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Direct to you from Janet Simons, author of the Colorado Smart Shopper and veteranRocky Mountain News shopping columnist.
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Best Colorado Deal of the Week: Shop the Taste of Colorado
Time was, retailers had “Christmas in July” sales because the idea was unusual enough to grab the public’s attention. But the start of the holiday season creeps earlier and earlier each year, and many people already seem to believe now it starts on Labor Day weekend.
So Taste of Colorado marketing director Patty Johnson was only slightly ahead of the curve 25 years ago, when she started doing her Christmas shopping at the free-admission downtown Denver festival, which runs Friday, Sept. 3, through Monday, Sept. 6.
“There are just so many fun things to buy from local artisans, and even the standard stuff is very well-priced,” Johnson said. “I always do a lot of my Christmas shopping on Labor Day weekend.”
About half of the more 270 marketplace artisans and vendors are based in Colorado, including, perhaps coincidentally, all the vendors Johnson named among her favorites, which include:
*Elegancia Designs, Parker, 303-929-9598: Pottery, sculpture and framed art.
“They’ve got really beautiful wall art, metal work and pottery. Pottery is my favorite thing to buy, especially bowls. My husband says I have a bowl problem, but I just like the idea of using something that was handcrafted on a wheel,” Johnson said. “And their booth itself is really esthetically beautiful.”
*Straight Up Chess, Englewood, 720-837-0114, www.straightupchess.com: Vertical chess sets that hang on the wall.
Englewood resident Steve Schrier invented Straight Up Chess when he thought of hanging his chessboard on a wall like a painting, allowing him to simultaneously display the board without taking up table space, play a game at leisure, and create an intriguing piece of wall art. The chess pieces sit on shallow shelves, allowing the players to stroll up, ponder their strategies and make their plays over the course of days or weeks rather than minutes or hours.
“I’m definitely going to get one for my brother for Christmas,” Johnson said, noting that Schrier’s new company won one of the “best of show” awards at last year’s Taste of Colorado.
*Andrea’s Creations, Phoenix, Ariz., 602-819-8171: Toys and marionettes, including tiaras any princess would be proud to own.
OK. We lied. All of Johnson’s favorites aren’t Colorado-based. However, the business run by Andrea Reese is, indeed, small, and Reese spends five months out of the year in Colorado, covering the Fort Collins West Fest, the Glenwood Springs Strawberry Fest and the Pikes Peak Region’s Old Colorado City Territory Days among other local festivals. So we think she counts.
“Andrea makes sells these great princess tiaras and marionettes made out of fake fur, and they’re really inexpensive,” Johnson said. “I know you want to stay in Colorado, but she has been doing the Taste for years!”
As long as you’re in the neighborhood…
Check out the sidewalk sale Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Urban Roots Garden Store, 1000 Acoma St., 303-893-4064, www.urbanrootsdenver.com. Plants and garden materials are marked down for clearance, and display model fountains and slightly dinged planters and pots will be discounted.
Grab a ski or two at Sniagrab
Skiers and riders who love retail parties look forward all year to the ballyhoo, hoopla and bargains of Labor Day weekend. It all started with a 1954 ski-equipment clearance sale at Gart Brothers Sports, and 56 years later, Sniagrab is stronger than ever under the Sports Authority name.
Rope drop for this year’s event is 8 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 4 at the Sports Authority Sports Castle, 1000 Broadway, 303-863-2260. There you’ll find booths selling season passes for the major resorts, special events, athlete appearances and discounts of 40 percent to 75 percent off last year's gear. Other participating Sports Authority stores are in Littleton, Fort Collins, Boulder, Parker and Colorado Springs.
Sniagrab turned Labor weekend into a ski-industry-wide season starter, and it isn't this weekend’s only ski sale/party. There’s Colorado Ski & Golf’s Ski Rex Sale and Powder Days at Christy Sports, among others.
By the way, Sports Authority, www.sportsauthority.com; Colorado Ski and Golf, www.coloradoskiandgolf.com; and Christy Sports, www.christysports.com; all are based in metro Denver.
Spread the word about the great deals you've found at locally owned retailers by sending an e-mail to Janet@bestcoloradodeals.com, and go to the
BestColoradoDeals.com Web site to subscribe to the Best Colorado Deals newsletter. And don't forget to catch her featured deals each Friday on Channel 9's 4 p.m. news! |
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| Also on Channel 9 News |
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Janet's deals are highlighted each Friday on the KUSA Channel 9 4 p.m. news broadcast.
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This Week's Sponsor
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East Side Kosher Deli
499 S. Elm St.
303-322-9862
The Deli provides it's customers with one stop shopping for all of their kosher needs! The facility includes a take-out deli, a sit-down meat/pareve restaurant, a full grocery store, a meat market, an in-house bakery, and catering facility.
www.EastSideKosherDeli.com
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Best Colorado Deals