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Best Place to Learn to Cobble

Colorado Shoe School

Handsome Little Devils co-founder Dan Huling and his partner, costume designer Annabel Reader, are right at home in the circus/sideshow community, but when they aren't busy entertaining in the streets, they're cobbling — and teaching others how to make handcrafted footwear out of recycled leather scraps and other upcycled materials. You can choose from a variety of workshops where you can learn to craft your own sneakers, sandals or proper boots at their custom shoemakers' studio near Fort Collins. One stitch at a time....

Best Climbing Shoe Repair

Type 2 Repairs

Regardless of how much they cost, climbing shoes do not last forever. But don't give up on them after you wear out the soles or bust through the sides. Rather than pony up for yet another expensive pair of climbing shoes, reach out to type2repairs.com. For owner Greg Oberg, fixing a bad shoe is no more daunting than tackling a challenging climbing route. Fill out an order form online, then either pack up your shoes and mail them to Type2's physical address, or simply drop off your worse-for-wear climbers at the Übergrippen or Movement Baker gyms. A month and a modest fee later (repairs start at $10), Oberg will return them, good for another go.

Best Sneaker Boutique

Vices Ltd.

Co-founders Julian Cabrera and Noe Magdaleno started Vices as an online shop five years ago, and moved to a brick-and-mortar storefront in Five Points two years ago. But the goal of both endeavors has stayed the same: Vices is designed to keep the men of Denver looking good, with hard-to-find streetwear and urban fashion pieces (90 percent new, 10 percent vintage) that have them covered from head to toe. The bottom line is where Vices really kicks the competition, however: The store's walls are lined with a colorful assortment of sneakers from Nike, Jordan, Yeezy, Adidas and Vans...and they just might be your size. Put your best foot forward.

Best Place to Find a Cherry Vintage Ride

Cars Remember When

If you have a soft spot for classic Detroit iron in beyond-mint condition, Cars Remember When has you covered in more ways than one. The business offers sales and service in Englewood, where its spectacular showroom is crammed with museum-quality rides from decades past; you're just as likely to see a 1930s Buick Club Coupe here as you are a 1998 Chevrolet Camaro that will have Federal Boulevard cruisers crying tears of jealousy. Meanwhile, at the Littleton restoration center, pros stand ready to transform the jalopy that's been sitting on blocks in your garage into an automotive epiphany. The Cars Remember When motto is "Every Day Is Car Show Day," and the staff proves it day in and day out.

Best Place to See Hot Rods, Custom Cruisers and Lowriders

Grandpa's Burger Haven

Hunter Stevens

Cruising Federal has been a favorite pastime for generations of Denver residents, and Grandpa's Burger Haven is a key part of this Sunday routine. The old-fashioned burger joint is the perfect location for car-club meetups: It has ample parking, a walk-up service window that won't take you far from your prized vehicle, and a coveted location right on the strip, a prime spot for watching beautiful roadsters roll by. But you'll also be able to see plenty up close at Grandpa's, where tricked-out trucks, lowriders and customized vehicles of both the vintage and cutting-edge variety show off on the eatery's expansive stretch of asphalt.

Best Place to Float

Samana Float Center

Life can be stressful, with stimuli coming from all corners. Just want to let it go? Check out Samana Float Center, where you can spend ninety minutes floating in a sensory-deprivation tank. You won't hear anything, you won't see anything, and with water high in saline concentration and at body temperature, this is as close as you'll come to floating in outer space. Try a single session for $65; if you like it, you can upgrade to a monthly membership. The center touts the therapeutic nature of floating, suggesting that it can help with anxiety, depression and even insomnia. We guarantee that it will help you relax...and come clean.

Best Liquor Store — Selection

Molly's Spirits

While "spirits" is right there in the Molly's moniker, that doesn't mean the store ignores beer lovers. Indeed, a Molly's Spirits booth is regularly found at local beer festivals — an indication that the owners want to offer as many kinds of potent potables as they can. In addition to an excellent array of wine from around Colorado, not to mention the rest of the world, and an equally deep and wide collection of other liquors, the store makes room for a diverse mix of bombers and twelve-packs for every taste and budget. And if you're not sure what you want beyond a good tippling experience, don't worry: The Molly's crew includes experts in pretty much every sort of imbibable, and their advice is sure to hit the spot.

Readers' Choice: Argonaut Liquor

Best Liquor Store — Price

Costco

When new regulations went into effect allowing grocery stores and other chain outlets to offer full-strength beer, wine and spirits, the Arvada Costco was ready to roll. It devotes an entire aisle to booze (next to the chips section, appropriately enough), with a prominent space reserved for its own Kirkland line of craft beers. But the cavernous warehouse also peddles plenty of additional brews, including many really good local beers. The major difference between this Costco and other liquor purveyors: The offerings here are often 30 to 50 percent less expensive than they'd be at the sort of retailers that once handled them exclusively. When it comes to cost, this Costco is Denver's new liquor price leader.

Readers' Choice: Argonaut Liquor

Best Wine Shop

Boulder Wine Merchant

The Boulder Wine Merchant has long been owned by master sommeliers (founders Sally Mohr and Wayne Belding passed the torch to Brett Zimmerman in 2010), making it a training ground for people interested in uncorking a career in wine. This benefits the discerning buyer in a few notable ways. First, staff expertise here is second to none in the region, which means you're going to get a well-thought-out recommendation, whether you're looking for a sub-$10 table wine or a special-occasion stunner. Second, the collection is both expansive and carefully considered, with several labels that you won't find anywhere else locally. And third, educational opportunities aren't just for staffers: The Merchant hosts a variety of tastings and events, and is quick to provide one-on-one tutelage when you stop by the shop.

Readers' Choice: Argonaut Liquor

Best Cooking Classes

Metro Caring

Metro Caring's mission is simple: to connect the community with healthy food by removing economic barriers and other stigma attached to the traditional food-bank model. In fact, the nonprofit has taken that model and turned it upside down, creating a market where residents can "shop" for their food, and offering cooking classes that incorporate seasonal fare into easy-to-execute recipes. Sessions are taught on site in English and Spanish, with a focus on nutrition, diabetes prevention, culturally relevant recipe-sharing and family-cooking experiences...and the results are nourishing for teachers and students alike.

Readers' Choice: Create Cooking School

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