Shopping & Services

If we could turn back the clock, it would be to an era when we didn't just toss broken stuff in the trash but instead got it fixed as good as new — and also to when the 16th Street Mall didn't look like a giant concrete tossed salad. So when the rebar started flying, we panicked that our favorite little repair shop would go the way of the town crier. But Gold & Time is still on our side, because Mr. Ming, who had been replacing batteries and repairing eyeglasses at 16th and Tremont for office workers on their lunch breaks for more than a decade, was able to move to the other end of the mall, where he still patiently switches out leather bands and will carefully clean Grandpa's pocket watch. He can also restring pearls, engrave or resize jewelry and make you a new key — all in good time.

Legendary photographer John Fielder passed away in August 2023, but not before he presented Colorado with an incredible gift to remember him by. History Colorado is now the steward of John Fielder's Colorado Collection, an assortment of more than 6,000 photographs. Fielder spent fifty years traveling Colorado's 104,984 square miles, capturing the changing landscape in more than 200,000 photographs — many of which landed in books and on walls across the state. And now they're easier to access than ever. After culling through his work, Fielder donated thousands of photographs to History Colorado in January 2023; the collection is now digitized and easily searchable by the public, which can download favorite photos. History Colorado also sells giant, exclusive Fielder prints for a very reasonable price, and you can see his work at the museum whenever you visit.

The Pahaska Tepee Gift Shop & Cafe was created atop Lookout Mountain over a century ago, when the body of William F. Cody — Buffalo Bill to you — was entombed high on a hill overlooking the plains that he had explored and celebrated. At one point, Buffalo Bill was the best-known celebrity in the world, reaching Taylor Swift heights of fame. In 1921, working with the City and County of Denver, Johnny Baker, his foster son, created a building modeled after Buffalo Bill's hunting lodge in Yellowstone Park and opened a museum there; decades later, a modern museum was built nearby, and the Pahaska Tepee was turned into a cafe and the best souvenir shop in Colorado, full of trinkets both historic and old-timey tacky. But now this frequent Best of Denver winner is in danger of being closed and redeveloped by the city, unless Denver residents prove they can't be buffaloed.

Sometimes a tourist needs more than a cowpie Frisbee as a memento of their visit to Denver. Sometimes a local needs more than another concert poster to remember where they live. Time to head to Abstract Denver, which has four locations in metro Denver as well as a robust online presence. These are much more than souvenir shops; they're full of smart art and clothing with original designs, all celebrating the local scene. If you can't find something here you covet, you just aren't looking. Bonus points for the pop-up at 303 16th Street; if stores like this are what we can expect once construction is (finally) complete, the 16th Street Mall might be deserving of becoming a major destination again.

It's got a brand-spanking-new website, an impressive lineup of supporters and a lot of big ideas. So far, though, the Museum of Denver only exists in cyberspace — but it's a concept worthy of becoming a physical reality. Whenever local historian Jason Hanson traveled to different cities, he would always visit their museums, and he always wondered why Denver didn't have its own; he pitched the idea for a Museum of Denver to other civic-minded volunteers like former Denver City Council members Kendra Black and Mary Beth Susman. Now all it needs is a lot of funding and maybe, just maybe, permission from the city to take over the McNichols Building, putting a facility devoted to Denver in the heart of the city and adding another landmark to Civic Center Park.

This collection of bike lanes, trails and shared-use sidewalks provides an invigorating tour of downtown Denver with minimal risk of being hit by a car. Start at Union Station and take 20th Street to the South Platte River Trail for a quick ride through Commons Park, then hop on the Cherry Creek Trail by Elitch Gardens and take it to West 14th Avenue and Civic Center Park. Circle the Capitol, the Denver City & County Building and the Denver Art Museum, then head back downtown. You can't hit the 16th Street Mall, but you can get close by taking 15th Street to Wynkoop Street, then ride through McGregor Square to Coors Field and return to Union Station. Lookin' good, Denver!

