Best Small-Business Empire 2014 | Pandora/Soul Haus | Best of Denver® | Best Restaurants, Bars, Clubs, Music and Stores in Denver | Westword
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Best Small-Business Empire

Pandora/Soul Haus

The hip boutiques that now proliferate on South Broadway and all over town clearly learned a few lessons from Stephanie Shearer and Chris Bacorn, who opened the Capitol Hill boutique Pandora an incredible twenty years ago, and its man-centric companion, Soul Haus, five years after that. Their formula of fashion, handcrafted jewelry, locally sourced vendors, retro cool and an appreciation of funnybone-tickling novelties ever changes...yet somehow never changes. Here's to twenty more.

Best Pop-Up Store

Denver Fashion Truck

Have truck, will travel: Adrian and Desiree Gallegos-Barragan first took to the roads in their plaid-painted Denver Fashion Truck last spring, driven by a stick-to-it spirit and a sense of adventure. Since then, the boutique-on-wheels has become a drive-up presence in trendy neighborhoods and at special events all over town. What makes the truck so darn great? Curation, for one thing: There's only so much you can stuff into a truck and have it look good when the crowds come filing in, and the Gallegos-Barragans' mix of hip, locally made clothing and accessories, vintage pretties, home-design items and just plain fun stuff seems to come together perfectly every time, in just the right amounts. Where's the Denver Fashion Truck going to park today? Keep up with its travels on Twitter, where changing locations are posted regularly.

Best Holiday Craft Show

Holiday Mancraft

Stu and Nicky Alden of the Ink Lounge, an Overland screen-printing and design shop, threw their first Holiday Mancraft in 2011 as an alternative to the female-centric craft markets they'd participated in as both vendors and customers. In doing so, they tapped a whole new holiday clientele — guys who love to swill a little beer while shopping and are maybe looking for something handmade for their man caves. To be fair, Holiday Mancraft also attracts gift-buying women and couples — its selection is just that egalitarian and downright good — and because of its unique appeal, the market has grown larger each year. This December's promises to be the biggest yet: Ink Lounge, which is moving to larger quarters itself, is still looking for the perfect space for Holiday Mancraft 2014.

Best Indoor Mall

Cherry Creek Shopping Center

When it opened in 1990, Cherry Creek Shopping Center looked like any other suburban mall — except that it was planted firmly in the city. Now, nearly 25 years later, the place has transformed itself into an ever-evolving mecca for shoppers from around the world, offering everything from Anthropologie to Z Gallerie. It has all the normal trappings of an indoor mall, but Cherry Creek steps up the game, with upscale dining options and an area devoted to recharging your phone or getting a little R&R away from the mall madness with plenty of plush seating. Did we mention that it has valet parking, luxury restrooms and two Starbucks locations under one roof?

Best Outdoor Mall

Aspen Grove Lifestyle Center

Lo, the eternal question in a snowy state as to whether shoppers like outdoor merchants or enclosed malls. Part of the answer can perhaps be found at Aspen Grove, which has been successfully running with its open-air atmosphere for more than a decade. The center includes a diverse selection of shops in a sprawling space directly across from the light rail's final southern stop. Whether you're a sexy lady looking for killer duds at Hot Mama or a healthy type in search of protein powder at GNC, the Grove has you covered. The recent addition of the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema has upped Aspen Grove's attractiveness, giving us all the more reason to hit up the outdoor complex on a Friday night.

Best Store at DIA

Kazoo & Company

After more than thirty years, it was a blow to both the young and the young at heart when Kazoo & Company finally closed its doors in Cherry Creek. But the store's legacy lives on both online, where you can still buy hundreds of toys that are both entertaining and educational, and at Denver International Airport, where an offshoot of the original is going strong. Although the selection at DIA isn't as vast as what you'll find on the website, this Kazoo is still packed with games, gizmos and gimcracks — more than enough to ensure that you'll find the perfect toy for the kids back home. And if you're traveling with your family, Kazoo & Company is a great place to eat up time during that unanticipated flight delay.

  • 8500 Pena Blvd., Denver, 80249 Map

Best Unexpected Store at DIA

Elway's

Forget to grab a gift for your big or little sports fan? Stop by Elway's, the fourth outpost of the popular steakhouse, which opened last year on the B Concourse at DIA, and your spirits will soar: The restaurant sells hats and shirts, not to mention steak seasoning, all adorned with the Elway's logo and guaranteed to send the forgotten one back home into 7 heaven. He'll never suspect that you picked up his present at the airport.

Best Place for a Chem-Free Mani

Base Coat Modern Nail Salon x Gallery

Safe manicures in a posh but inviting joint are Base Coat's specialty. This modern take on the classic nail salon is unique for many reasons, but its big draw is an emphasis on safe, healthy alternatives to conventional manicure products. Base Coat uses all-natural cuticle oil, lotions and scrubs made by local eco-conscious beauty company R.L. Linden; acrylic nails and gel manicures are a no-no, and all polishes used are free of the ultra-toxic "big 5" — formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, toluene, DBP and camphor. But Base Coat is also an art gallery; owner Tran Wills incorporates Denver-connected artists into each venture she oversees.

Best Kink Shop

The Crypt

Denver has seen many sex shops come and go, but one of the mainstays of the kink and leather scene has been the Crypt. Once you're past the bondage gear, though, you'll discover a treasure trove of sex toys, lubes, condoms and safer sex gear for the wild — or mild — side.

Best Store for Witchy Goods and Services

Herbs & Arts

Kyle Harris

Expert and novice witches, nondenominational spiritual types and folks just looking to load up on incense and essential oils can count on Herbs & Arts for the best selection of otherworldly tools and supplies, as well as the guidance of a staff dedicated to the many realms of ritual. Established in 1993, Herbs & Arts presents a welcoming environment and is stocked with reasonably priced crystals, how-to books, healing herbs and more — as well as the hands-on knowledge of tarot readers and magical beings skilled at deciphering the most complex of astrological charts.

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