Often the hottest-selling items at Satellite Boardshop weren't the skates and snowboards, but the shoes. So owners Raul Pinto and J.G. Mazzotta opened a second Boulder store devoted entirely to street footwear, particularly special-release shoes by Adidas, Nike, I-Path and Vans. Though the location they chose has been a killing field for a bunch of boutiques over the decades, Installation has emerged an unexpected winner. And it's fitting that the art gallery/shoe store's most recent show was an exhibit by elusive San Francisco graffiti artist Bigfoot.

The Colorado Collection is a hard-to-find sanctuary in a land of cheap, tacky souvenirs. Before the locally owned boutique took off with DIA in 1995, the Colorado Collection was located downtown, and owner/goldsmith Lauren Wahlstrom sold her work out of the shop. Wahlstrom has since passed away, but her family still owns and runs this store specializing in unique, original jewelry, such as the earrings that Breckenridge artist Denise Bloch makes with her own hand-blown glass beads. And even if you're not looking to spend any money, the store's friendly employees are a joy to chat with. Be warned: Layovers pass quickly here, so don't miss your flight.

New urbanism, you're looking good! And in Belmar, the classy development that took over the former home of Villa Italia, Ricochet could be the main reason why. This great, girly store got its start on South Gaylord, then pioneered Lakewood's new-urbanist outpost, making the area safe for cool greeting cards, fun accessories and little gewgaws you can't live without.

Creative impulses abound in the 'burbs. For proof, just take a walk down Littleton's Main Street, a century-old strip now filling with chic shops, good restaurants and upscale services. Inspired by what you see? Step around the corner to CreARTive, a bungalow staffed by artists and filled with work spaces. This two-year-old enterprise features studios dedicated to artistic endeavors ranging from candle-making to pottery to mosaics, where you can indulge your inner Picasso alone or en masse. Book an aesthetically pleasing baby shower today -- wouldn't Junior just love some tie-dyed diapers? Littleton, you're looking good.

Even when Denver was a wild frontier town, it had a public library, and bookstores remain a major hallmark of civilization in the area. Even as big chains gobble up much of the market across the country, niche stores hold on tight to the hearts, minds and wallets of loyal customers. Over the past two years, Misty Hills Books has become an intrinsic part of Olde Town Arvada. Like most independent bookstores, it's about much more than books. It's about a comfortable place to relax, to browse through not just books, but other oddball fare -- canned haggis, anyone? -- and feel like a part of the community.

West Side Books has been a part of the Highland community since before "community" became a buzzword. The expansive used-book store feels like walking into a friend's old-school loft, with its concrete floors, rough walls and high ceilings. There are chairs and carpets everywhere, and the books themselves are housed on a mishmash of shelving that appears to have come from every corner of the planet. The general-fiction selection shows depth and breadth, and there are more than a few gems in the rare-books section. The real specialties, though, are children's literature, illustrated books and Western Americana. There are also jazz nights, literary readings and a host of other well-organized "community" events. So come in, sit down and stay a while.

The Aveda Institute is like the Vassar of beauty schools, and its rigorous fifty-week program turns out students ready to coif the most fashionable heads around. Until then, the grasshoppers charge a mere $12 for a haircut, which includes a shampoo, wash and style, and facials can be had for $30. The Institute opened last year in Media Play's old space in the Denver Dry Goods building -- giving a new-millennium facelift to what was once the crown jewel of downtown's redevelopment.

The salon services at the Emily Griffith Opportunity School's student salon are so cheap you might be tempted to get your hair done twice in one visit. Outside of a Third World country, where else can you find a $5 haircut, a $7 facial or a $4 manicure? Staffed by students enrolled in the school's cosmetology program and supervised by an instructor, the salon is open Monday through Friday, and walk-ins are welcome. The EGOS salon isn't fancy, but it's a blissful option for those who are both thrifty and stylish.

A cheap wooden sign outside Woonoh's Hair Salon sums up the bare-bones barbershop in three perfectly hand-drawn words: Nite Hair City. Stylist Woonoh will gladly take appointments at nearly any hour, especially late into the evening. With only one chair and one sink, there may be some waiting, but the place feels like a private oasis of blow-dryers and bleach fumes. If Kim Gordon were Korean and cut hair for a living, she would be Woonoh -- and that says something about the genuinely hip, ridiculously inexpensive 'dos trotting out of the shop nightly.

Looking for a little nip-tuck without the nasty side effects of the scalpel? Try Eden II Spa's Four-Layer Facelift. The gentle peel hydrates the skin, working over time to fight the effects of city living with all its smoke, pollution and booze. Aesthetician Ceara Quintanilla brushes a dose of vitamin C enzymes over your face, then does a mask with a sunny serum that feels like satin across bare skin. Another enzyme coating and a final glycolic mask, and you're done -- for just $75, and the uplifting results usually last two to three weeks. You glow, girl.