Want to see ground-level Denver but would rather have someone else do the work? With Aaron's GreenRides, you can choose from seventeen pedicab tours, including South Broadway, City Park, Capitol HIll and the South Platte Trail — enjoying the ride while learning about Denver history. Aaron's pedicabs come equipped with lights and music, and also offer VIP treatment for weddings, birthday parties and private events.

Yeehaw! Although the transformation of the National Western Center is far from complete, Colorado State University's contribution is done, and it's corralled quite a following. In the three buildings that comprise CSU Spur — Terra, Hydro and Vida — you can learn all about water, growing food, health, sustainability and veterinary medicine. At Vida, you can view animal surgeries through a window (and a monitor) and watch horses engage in equine therapy; at Terra, you can explore a rooftop garden and discover what's wrong with your planet; at Hydro, you can explore how water shortages are endangering the planet. Admission is always free, with special activities on 2nd Saturdays.

Given the high cost of dining out these days, it might be time to up your cooking game. Whether you're planning a dinner party, looking for easy weekday dinners or want to master Indian food, visit the Denver Public Library — with 25 branches and two bookmobiles citywide — for inspiration. Among the latest in the collection of over 7,200 cookery titles are Misunderstood Vegetables:  How to Fall in Love with Sunchokes, Rutabaga, Eggplant and More, and Cool Food: Erasing Your Carbon Footprint One Bite at a Time.

The Denver Public Library has live tutors available online from 3 to 10 p.m. every day, offering homework help in a wide range of subjects, as well as test preparation for kindergartners through twelfth-graders. Adult learners, job seekers and college students can also benefit from the rigorously vetted tutors, who must show proficiency in their subject area and expertise in an online environment.

Since 1983, the Denver Indian Center has supported the Native community by offering guidance, support and a place where people can meet and honor Indigenous cultures. But the facility also offers help for maneuvering the world outside its doors: Members of federally recognized tribes can choose to join Parenting in Two Worlds, Honoring Fatherhood and the Workforce Program, which includes career counseling, résumé workshops, GED assistance, and funding for job training.

Want to get rid of that gun you inherited? Help make the community safer by transforming your unwanted (and unloaded) firearm into a garden tool by dropping it off at a Guns to Gardens event. Trained volunteers dismantle the parts, which are forged into garden tools. It's anonymous, and you'll receive a gift card for your surrender.

The sculptural glass works that Danelle Rains makes for Memento Mori are aglow with color, but what really catches your attention are the sparkling flecks found in the swirling hues. They add a potent energy to the pieces, and once you discover what they are, you'll know why: The flecks are cremation ashes, which Rains adds to the glass so that people can display and honor their loved ones (people or pets) rather than keep them hidden away in an urn.

The devil you say! Yes, the Archdiocese of Denver has a priest who's an exorcism expert. In a video that's been viewed more than a million times, Chad Ripperger describes one of the more frightening exorcisms he's performed. "There was a full-blown, preternatural manifestation right there, and the demon was screaming," he says. "If that doesn't strike the fear of God in you, nothing will." Well, some of Ripperger's other statements about how Hitler and homosexuality released "demons" in the world might give you a few chills, too.

Karen Richards started Two Birds Fit primarily as a fitness program, mostly involving activities around Sloan's Lake, but it's since morphed into a fitness dating program, with bigger events that allow for meeting, greeting — and swiping right in real life. You pay a fee to join in the event, then get a chance to exercise your heart as you work out with dozens of like-minded singles. In this post-pandemic world, Richards has found a way to connect in person.

Tell your beloved that you just want to see the incredible Petrie Institute of Western American Art collection on the seventh floor of the renovated Martin Building at the Denver Art Museum. But don't stop there: After you've taken in the exhibit, head to the new rooftop terrace, which offers lofty views of downtown and the Front Range. The terrace was part of Gio Ponti's original plan for the building more than fifty years ago, but it wasn't built until the recent renovation. This is the perfect spot for a selfie, and the most romantic spot in Denver for a proposal.

