that a record store in a bar might be a good idea. Of course it is! Longtime bartender Darin Bowman saw the beauty in that and took a chance on it by opening Bowman's Vinyl and Lounge on South Broadway late last year, creating an instant hangout for experienced album-flippers and lounge lizards alike. With a bar in front and a selection of used and new vinyl — with listening stations — in the back, Bowman's is also branching out as a live-music venue, aiming to bring the connection full circle. It's the best of both worlds: Drop in and give it a spin.

Best Place to Buy Used Music Equipment

Lodo Drum Guy

Peter Isakovic — aka the Lodo Drum Guy — runs a small but mighty instrument operation out of his loft in downtown Denver. Don't let the name fool you, though: While Isakovic does have plenty of drum kits in stock, he also carries a constantly rotating selection of guitars, amps and more. This not-so-secret, appointments-only home shop is the ideal place for both first-time players and longtime musicians to find exactly what they're looking for. Lodo Drum Guy's "test drive and swap" policy allows musicians to bring back an instrument post-purchase and trade it in for another, so no need to worry about buyer's remorse: Isakovic's got the Denver music scene's back.

lododrumguy.com

Best Thrift Store

Peak Thrift

Clothes, shoes and accessories, small household appliances, bicycles: Whatever you need, Peak Thrift has probably got it. And even if you don't come up with a good bargain, you'll know you're making a good impact on the community. Started by Urban Peak, a program that provides services to youth experiencing homelessness, Peak uses the thrift-store model to offer employment and other opportunities for the young people it serves, teaching sufficiency to at-risk teens and young adults. But Peak Thrift, near the intersection of 49th and Pecos, comes through for the consumer, too, offering a wide selection of current styles and gently used home goods. The friendly and knowledgeable staff, bright and airy sales floor and eclectic rotating stock make Peak Thrift a thrifting destination — and a place to see the youth of Denver flourish.

urbanpeak.org
Readers' choice: Buffalo Exchange

Best Kid-Centric Retail Dynasty

Nest/Hatched/Firebird/Elevated Scraps

Once upon a time, there was Nest — a children's clothing store that opened in 2010 along the busy Sixth Avenue retail strip near Cherry Creek — and it was good. Owner Caroline Evascu not only has a flair for picking out ultra-cute, sturdy kids' wear, but she plies her trade with a helping of community spirit, accepting in-store donations of gently used baby clothing for WeeCycle and offering weekly giveaways from the store's popular and exclusive Tea Collection. Last year, Evascu took her empire up a level with a move down the street to a larger space, where she also opened a tween-sized counterpart to Nest in an adjacent building just around the corner; more recently, she put the finishing touches on Firebird, a Montessori-flavored toy and book shop a block away that offers classes for the little ones in your life. Inside Firebird, there's even a micro-business called Elevated Scraps that makes fabric mobiles, soft sculpture and banners perfect for kids' rooms and parties. Word is Evascu has yet another concept up her sleeve for the original Nest space — more on that in the future — and, pssst: The original Nest also has a store in Boulder.

2940 E. 6th Ave.
nestchildrensboutique.com
585 Milwaukee St.
hatchedbynest.com
2800 E. 6th Ave.
firebirdbooksandtoys.com

Best Place to Outfit the Alternative Family

FashioNation

FashioNation has been bringing alternative style to the Mile High City since 1987, consistently sticking to its mission of presenting unique attire at affordable prices. One of the first independent retailers in the country to carry Doc Martens, as well as one of the area's early vendors of Manic Panic hair dye, FashioNation has stayed one step ahead of the mainstream curve. The spacious South Broadway store is well stocked with bullet belts, kitten heels and leather jackets for adults, but its secret weapon is the wild apparel available for kids and babies. In-store offshoot Babysitter's Nightmare carries the coolest diaper bags in town, along with tutus, mini-Mary Janes and onesies for wee ones. Since the store's inception, owners Paul and Pam Italiano have maintained creative control of FashioNation's inventory, picking out every platform boot and military jacket that makes it onto the rack.

1594 S. Broadway
303-832-2909
vixensandangels.com

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