Skip the mall: Denver’s coolest shops are small-scale and owner-driven. Whether it’s browsing well-priced fashion and vinyl in FM’s polished space, hunting for one-of-a-kind finds sourced obsessively by Regal Vintage’s owners, or discovering affordable original art alongside dozens of local makers at Fern and Skye, the city’s best stores are built around passion rather than mass production.

Read More: Top of the Town 2026

5280 July 2026
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Jump Ahead:

Toast the 2026 Top of the Town Editors’ and Readers’ Choice winners at our annual 5280 Top of the Town bash, presented by Kaiser Permanente. Join us on Thursday, July 16, at Cherry Creek North for an evening of delicious bites and drinks, live entertainment, giveaways, and more.

Accessories: Regal Vintage

Two men wearing eccentric garb in Regal Vintage in Denver
Photo by Sarah Banks
  • Address: 1866 S. Broadway, Denver (Platt Park)

James Elliott, who’s owned this unassuming South Broadway storefront for nearly two decades, has a gift for hunting down Gucci shades, 1960 Ray-Bans, and lesser-known Italian frames. He fills his shop with pieces he adores, adhering to his philosophy that “when you love it, someone else will too.”

And nothing lands on the shelf by accident. “We handpick everything,” Elliott (pictured, right, with partner Stephen Castillo) says. “Some things come from an estate sale. Sometimes it’s from the weirdest places. It’s a multifaceted source.” Oh, and did we mention how dangerous Regal’s prices are? Think handbags from the 1980s for under $20 and heirloom pins for as little as $2. “If I can still make money and know that it’s underpriced, then I hit my sweet spot, and that’s what I love,” Elliott says. Translation: Blame Elliott if you leave with your hands full. —Malia Logan

Readers’ Choice: Colorado Fairy Hair

During appointments at home studios in Monument, Aurora, and Englewood (as well as at pop-ups at festivals and boutiques and private events), the Colorado Fairy Hair fairies weave shimmering silk strands into hair for a temporary glittering effect. —ML

Antiques

Shelves with glassware
Photo courtesy of Andrew Forino

Readers’ Choice: Taylor’d Home

  • Address: 1570 S. Pearl St., Denver (Platt Park)

At this South Pearl Street shop, founder Taylor Heslop essentially created the kind of beautifully designed home he’d want to live in, then opened its doors to the public. Every piece reflects his personal taste, and the experience feels less like shopping and more like wandering through a stylish friend’s abode—except everything is available to take home. —Sahale Greenwood

Baby/Kids’ Boutique

Baby clothing on racks in a stylish store
Photo courtesy of SierraAnn Photography

Readers’ Choice: Broomtail

  • Addresses: 1014 S. Gaylord St., Denver (Washington Park); 3422 E. 12th Ave., Denver (Congress Park)

Readers keep choosing Broomtail as their favorite baby/kids boutique—evidence, perhaps, that this elegant shop grows with your progeny, offering everything from bamboo sleep sacks to potion-making kits for aspiring fairies. The Washington Park and Congress Park locations are also go-to gift-shopping spots. —Jessica LaRusso

Books

Readers’ Choice: Tattered Cover

  • Address: Multiple locations

Now with multiple locations across the metro area, Tattered Cover has been serving Denver readers since 1971. Its shelves are stocked with all the latest releases, and it remains one of the best places in town to catch author talks, book signings, and literary events. —SG

Gifts: Fern and Skye

Indoor plants displayed in front of stationery
Photo courtesy of Lauren McLaughlin
  • Address: 46 S. Broadway, Denver (Speer)

Original artwork is usually too pricey to risk gifting—which is what makes prolific Denver artist Lauren McLaughlin’s 3.5-year-old gallery and shop on South Broadway so unique. Hanging on the walls of the bohemian space, her ethereal, nature-inspired paintings often sell for less than $75, sometimes including frames. A recent oval vignette of a fawn in a meadow ($100) would have been perfect for a dear friend’s baby shower, while we’re certain her “Hydrangeas at Dusk,” a moody beauty in a gilded gold frame that sold in February for $65, would have won Mother’s Day.

If McLaughlin’s aesthetic isn’t your recipient’s vibe, however, there’s plenty of variety in the goods she sells from 60-plus other local makers. On a recent visit to the Baker store, we spied on-trend bandannas embroidered in one corner with flowers, birds, or skiers; $27 bundles of sculptural dried flowers; candles shaped like famous Colorado mountain peaks; lush houseplants; and tea towels screen-printed with various flora and fauna. Or sign up for one of Fern and Skye’s regular workshops, hosted on a cozy patio out back, to create your own one-of-a-kind gift: Recent participants have painted fox skulls, made suncatchers, and curated fairy terrariums. —JL

Readers’ Choice: Confía Collective

A disco ball in front of shelving filled with books
Photo courtesy of Kerri Cole
  • Address: 1549 S. Pearl St., Denver (Platt Park)

This modern metaphysical shop in Platte Park offers an otherworldly shopping experience. Explore shelves of crystals, tarot and oracle decks, astrology books, zodiac jewelry, and more. —ML

Home Accessories/Furniture: Tactile Audio Furniture

A record player on a plain wall with a bird statue
Photo courtesy of Tactile Audio Furniture

When it comes to music, Eddie Vedder isn’t likely to lead you astray. Neither is Nathaniel Rateliff or Joe Elliott, the lead singer of Def Leppard. So, why did all three trust this Evergreen furniture maker to build their audio cabinets? (That’s a rhetorical question.)