"People who are new to thermaculture might mistake what we're doing for a spa, but it's really not. What we are offering is connection," says Rory MacMurdo, who co-founded Portal Thermaculture with Will Dresher. The pop-up includes two Scandinavian saunas, three cold-plunge pools and a unique social environment, since it's located on the back patio of Sanitas Brewing Company. Along with the saunas and pools, you'll find a seating area with lockers and three curtained changing stalls. And after you've taken the plunge? How does a nice, cold beer sound?

The Peterson family came up with a honey of an idea when they decided to create an apiary, or collection of beehives, on their ranch in Lafayette. In countries like Germany and Slovenia, inhaling the aerosol created by bees in an apiary is an authorized treatment for respiratory diseases, but in the United States, Capella Ranch became just the third spot in the country to offer the experience when it opened. Just finishing its second season, it's created quite a buzz; clients hang in one of four custom-built huts complete with hives, where they're lulled by the sound and scent of the bees. "I'm going to be out here all summer, talking to people and enjoying them and hearing their stories," says Carolyn Peterson, matriarch of the Peterson family."They're going to come stressed out, and then they're going to leave relaxed."

Getting a flat can make your mood deflate just as much as your tire has. But the Conoco on Sixth Avenue is always there to pump you up, literally and figuratively. The centrally located station offers free air, and with the setup's long hoses, it's easy to reach any wheel. Plus, there's enough pressure that your tire will be refilled almost instantly. In fact, the shop recommends that you use a tire pressure gauge to be sure you don't over-inflate your tires. The friendly staff will loan you one; just walk in and ask!

To deter would-be thieves, you can request a free, easy-to-install CatETCH catalytic converter etching label from the Colorado Auto Theft Prevention Authority. The adhesive label has a unique number that is heat- and tamper-proof, and should discourage scofflaws. If they snag it anyway, the label's number is in the national law enforcement database, which assists authorities in apprehending the culprit. Check the "events" tab on the Lockdown site to find the next etching kit pickup dates.

Denver7's Jayson Luber is the dean of Denver traffic reporters, known for clear, concise highway counsel that's saved locals untold hours of their lives. His many years of expertise are on full display throughout Driving You Crazy!, a podcast that provides even more insights to commuters trying to get from point A to point B as efficiently as possible. Recent episodes have explored the metro area's worst intersections, offered a dozen predictions for electric vehicles, and explained why LED traffic signals have typically had trouble in snowstorms and what's being done to address the problem. With Driving You Crazy!, it's green lights all the way.

Chris Bianchi is a proud weather nerd who loves to explore the whys, whens and wheres of storms on 9News and social media — and his attention to detail pays off. A former Westword contributor, he's become Denver's most accurate predictor of precipitation events, and his mastery of X keeps followers abreast of the latest developments, be they systems that look like potential city-stoppers but fizzle out early, or mega-blizzards that live up to the hype. Those who leave home without checking out Bianchi's advice first deserve what they get.

Radio programs in which partners with conflicting worldviews verbally joust have a high degree of difficulty, since what starts out as an honest disagreement can devolve into empty shtick. But so far, The Jeff and Bill Show, which debuted in February, is striking the right balance. Jeff Hunt, the former executive director of the Centennial Institute, a branch of Colorado Christian University, is a self-described MAGA lover who's able to explain why people of faith tend to overlook the personal foibles of one Donald J. Trump. In contrast, Bill Thorpe, a radio veteran and longtime producer for legendary yakker Peter Boyles, is stubbornly independent — meaning that he's ready, willing and able to call BS on ideologues of every stripe. Together, they're a potent pair with plenty of potential.

