BOULDER COUNTY GOLD / Shopper’s Paradise PERENNIAL
WINNER
5
BEST APPLIANCE STORE Specialty Appliance
Ready to give your kitchen a Pinterestworthy remodel? Want a more efficient laundry room? Or, maybe you want to spruce up your outdoor living space and stretch the barbecue season through the fall. From the practical (cooktops, washers, dryers) to the fun (wine storage and top-notch grills), Specialty Appliance is well stocked with all the appliances that keep your kitchen, laundry room and outdoor living spaces running smoothly. “Being locally owned and operated, in addition to the fact that we do all of our own installations, is what sets us apart,” says Stephanie Shephard, executive director for marketing and events. The store carries several brands, ranging from luxury brands like Sub-Zero and Wolf to budget-friendly appliances from Whirlpool and KitchenAid. 305 McCaslin Blvd., #1, Louisville, 303.516.4015, buyfromsa.com. YEARS
6 Runner Up: Mountain High Appliance,
YEARS
1130 Pine St., Louisville, 303.665.6850, mountainhighappliance.com.
BEST ART GALLERY Boulder Arts & Crafts Gallery
Did you know that Boulder Arts & Crafts Gallery, which has been in Boulder since 1971, is one of the oldest artist cooperatives in America? The store stocks more than 20,000 items — ranging from triathlete-turned-artist Jen Lesea’s pendants and bracelets featuring the Rocky Mountains to ceramicist Brenda Neely’s fantastical designs. Step inside this Pearl Street wonderland, and you’ll find paintings, prints, photography, jewelry, pottery, woodwork, sculptures, stained glass and more. “Customers love how much art we have under one roof, and that much of it is affordable,” says Adrienne Arnst, gallery manager. Also, about half of the artists who are featured in the shop are from Colorado and you’ll tell from their art that our fine state is their muse. 1421 Pearl St., Boulder, 303.443.3683, boulderartsandcrafts.com. Runner Up: Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder, 303.440.7826, thedairy.org.
PERENNIAL
WINNER
BEST BEDDING/MATTRESS STORE AND BEST GREEN PRODUCTS STORE Verlo Mattress
12
YEARS
Runner Up for Best Bedding/Mattress Store: Denver Mattress Co., 1945 28th St., Boulder, 303.413.1314, denvermattress.furniturerow.com.
Runner Up for Best Green Products Store: Costco, 600 Marshall Road, Superior, 720.587.1000, costco.com
New homeowners in the design phase and those ready to renovate their old floors should pay attention because McDonald Carpet One Floor & Home has a message for you: “We love how our customers are like family to us, and we truly cherish the friendships we create with them when we help them design their new floors,” says Co-Owner Scott McDonald. The business is family-owned but also part of one of the biggest flooring cooperatives in the world, which means customers save real money. McDonald offers carpet, hardwood, laminate, ceramic tile, vinyl, area rugs and more with exclusive brands that set the industry standard for beauty, style and quality. McDonald is so committed to your happiness in their products and workmanship that if the floor you create together is not “as beautiful as the one in your dreams,” they’ll replace it for free. 6367 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder, 720.432.2916, mcdonaldcarpetoneboulder.com.
21 Runner Up: Atlas Flooring, 4920 28th St., Boulder; 303.442.3221, atlasflooringboulder.com
38 DAILY CAMERA
YEARS
Have you heard of the sleep hygiene movement? Hint: It has nothing to do with brushing your teeth before bed (but, yes, keep doing that). Rather, clean sleep is all about maintaining a regular sleep schedule, and keeping blue lights from interrupting your sleep. But, if you find yourself tossing and turning, it may be time to invest in a new mattress. Verlo has an in-store Comfort Adjustment, which lets you adjust how soft or firm you want your mattress to be. Plus, Verlo mattresses are made with specialty fibers and gel memory foams to help you regulate temperature. Dare we say they’ve got you covered from A to ZZZ? 3080 Valmont Road, #130, Boulder, 303.447.1154, verlo.com.
BEST FLOOR COVERING STORE McDonald Carpet One Floor & Home
YEARS
21
VERLO MATTRESS
PERENNIAL
WINNER
21
BEST HARDWARE STORE McGuckin Hardware
People have been coming to McGuckin for 64 years because of its peerless customer service, deep product knowledge and terrific savings. As Boulder businesses go, that’s a very, very long time. Nuts and bolts, hardware, paint, housewares, garden gear, all the stuff you’d expect from Boulder’s best hardware store is exactly what you get, but there’s more. Let’s start with the big ones for CU students: carpet cleaning equipment rentals, propane exchange, 10-pound bags of ice and SodaStream exchange. Any of these could become crucial at a moment’s notice. And if you buy a grill or furniture from McGuckin and can’t be bothered to put it together, they’ll do it for a fair fee. Got a weekend fishing trip planned? Don’t forget the thing that keeps you legal — a license. Get it, and get everything, at McGuckin. 2525 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder, 303.443.1822, mcguckin.com. YEARS
Runner Up: Table Mesa Hardware, 691 S. Broadway, Boulder, 303.499.7211, tablemesahardware.doitbest.com.