BOULDER COUNTY GOLD / Shopper’s Paradise
BEST FOR INSPIRATION Best Art Supply & Hobby Store MICHAELS
Boulderites think of Michaels as their craft concierge. And, if you’re a crafter, the peak season is approaching. First, you’ve got a chance to flex those art skills with spooky pumpkins. After the trick-or-treating runs its course, Thanksgiving is around the corner, which is prime time to show off your tablescape designs. Next up is showtime with the holiday season, complete with handmade ornaments and beautifully decorated sugar cookies. Thankfully, not only does Michaels have aisles and aisles of supplies you need, but they’ve also go stellar tutorials. Even if you’re not crafty, you can find arts and crafts kits. Aside from seasonal crafts, the store has plenty to help conjure up your creativity -- from beading kits to knitting and sewing supplies. You can also make your Pinterest dreams come true in the wedding section. 1830 30th St., Bldg. E, Boulder, 303.800.3852; michaels.com.
Best Place to Buy Outdoor Furniture FRUEHAUF’S
You know the claim to fame: Colorado gets 300-some days of sunshine. So, it makes sense that residents of this sunshine-soaked state need some quality outdoor furniture. Whether it’s outdoor kitchen furniture to dine al fresco in your backyard or fun playhouses for your kids (four-legged children count, too!), Fruehauf’s iconic store covers two acres and stakes its claim as Colorado’s largest outdoor patio retailer. You can find backyard, garden and patio furniture in its expansive showroom. The curated selection keeps Colorado’s rugged climate in mind. Need some inspiration? The store has a “dream backyard” that can serve as a muse for your own backyard makeover. In addition to being an outdoor retailer, the shop also sells gifts including jewelry, handbags and bath and body products. 1665 33rd St., Boulder, 303.449.9551; fruehaufs.com. Runner Up: Christy Sports, 2000 30th St., Boulder, 303.442.2493; christysports.com.
Best Place to Buy Windows ANDERSEN WINDOWS & DOORS
Andersen Windows and Doors are rated high for beauty and style, durability with comprehensive warranties, increased comfort and better energy efficiency, peace of mind because they can wirelessly connect to home security systems and energy efficiency. Home Depot in Louisville sells and installs the Andersen 100, 200 and 400 series as well as the A Series. Wayne Brown, manager of specialty assistant manager, said, “There are plenty of places to get quality installation of Andersen Windows, but our store has quality associates that offer that small town personal sales interaction that is so hard to find.” According to Tonie Wyatt, merchandise assistant store manager, Home Depot has gotten a lot of repeat business because of the emotional connections associate Deb Pace has made in the millwork area. Pace was featured on the City of Louisville Facebook page and in comments on other social media sites. “Deb is a good example of the emotional connections that make the difference here. We get comments all the time because of how personable she is, how she listens to customers, solves their issues and calls them back,” Wyatt said. Home Depot, 1200 W. Dillon Road, 303.661.9600; homedepot.com; ProBuild, 4058 Camelot Circle, Longmont, 303.485.9894; bldr.com/probuild.htm. Runner Up: Champion Windows, Denver, 10035 E. 40th Ave., Ste. 400, 303.800.2129; championwindow.com. 58 DAILY CAMERA
Runner Up: Art Parts Creative Reuse Center, 2870 Bluff St., Boulder, 720.379.5328; artpartsboulder.org.
Best Bookstore BOULDER BOOK STORE
If Boulder were to have a reading room, it would be the Boulder Book Store on Pearl Street. Not only can you drop in while on Pearl Street to grab a book, but you can also listen to talks by local authors. Plus, you can find your next great read. “Something that our customers love about us, and that I hear compliments on, is our ‘Recommended section,’” says Stephanie Schindhelm, marketing and promotions manager. “We’ve always encouraged our booksellers to write recommendations for the books they read and love and we feature these books right in the front of the store. Our customers love this because it gives a personal touch that you won’t find at an online store.” Schindhelm goes on to say that the Boulder Book Store tends to have booksellers with eclectic reading tastes, so the “staff recommendations” aren’t just a repeat of The New York Times bestsellers. “Those cases are a place to discover something you might never have heard about anywhere else,” she says. 1107 Pearl St., Boulder, 303.447.2074; boulderbookstore.net. Runner Up: Barnes and Noble, 2999 Pearl St., Boulder, 303.444.0349; barnesandnoble.com.
Best Photo & Video Store AND Best Custom Framing MIKE’S CAMERA Happy 50th Birthday Mike’s Camera! The camera and photograph superstore that got its start in 1967 has surely witnessed waves of change in the photography world, but has consistently served customers with top-notch photography knowledge. “A lot of customers like that they can come in and talk to staff about what they need for best results because there are a lot of cameras out there on the market,” says Mike Dobson, sales and operations manager. Customers range from college students to hobbyists to professionals, Dobson says. The camera store also has occasional events where they’ll set up camera gear for a day at a location – like a zoo – and let customers come test out the camera equipment. 2500 Pearl St., Boulder, 303.443.1715; mikescamera.com. Runner Up for Best Photo & Video Store: N/A Runner Up for Best Custom Framing: Michaels, 1830 30th St., Bldg. E, Boulder, 303.800.3852; michaels.com.