The rough patch recently hit by longtime Denver sports-radio leader 104.3/The Fan has resulted in many listeners discovering the afternoon-drive program on Altitude Sports Radio, which teams Nate Kreckman and Andy Lindahl. But these two are hardly novices at the microphone. Kreckman earned consecutive Best of Denver awards in 2013 and 2014 for shows on what was then known as ESPN Denver 102.3, while Lindahl has been a key voice on area stations such as KOA and the late, unlamented Orange & Blue 760 for decades. The partners are a great match: Kreckman's boisterous snark and Lindahl's proclivity for inspired crankiness make for a wonderfully entertaining blend.

Once a very part-time videographer for Westword, Kevin Beaty has really hit his stride as a full-time reporter at Denverite, where he uses his expansive skill set — writing, photography, sound, data-digging and, yes, video — to share stories around the city. His pieces have depth and empathy, and they never fail to impress. "I'm always thinking of creative ways to put you in someone else's shoes, even for just a moment," he says. And he succeeds.

Colorado's governor has well over 800,000 followers spread across his numerous social media accounts, and for good reason; Between announcements of state policies and elections, Jared Polis's posts are frequently entertaining, providing an endearingly cringey look at the state's highest elected official. Polis was worth the follow this year, from his lyric-filled fan letter to Taylor Swift to his infamous viral performance of "Feliz Navidad" to his recent Dune-inspired advertisement of Colorado's Great Sand Dunes with "no giant sandworms, unlike Arrakis!"

Walking into any of Skate City's four locations is like stepping into a nostalgic portal — only the other side actually lives up to your childhood memories, prices included. For $12, you'll get a two-hour session with skate or blade rentals, but the '90s birthday vibes are free. If the easy skating, classic arcade games and brightly colored carpet, dotted with shrapnel from cheese-covered pizza, don't take you back to a better time, then the hair-flailing music lineup on adults-only nights, held select evenings after 8 or 9 p.m., certainly will.

Little Man ice cream has been a Denver favorite since 2008, when the first scoop was served from the company's iconic, 28-foot-tall milk can at 2620 16th Street. Eleven years later, the Factory, a 6,000-square-foot tasting room and kitchen, opened its doors on West Colfax, and tours of the facility, which are offered to individuals, couples and groups, are absolutely lip-smacking. Don't expect to learn how to duplicate any of the frozen delights: Little Man's recipes are a closely guarded secret. But visitors are treated to an inside look at the production process and receive as a reward an absolutely crazy amount of ice cream to take home with them. Talk about a love match.

Pickleball is here to stay, but where? Neighbors complain about noise at outdoor facilities, which are too limited to meet demand. Adam Kahn and Max Ireland created the concept for Colorado's largest indoor pickleball facility in 2023 and opened their first location in Wheat Ridge a few months later. The place was a hit: More than 600 people came to play the very first day. Dale Katechis of Oskar Blues got in the game to help open the Longmont outpost of the club, which has hosted such variations as blacklight pickleball. Score!

During a recent return visit to Denver, all-world footballer Christian McCaffrey headed to Flight Club Denver — an indication that the venue, which debuted last June, has rapidly become a favorite gathering place for the young and cool. And that makes sense, since the nightspot, one of just six U.S. locations opened by its British parent company so far, demonstrates why the social-darts phenomenon has caught on worldwide. Flight Club boasts twelve semi-private playing areas, supplemented by an outdoor patio, an unexpectedly sizable menu and a large bar specializing in craft cocktails, making it perfect for birthday celebrations, bachelorette parties and the like. When fun is the point, Flight Club Denver strikes the bull's-eye.

The Wizard's Chest has a selection of games that's unrivaled in the Mile High City. But the store also hosts a wide variety of events that give gamers an opportunity to meet, greet and (if they're lucky) defeat like-minded contestants with obsessions. Some get-togethers are instructional, including gatherings that teach newbies the basics of Dungeons & Dragons or Call of Cthulhu. Others are themed to particular pastimes, such as Star Wars Unlimited, X-Wing, and board games of every description. And then there are Long Live Legacy tournaments, LGBTQ+ Game Night and many other fun-filled competitions.

