Goods & Services

Colorado's high bar for quality, independent radio was raised yet again in 2019 when KUVO unveiled its newest station on the HD2 signal, The Drop. This listener-driven station focuses on hip-hop and R&B, digging into the genres' stylistic roots while celebrating the next generation of sounds. Program director Nikki Swarn (who also DJs on the station under the moniker Amerykah Jones) is a twenty-year Colorado radio veteran who pays special attention to the local scene, ensuring that those from the Denver area make it to the airwaves. The self-proclaimed "people's station for R&B and hip-hop" takes suggestions directly from listeners via social media, mixing requested tracks with the diverse tastes of hosts Bella Scratch, DJ Dif'Rent, Unique, Ontoneyo and Hakeem Furious.

Denver loves its small-business owners, and it's natural to want to lend a hand to all of your favorites, who are really just like good neighbors. The most-shared stopgap is to buy gift cards for later use, and many stores are offering curbside pick-up for items purchased online and/or free shipping for items ordered remotely, along with shopping by appointment and other perks. But veteran boutique entrepreneur Stephanie Shearer of such beloved shops as Soulhaus (soulhaus.com), Trunk Nouveau (trunknouveau.com) and SquadronCo (squadronco.com), says we can go even further: Keep in touch with shop owners through social media and share what perks they're offering with your friends. Small-business owners and their former employees alike are on the street right now: Voice support for possible public programs that might offer relief without the crushing onus of having to pay back a loan. Pledge part of your tax refund (or stimulus check?) to buying from small businesses that pay sales taxes instead of ordering a big-brand vacuum cleaner online. It doesn't have to be a big sale, even just a greeting card or two, or leave a glowing review on social-media platforms. Every little bit helps.

As we spend our days scrolling into oblivion, one thing's for sure: There will be a time when it feels like we've reached the end of the Internet. Luckily, History Colorado is here with its extensive digital learning section, offering free looks at interactive exhibits, documentaries and thousands of digitized photographs and artifacts to surprise and delight. Get lost in Colorado's past staring at the Gibson Girls of twentieth-century brewery posters, listen to recordings of Ute elders tell their tribe's story of creation, or zoom in on the weaving of a woolen tapestry crafted in the 1880s in the San Luis Valley. Documenting life from Mesa Verde to Camp Hale, Colfax Avenue to Keota, History Colorado has a little piece of yesteryear in its virtual vaults that will impress any Coloradan.

Meghan Fisher is the woman behind @chroniclesofasassquatch, one of the year's most influential Colorado Instagram accounts. Over the past twelve months, this self-described "half goddess, half monster" has gained over 7,000 followers with her inspirational and humorous Sassquatch content. Now, followers are urging the woman behind the mask to join the party. If you want to take part in the great unveiling, follow @chroniclesofasassquatch: Once the account hits 10,000 followers, Fisher has vowed to remove the mask. At least temporarily.

Toss out that touristy Denver- and Colorado-themed merchandise and make some room in your closet for the slick style of Rich Mob Tendencies. This local streetwear brand brings clean, bold design to those wanting to represent the Mile High City in sophisticated sweatshirts, stylish tees and shiny satin jackets. Rich Mob Tendencies' signature pieces feature embroidered lettering, stitching a bold palate of red, yellow and blue that pops against black and white fabrics. Blending haute couture and activewear, this Rocky Mountain fashion house also serves up limited runs of beanies, jean jackets and track suits. Whether you're a born-and-raised Denverite or a proud newcomer to the city, Rich Mob Tendencies invites you to "live rich" while looking damn good in their clothes. Besides, what's more Colorado than stepping out in dapper athleisure evening wear that proclaims your love for the place where you live?

To define what's "street" in today's fashion vernacular, look no further than Novl, a Baker neighborhood emporium that works with graffitists, street artists and collaborating brands to create graphic clothing that travels well, looks good on the pavement or from a skateboard, and is suitable to wear while painting a mural on a painter's lift — or whatever else pleases you. These are the threads you can wear when you want to dress down and still make a statement, and while the shop is closed, you can peruse (and order) Novl's wares online.

