Dedicated to independent shoppers and retailers

Direct to you from Janet Simons, author of the Colorado Smart   Shopper  and veteran Rocky Mountain News shopping columnist.

If grocery shopping is getting to be a drag, switch things up a little with a venture to Pete’s Fruits & Vegetables, 5606 E. Cedar Ave., 303-393-6247, a friendly neighborhood grocery where owner Pete Moutzouris has been offering a tremendous selection of low-priced fruits and vegetables for 30 years. Moutzouris is able to beat the big guys on price by checking with suppliers almost daily to select items that are perfectly ripe, and thus too perishable for large-scale handling. A recent visit offered the choice of the following items at $1 apiece: a pint of blueberries; a 6-ounce package of washed and sliced Portobello mushrooms; a 10-ounce bag of prepackaged field greens or spinach, three ears of Olathe corn; and a pound of tomatoes on the vine. The same visit also revealed such rare, yet well-priced delicacies as fresh mangoes, papayas and figs as well as buckets of pitted, frozen Montmorency cherries.

Prices on summer comfort shoes from such makers as Birkenstock, Naot, Mephisto, Dansko, Earth, Finn Comfort and Colorado’s Chaco Sandals are reduced by 25 percent to 50 percent through Aug. 31 at Dardano’s Footwear, 1550 S. Colorado Blvd., 303-692-9355.

It’s time for the Last Chance Sale at Rosey’s Apparel, 7777 E. Hampden Ave., 303-337-7870. Owner Rosey Shaw  is nearly ready to move out of Tamarac Square and into her new digs in the new Park Meadows Vista Shops in Lone Tree. That means further reductions, so all women’s clothing is marked down by 75 percent and all jewelry and accessories by 50 percent. If you buy three or more pieces of jewelry, your entire jewelry purchase will be marked down by 65 percent.

 

Sévya means “service to country and mankind,” in Sanskrit. Boulder’s Sévya, 2009 13th St. (between Pearl and Spruce), 720-519-1519, will be moving to Denver’s Stapleton neighborhood in September, and that means shoppers will find discounts of up to 50 percent on the shop’s selection of imported fair-trade toys, clothing, gifts and home accessories. Money spent at Sévya help support the artisan cooperatives in India and elsewhere that supply its merchandise.

Cajun’s Closet, a thrift shop benefiting the Cat Care Society at 5707 W. Sixth Ave., 303-202-0455, is marking two big achievements: winning the “Best of Lakewood Award” in the “thrift shop” category and adding Sunday hours to its schedule. To celebrate, shop manager Dawn Risner is offering a 60 percent discount on everything but boutique items on Saturday, Aug. 22, and Sunday, Aug. 23.
When asked what makes Cajun’s Closet so special, Risner replied, “We have really high-quality stuff at really low prices.”
Cajun’s Closet is on frontage road between Sheridan and Wadsworth boulevards. To get there, exit Sheridan north and take the first left. For more information, go to http://www.cajunscloset.org.


 

Leta’s Loot, a purveyor of  consignment furniture and home décor at 15256 E. Hampden Ave., Aurora, 303-617-5668, is having a sale on wall art. On Saturday, Aug. 22, and Sunday, Aug. 23, all wall art is reduced by 10 percent. The selection ranges from large original oil paintings that would usually go for $199 to empty 8-by-12-inch frames originally priced $1.99.
 

More than 30 merchants are offering bargains galore at the annual Historic Downtown Littleton Sidewalk Sale, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 22, including the Littleton store of Sous le Lit, 2340 W. Main St., 720-201-7541, http://www.SousleLit.com.

Liesl Beckmann, owner of this soon-to-be three-store local chain of women’s fashion shoe stores, said all summer sandals and shoes originally priced at $54 to $116 will be marked down by as much as 30 percent, and anyone who buys a pair of shoes at regular price will be able to buy a second pair at half the sale price. Sous le Lit brands include Blowfish, Tahoe, Italian Shoemaker, Zigi New York, BC footwear, London Underground, Dollhouse and more.

Among the many other stores participating in the Downtown Littleton Sidewalk Sale are Couture Kids children’s consignment, 2370 W. Main St., 303-794-3110, http://www.couturekidsboutique.com; Details Boutique, 2359 W. Main St., 303-703-3884, http://www.DetailsBoutique.com; Neighborhood Bookstore, 5661 S. Curtice St., 303-730-3682, http://www.neighborhoodbookstore.com; and Willow: An Artisan's Market, 2400 W. Main St., 303-730-8521.

This e-newsletter is an effort to help both consumers looking for great deals and small retailers trying to survive against the Walmarts of the world. Please tell me about the wonderful stores, fantastic deals and amazing shopkeepers you know about by sending an e-mail to Janet@bestcoloradodeals.com.


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