Since 2005, Liberty has been producing heirloom-worthy wooden jigsaw puzzles, all with fancifully shaped pieces that are satisfying to put into place. Themes include seasons, animals, botanicals, art nouveau and vintage travel posters. Visit the flagship store on the Pearl Street Mall or the factory location, where you can choose from a huge selection and take a ten-minute tour. Custom jobs are also possible!

Wax Trax is a mere year from the half-century mark: It was founded in 1975 by Jim Nash and Dannie Flesher, who sold it to current owners Dave Stidman and Duane Davis three years later. (Nash and Flesher moved to Chicago, where they founded the iconic Wax Trax! record label.) Customers who visit Wax Trax can instantly feel all that history — but they can also take pieces of it home without breaking the bank. The used annex, just steps from the new-music base of operations, offers up a steady flow of vintage vinyl on various formats at incredibly reasonable prices. No wonder record geeks from around the country and the world traveling through Denver always put a stop at Wax Trax at the top of their agenda.

There are bigger record stores in the area. But Paradise Found is as special as its name, and easily proves that size doesn't (always) matter. The retailer took on its new identity in 2016, when Will Paradise purchased Bart's Record Shop from its owners, who had decided to move east after a quarter of a century on the Boulder retail scene. The Pearl Street setting that Paradise chose is warm and inviting, and so are the staffers, who offer both a deep knowledge of stock that's curated with taste and smarts, and an enthusiasm for the sounds of yesterday and today that's positively infectious.

PosterScene focuses on commercial placards from music and film — and the amazing range of imagery truly runs the gamut. Customers will find concert keepsakes from shows in the Denver area and beyond whose artistry demands framing, as well as posters from movies so cheesy, they'd barely deserve thumbtacks if it wasn't for the smiles they produce. The store also sells vintage press kits, pins, T-shirts and other memorabilia, and deep discounts on select merch (some posters can be had for $10 or less) make PosterScene a go-to spot for shoppers decorating everything from dorm rooms to living rooms.

The Archive Aurora is the equivalent of a time machine to the 1990s, when streaming was still mainly associated with fishing. The store celebrates the time not so long ago when people actually purchased physical products that allowed them to watch movies and listen to music in the privacy of their own home. Included are plenty of DVDs and stacks upon stacks of videotapes — big hits, non-hits and cult classics assembled by employees with a keen sense of cool — along with enough vinyl to keep any turntable busy. Shoppers with fond memories of the twentieth century will feel a welcome jolt of nostalgia the second they step through the Archive Aurora's front door.

Since 2008, Dream Books has accepted donated books from libraries, schools and individual households to stock its bookstore with 10,000 or so books, all priced under $5. The donations that are unsuitable for resale (about 30 percent) are recycled, diverting over 95 percent of the donations from a landfill. Donate books, media or video games with a free pickup (ten boxes or more), or drop them off at a donation station.

After spending four decades in the printing business, John Frantzen finally decided to realize a dream by opening a bookstore. He was joined in the enterprise by journalist Dan Danbom, another book lover. At Printed Page Bookshop, they stock interesting books, price them affordably, and put them in the hands of readers and collectors...always keeping in mind who might want what. And for added info about the trade, pick up a copy of I Met Another Dead Man Today, a lively chapbook by Danbom based on his experiences appraising and buying estates that offers endless insight into what people's book collections reveal about them.

Film cameras are back in style, and this spot provides the fastest turnaround in town. Take your film to Not Another Film Lab and you'll get scans in around three days (that's days, not weeks); pay extra to get them in as little as one hour. The shop at 743 Kalamath Street has limited hours, but you can mail in film or leave it at dropbox locations from RiNo to Littleton to Boulder. The shop also offers printing, sells film and cameras, returns negatives and, most important, provides kind guidance for novices with disposable cameras from Urban Outfitters.