If you're looking for a hole-in-the-wall with a neighborhood feel, where you and your bestie can peruse the racks with a giggle and a smile, Tulaire is a great place to start...once it reopens. But the website gives a good feel for the place: It's elegant without being uppity, a little bit funky and a whole lot of fun, stocked chock-full of affordable rags with a European flair; go-to jewelry for cruising the city incognito, from dangling nude-body earrings to roaring panther rings; graphic tea towels, baby togs and mugs; cute greeting cards and even more serendipitous stuff you never expected to find anywhere. Grab (virtually) your BFF and shop together: Tulaire is taking orders online, with free shipping.

Shana Colbin Dunn's boutique empire began with one Kismet store in Highland in 2006, and since then she's added and subtracted more locations in the metro area. More recently, she introduced the wellness-oriented boutique True at Stanley Marketplace and a second store in LoHi that just moved to RiNo. And in between all these new and continuing developments, Dunn re-evaluated her very first Kismet last summer and added a little sister to the others: Luna and Jasper, named after her own kids' middle names, which is appropriately a mixture of favorite Kismet brands, affordable gifts, baby gear and more. While the whole kingdom is currently shut down for visitors, gift cards are available online, and Dunn is working on adding one-on-one styling sessions and online shopping to her medley of customer services.

Mona Lucero is a bit of a legend around these parts, because she's the full package: an independent designer, artist, entrepreneur and retailer, besides simply being a wonderful person. Her beautiful Shop Mona Lucero is shut for now, but many items, including new merchandise, can be ordered online. And because a sense of IRL community is so important to her, Lucero has launched a Friday-evening Downtown Live Stream at Mona's online get-together, with special guests, virtual shopping and general shop talk while the brick-and-mortar is down. Keep up with news at the Shop Mona Lucero Facebook page.

Behind its East Colfax Avenue facade, Midnight Rambler occupies three open, sunlit floors in an old repurposed home. But the integrated collective of freewheeling lifestyle shops, which specializes in the kinds of rags you can proudly wear to summer music festivals, won't sit idle while coronavirus has closed its doors and shut down summer concerts. Buy online or make an appointment for a solo visit — then get ready to rock your new fest-wear while streaming concerts at home; you can also select from a constellation of clothing and accessories for all ages, handmade jewelry and hip pet supplies. Keep up with Midnight Rambler on Facebook for special promotions.

When horror-film fans sheltering in place have nowhere to go, they binge at home. And Cult Legacy, the shared brainstorm of Bryan Flanagan, Feni Hagman, Theresa Mercado and Tristram Nelson, a group of friends who bond over creep shows — Mercado is the curator of the Sie FilmCenter's Scream Screen series, which is on hiatus — is ready and waiting online to supply you with custom-made tokens of the films you love, including T-shirts and cool enamel pins. Need guidance on what to watch at home? Tune in to Cult Legacy's Facebook page for suggestions from the Scream Screen program archives.

In 2017, the Ten Penny Store joined the lineup of tried-and-true retailers along South Broadway, finding its own fashion niche. It offers carefully curated goods from the 1990s, with vintage Levi's, home goods, hats, baby clothing and jewelry, along with vinyl that includes records from local bands. But it's best known for its radical selection of vintage T-shirts, which you can now buy online at @tenpennystore on Instagram.

If your aesthetic is timeless yet trendy, Meek Vintage needs to be on your shopping list. This petite boutique in a quaint brick storefront near the Denver Art Museum can help you curate a simple, detail-oriented look for both your home and your body, stocking everything from bold vintage rugs and statement earrings to delicate handcrafted necklaces and tiny, stylishly potted houseplants. Meek is now providing free shipping and curbside pick-up; shop on Instagram at @meekvintage.

Rosehouse has created an enchanted forest on Broadway. With unique and sustainably raised plants, teas, botanical goods and herbal apothecary products, the shop caters to the plant-obsessed, and staffers are happy to search for a specific plant you might be craving. Today Rosehouse is offering pay-by-phone shopping and curbside pick-up. We can only hope that Angelica, the store's resident one-eyed cat, is on hand to help deliver the goods.

