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.

PASSIONATE BUSINESS OWNERS DESERVE PASSIONATE CUSTOMERS

As I was writing this week’s Best Colorado Deals newsletter, I realized that there’s a story behind every independent local who makes or sells goods for the people of Colorado. In this edition alone, for example, there’s Greg Isabel, who, with business partner and fellow designer Wayne Lewis, created Denver’s GI Designs, which, in shortly less than 10 years, has earned national acclaim for its home and garden furnishings. There’s Julie Welch, the always-cheerful spirit behind Ultra Legs Hosiery & Lingerie, who just marked 20 years of working nearly daily in the store with her mother, Caril Welch, and her sister, Pam Welch. The celebration was just slightly interrupted as she successfully fought off breast cancer. There’s Patricia Branstead, owner of Kozo Fine Arts Material, a master printmaker who has held one-woman shows in Denver, Steamboat Springs and New York City. Branstead’s love affair with craftsmanship shows in each hand-selected item in her tiny, beautiful store. We should all be proud to patronize these visionary business owners who give so much to our community.

The furniture, home accessories, lighting and garden decor created by the designers of Denver’s GI Designs have been featured in reference books, HGTV and  prominent national home and garden publications, and are displayed at the Denver Botanic Gardens, the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids, Mich., and the Chicago Botanic Gardens.
The firm sells its products chiefly to interior designers, landscape architects and through its Web site. We locals, however, have an advantage over other folks. From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 29, we can shop at the GI Design booth at the Sweet William Market in Stapleton’s Founder’s Park, East 29th Avenue and Syracuse Street.

GI Designs co-owner Greg Isabel says his firm is “pulling out all the stops,” at the Sweet William Market, with  “fantastic deals on one-of-a-kind copper tables, trellises, metal planters and all sorts of unique home and garden accessories … at prices much lower than found on our Web site -- and we will pay our Colorado customers’ sales taxes.”

For more information, go to www.GIdesigns.net. For more information on the Sweet William Market, which also offers furniture, artisan pottery, original artwork, jewelry, apparel, handbags, gifts, live music, charity and much more, go to www.sweetwilliammarket.com.

Englewood steps into the spotlight on Saturday, Aug. 29, with the offerings of Englewood Days -- which include a pancake breakfast, the Taste of Englewood, the Englewood Farmers Market, the Englewood Days Car Show, a canine agility event, henna artists, free ice cream, a military tribute and performances by local musical talent. (For a complete schedule of events and locations, visit http://www.englewooddays.com/Home_Page.html).

You also get two sales in one as the Englewood Days Sidewalk Sale combines with Englewood’s year-round last-Saturday-of-the-month sale, bringing clearance prices to nearly every store in the district.

For example, the tent sale at Dress for Less Clothiers, 3045 S. Broadway, Englewood, 303-761-0560, offers all new items (with tags) for $10 and gently used consignment items for $5. The men’s and women’s clothing for sale indoors is all reduced by either 25 percent or 50 percent.

And there’s something for any gender or inclination at Ultra Legs Hosiery & Lingerie, 3444 S. Broadway, 303-761-3705. Shop for hosiery and lingerie indoors – it’s discounted by 20 percent storewide.  Or take your vehicle out to the parking lot to get it all lathered up, hosed down and rubbed dry by scantily clad lingerie models.

You’ll also find Saturday deals at Kaufman’s Tall & Big Men's Shop, 3395 S. Broadway, 303-761-6000 – mention that you read about here and get 10 percent discount on clearance merchandise; Army Navy Surplus Outlet, 3512 S. Broadway, 303-789-1827; and Sportique Scooters, 4346 S. Broadway, 303-477-8614, among many others.

They’re making room for a new assortment of organic and locally produced food and dry goods at Pome, 1071 S. Gaylord St., 303-722-2900. So if your taste runs toward lovely vintage jewelry, linens and millenary, you’ll probably want to visit the store Tuesday through Friday to pick up a 10 percent off coupon, then return for the housecleaning sale Saturday, Aug. 29, and Sunday, Aug. 30. For more information, go to www.pomedenver.com

If you know any paper geeks, tell them right away about the first annual printmaking and drawing paper sale Monday, Aug. 24, through Saturday, Aug. 29 at Kozo Fine Art Materials, 10 E. Ellsworth Ave., 303-733-2730. Storeowner Patricia Branstead is offering the 100-sheet quantity discount on smaller purchases of all her best papers, including Rives BFK, Arches Cover, Canson Edition, Arches 88, Platine, Stonehenge, Hahnemuhle Copper Plate and Revere, a brand-new paper from Magnani. For more information, go to www.kozofineartmaterials.com.

The residents of Boulder and Broomfield counties give their best stuff to the Hospice Care and Share Thrift Shop because they know the importance of the agency it supports. Hospice Care and Share provides compassionate end-of-life care, as well as guidance and comfort for the grieving. All that great stuff is half price Saturday, Aug. 29. The store is at 5290 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder, 303-604-5353, http://www.hospicecareonline.org.

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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