Shaun Beall
Photo courtesy of Voyager Studios LLC

Shaun Beall (pictured), who turned to Tactile full time in 2018, crafts made-to-order stereo, record-player, and vinyl cabinets for discerning audiophiles in search of “pure signal path”—i.e., perfect sound. Beall and his team assist in this quest by building pieces made of a heavy and inert high-density core that’s all but invulnerable to even the most minimal vibrations that might cause a needle to skip a note.

But Beall credits Tactile’s growing popularity (there’s currently a 12- to 14-week wait for orders) to its ability to deliver impeccable sound without sacrificing design. Each cabinet is made of hardwood, from walnut to rift white oak, accentuating the mid-mod aesthetic. In short, Beall creates pieces beloved by sound nerds and the people who have to live with them, because compromise feels even sweeter when it doesn’t sound like one. —Spencer Campbell

Readers’ Choice: 5280 Custom Framing

  • Address: 1528 15th St., Denver

Known for excellent customer service and fast turnaround times, 5280 Custom Framing is a long-time readers’ favorite and the spot Denverites trust with their most frame-worthy memorabilia and art. —SG

Houseplants

A display of houseplants
Photo courtesy of TigerLily Goods

Readers’ Choice: TigerLily Goods

  • Address: 3795 Grove St., Denver (West Highland)

This verdant plant shop is a Readers’ Choice winner three years in a row for good reason: It’s home to a wide range of selections but also offers in-store plant-care advice (including help finding the perfect gift, even for the black thumbs in your life) and Sip & Plant nights. —Alex Gribb

Jewelry

A woman bedecked in rings, earrings, and a necklace
Photo courtesy of Kirstin Anne

Readers’ Choice: Lúdere

  • Address: 4383 Tennyson St., Unite 1-A, Denver (Berkeley)

Lúdere invites you to play dress-up again. Through refined yet refreshingly playful designs, Arielle Zella brings whimsy and imagination back to jewelry, using geometric, outside-the-box concepts to create statement-worthy pieces. —SG

Jewelry Designer

An array of necklaces
Photo courtesy of Pine and Grain Photography

Readers’ Choice: Sarah O. Jewelry

  • Addresses: 4301 Tennyson St., Denver (Berkeley); 1825 Blake St., Suite 120, Denver (LoDo)

Sarah Ortega, the Latina entrepreneur behind Sarah O. Jewelry, crafts high-end jewelry inspired by her childhood growing up in her mother’s New Mexico boutique and her father’s fierce advocacy for Mexican immigrants. —SG

Kitchenware

Readers’ Choice: Element Knife Company

  • Address: 1701 Platte St., Suite 171, Denver (LoHi)

Chef Elan Wenzel puts the importance of a good blade into sharp focus at his LoHi knife shop. Experts will guide you through the picking process, explaining the difference between steel and carbon blades, German and Japanese makes, and steak versus fish knives. —SG

Men’s Boutique

Readers’ Choice: Cuff & Crease

  • Address: 1045 Acoma St., Suite 3, Denver (Golden Triangle)

Owner Nathan Veliz specializes in creating fashion-forward suits that still fit Colorado’s laid-back dress code. At his fully bespoke, appointment-only atelier, every piece is perfectly tailored, completely custom, and designed to make a statement at your next special occasion. —SG

Thrifting

Readers’ Choice: The Racks Thrift Store

  • Address: 1115 Acoma St., Suite 118, Denver (Golden Triangle)

This IYKYK shop’s location inside the Historic Evans School (and lack of an online presence) makes its vintage treasures—which include accessories such as bags, belts, and hats—feel even more like secret finds. —JL

Wedding Gowns

Readers’ Choice: The Bridal Collection

  • Address: 4151 E. County Line Road, Centennial

For just over 25 years, the Bridal Collection has been dressing local brides for their special days. Their one-on-one consultations, coupled with a wide variety of designers, make for an individualized experience at a variety of price points. —AG

Women’s Boutique: FM

  • Address: 59 N. Broadway, Denver (Baker)

After nearly 20 years in business, FM knows how to make a bargain feel like a splurge. Borrowing a classic luxury shop move, the Baker boutique features fewer pieces in more space, displaying soft tees and wide leg jeans (price tags range from $30 to $80) like they’re worthy of the Louvre, rather than cramming racks for volume. A collection of Denver-made jewelry, including Madeline Cohen’s chunky silver rings, brings the casually dialed-in look home.

And if you happen to have your boyfriend or husband tagging along (or that friend who only wears oversize tees), FM carries men’s clothes as well as an expansive vinyl collection, so they can pop into the listening room between giving you positive feedback on your fits. On select Saturdays (and other random times), DJs invade the space, putting a little beat in your buying. —SG

Readers’ Choice: Nora’s Retro

  • Address: 1509 S. Pearl St., Denver (Platt Park)

Nora’s has an online store and a physical location on South Pearl Street, with selections that emphasize clean lines with pops of intricate details. Look for high-quality and high-fashion brands like Cara Cara and LA-based Simkhai. —AG