Need to restock your sustainable, zero-waste home supplies, but nobody's open? Boulder-based online marketplace EarthHero is the closest thing to shopping local at a real store, 24/7. Stock up on natural toothpaste, organic socks, tailored reusable diapers, organic cotton unpaper towels, compostable pet-waste bags, biodegradable cotton swabs and hundreds of other items, all while sheltering in place — with a conscience.

Although many Colorado parks are free to enter (and still open!), the gear you need to safely and comfortably recreate in them often costs a pretty penny. Wilderness Exchange purchases lightly used gear and resells it at a reduced price, making it easy to find — and pay for — the hiking, backpacking, climbing, mountaineering, skiing and camping gear you need. In addition, Wilderness Exchange hires only people who have extensive experience in the mountains themselves, so you can ask questions with confidence; although all sales are online now, you still get the same smart service.

Runners Roost opened in Colorado Springs in 1977 and has since grown to nine stores around the state, all open right now. We're partial to the South Colorado Boulevard location, which has been in operation since 1987. Its longevity is evident in its extensive collection of running shoes and knowledgeable staffers, who take a holistic approach to your needs, offering not just the right equipment, but training advice and a sense of community. The store even serves as the starting point for a great 10K loop through Washington Park. Lace up! (And sanitize before you come in, staffers advise.)

Whether you're a casual neighborhood cyclist or a cross-country badass, Totem Cyclery has the goods and services you need, along with plenty of solid advice. Owner Ryan Santoski is a trusted voice, recommending the right products and tune-ups for any level of rider, whether that be stylish new handlebar tape, bike lights, saddle bags or custom wheels. The store's well-stocked, 24-hour bike part vending machine is in operation, and Santoski is still offering services on an appointment-only basis.

Jewelry maker Jamie Hollier, owner of Balefire Goods in Olde Town Arvada, proactively supports the small-business community at large, as well as local Colorado metalsmiths and artists. Right now, though, she's focusing on staying afloat so she can help others, by sharing live social-media messages (balefiregoods.com/blogs/blog/statement-on-covid-19) and offering personal appointments, online shopping with free delivery and 20 percent-off promotion attached, and a curbside pick-up option. And the show will go on: Balefire's scheduled international exhibition for April, titled "Brooching the Subject," is going online beginning April 3.

There's only so much binge-watching we can do before we go bananas, and ReCreative Denver knows how important it is to keep our hands and households busy. This nonprofit, recycled-art-supply shop and gallery is offering "Curbside Crafting," a no-contact option that allows you to pick out and pick up ingredients for the perfect art project. Just go online to peruse and snag a variety of materials, everything from crayons and pipe cleaners to a jewelry-making grab bag or a sack of leather scraps, then place your order. Within 24 hours, the store will have it ready for pick-up. If now is the time to discover your inner painter or quilter, ReCreative Denver is here to help.

The DIY maker crowd got all excited just weeks ago when Made Wkshop opened for business, offering classes for groups and individuals in a fully supplied industrial-arts shop outfitted for working with everything from welders and plasma cutters to textiles and wood, and much more. But while on hiatus, Made Wkshop has joined several other local businesses in offering FLIPSIDE Shop Local Gift Cards, specifically to buy memberships and various maker experiences available "on the flipside," when life becomes a little more normal for us all. Learn more on the Made Wkshop Facebook page.

There's nothing like perusing a stack of books while getting cozy on an antique couch at the Tattered Cover. Even when that's not an option — all locations are temporarily closed — you can still support the city's top independent bookseller by going online and ordering your next read. With plenty of local authors in the mix — whether Peter Heller, Kali Fajardo-Anstine or Phil Goodstein — you can buy your next hometown tome, or pretty much any other book you're looking for, on the website. All orders over $10 ship for free, and while you're online, pick up a Tattered Cover shirt or travel mug...and dream of the day that you can return to that couch.