In response to the foodie phenomenon, many kitchen-supply stores have gravitated toward the highest end of the economic spectrum, valuing even the most modest culinary tools as if they were encrusted with diamonds. But not Peppercorn, whose two floors of merchandise space display excellent items accessible to those on limited budgets as well as state-of-the-art gadgets designed for folks who don't even bother to look at the price tags. Also available: a mouthwatering array of cookbooks, plus a great collection of puzzles and other pop-culture products that make browsing at Peppercorn diverting even for those who can't tell a spatula from an egg beater.

Becoming a good cook takes wise guidance — and that's precisely what the instructors at Create Kitchen & Bar provide. They stage classes in nearly every cuisine imaginable: turning out Italian pasta, picking up the basics of Korean barbecue, mastering sushi, even making the perfect empanada. The Create experts empathetically oversee each step in the process, allowing students to learn by doing. The results are typically complete meals that are not only delectable, but can be reproduced without supervision.

Making pottery was sensual long before a certain scene in the movie Ghost underscored the point, and dying isn't a prerequisite to getting a feel for the art. Ceramics in the City puts on parties for adults and kids alike, teaching pottery painting, building clay by hand and other skills. But couples are apt to gravitate to the pottery wheel, where they're seated opposite each other and taught the essentials of the craft before being set loose to create multiple objets d'art. Afterward, you can choose the masterpiece of your choice to fire and take home as a memento of your trip to Ceramics in the City.

Can't spare the time to get to Santa Fe? Head to Old Santa Fe Pottery instead. Since 1988, this family-owned and -operated adobe complex has offered an expansive selection of Southwestern-style furniture, furnishings, Mexican tiles, jewelry, soap, piñon incense and salsas. During the summer, shop the courtyard for a huge selection of outdoor pots; during the winter holidays, this is the place to go for chile-pepper ristras and wreaths.

Tired of buying your furniture from a smartphone? Modern Bungalow offers a relaxed, no-pressure retail experience. It specializes in Amish-built, customizable furniture using hardwood from responsibly managed forests, and even ships it with reusable blankets. Browse William Morris fabrics and wallpaper, Motawi art tiles and handmade wool rugs, with everything meant to be handed down to the next generation.

The items in the Terrorium Shop were all handcrafted by the owners, a taxidermist and a gardener. Choose from oddities such as coyote-tooth earrings, a decorated skunk skull, a custom-made diorama attuned to your vibe, or a ready-to-mount domestic canary. No creature was killed to create your new treasure; all specimens were ethically sourced and arrived post-mortem.

Want to pamper a little one without resorting to some huge eatertainment complex? Little Bird Denver offers high-quality clothing (some of which is gender-neutral), as well as games, jewelry, books, shoes and special-occasion outfits. There's even an attached salon, in case your charge needs some additional sprucing up.

A great tattoo studio is the first step to a great tattoo. Ryane and Jess Rose founded the Wolf Den, a women-owned and -operated tattoo studio, in 2017 with the goal of creating a welcoming and comforting environment where you can get inked. And what ink: One scroll through the shop's Instagram shows off the immense talent of its artists. From fine-line tattoos to elaborate, custom illustrations, this is the place to go if you want to make your mark.

The Enigma, a former mainstay of the Jim Rose Circus Sideshow, moved here last summer and keeps a (relatively) low profile as a tattoo artist at the Freakys on East Colfax. But the man famous for his world-record full-body tattoo of 2,123 blue puzzle pieces still likes to get up on stage and swallow swords, something he's been doing since he became interested in circus performance as a teenager growing up in the Seattle suburbs. You can catch him doing his act, which includes shoving a condom out of his nose, at such events as the Mile High Horror Film Festival and Colorado Festival of Horror.