Monica LaSalle, Nederland. Tra la la lala lalalala lala lalalalaaaaa….it’s ringing in our ears now no matter where we go. Hiking in the woods, it’s echoing in your head. There’s even a Denver radio station dedicated strictly to holiday music. There is no denying it, the holiday season is here.
Grumpiness and inconsideration seem to go hand in hand with gift shopping, when folks are desperate to be done, worried they haven’t gotten the right gift, enough gifts or that they’ve forgotten someone altogether.
Couple that with holiday consumption and it can be downright stressful. Is there any way to get through this season with any shred of dignity or decorum? Why yes, there is, because you live in a quirky little town that has much to offer in your crusade to avoid the headaches and masses of other shoppers. Thank goodness for small town gift shop options, for coffee shops with quick pick-me-ups, and local restaurants and bars for refueling and destressing. In this second installment of our local holiday shopping feature, we will continue to highlight all there is to offer in Nederland. Renew the cheer in your holiday season while supporting local businesses, artists and craftspeople, as well as your hometown as a whole.
The Business Connection might be a local office supply store, but don’t pigeonhole them in with places like Kinkos. As you walk in the door, decorations for the season are in abundance all about the store. Each and every one of them is for sale, as Chelsey likes to decorate and buys unique ornaments that each have an opportunity for purchase. This is the second holiday season that Chelsey and Mike Havill have been in business, and in addition to the traditional gift wrap and accessories that are typically found in such stores, they also offer custom greeting cards. Tailor made to your exact specifications, they will even mail them for you and offer a quick turnaround time. It has been known to be a very popular new trend with the locals. Taking a holiday photo this year? You can have it printed in a variety of ways, with a variety of frames or albums to choose from. Local artists Rachael, and daughter Iris, make dream catchers that are a beautiful option for decorating your home. As always, there is a small kids’ gift section and the ever-important FedEx and UPS services when you need to ship gifts to long-distance loved ones. They even offer packaging.
There’s always a bell chime as you walk in the door of the Rustic Moose, and a welcoming smile from shop clerks like Margaret Taylor, who has worked there on and off for the past 3 years.
When asked if she has a favorite gift suggestion from the vast array of gift ideas throughout the store, Margaret says she prefers to offer suggestions based on individual preferences. On this particular day, I find her directing Karen and Ryan Vanetta past all the Colorado clothing souvenirs, past the books and journals, greeting cards and cleverly worded and framed inspirational messages, to the downstairs level where they can find ornaments, decorative cups, kitchen implements, knickknacks and blankets, all manner of illumination and festive glow, artfully displayed for their viewing pleasure. The Vanetta’s are visiting family for the holiday season and love to buy new ornaments each year. In the downstairs of the Moose, they are delighted to find so many options from which to choose. Back upstairs, more shoppers pour in the door to browse through locally made jewelry, clothing and accessories, spices and sauces, light catchers and wind chimes. All of which are sure to please.
Mountain women can find feminine mountain wear options at reasonable prices, to complement their daily Carhartts and sweatshirts, at Wings of Lace. Kimberly Spagnola started the boutique with the intention of offering “unique clothing, jewelry and other rare treasures” to the Nederland community. She offers a clearance section year-round and has a holiday sale starting now, that typically morphs into a winter sale sometime in January. Kimberly offers jewelry, such as beaded bracelets from Columbia, that are one-of-a-kind, and a big seller for her. She is also building up her men’s section, which currently offers soft plaids, pullovers and leather wallets. I run my hand down a plaid shirt that is so soft I could sleep in it and realize that not only is it built to be worn while working hard it is also feminine in style. I see long sweaters, warm hats and scarves, all fashionably displayed at the reasonable pricing Kimberly is striving for. For the mountain woman in your life that longs for just a little bit of girly in her daily wear without compromising performance, this is the place to shop.
Snowboarding is not only for the young, but also the young at heart. At Endless Youth Board Shop, Andrew Timbrook and his daughter, Nyah, strive to meet the needs of beginners as well as the more advanced snowboarder, skater or winter gear enthusiast. Andrew offers snowboard rentals in a variety of profiles for just $30 a day that include boots and bindings. He encourages people who are unsure of what type of board to ride to come in and rent different styles before settling on a purchase. Open 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. every day, you are sure to find any last-minute boots, goggles, hats and scarves before hitting the mountain, as well as great gift ideas for the winter sports enthusiast on your guest list.
“I’ve always loved fashion, the history of fashion and how it has changed and been impacted by what’s happening in society,” says Claudia Schauffler as we take a tour of her store, The Shop, a Ned Boutique. Inside, she has many unique new clothing options in the front of the store, but the real treasures are toward the back, where Claudia has invested a lot of time and energy to offer tasteful, useful or just plain vintage fancy clothing options.
Everything in the back is used, from women’s and men’s used pants, flannel shirts and outdoor gear, to different trends of elegant evening attire perfect for a holiday party. Consignment is welcome in trade for store credit, good for anything and everything in the store. Claudia wants to see people be able to recycle their closets and refresh their wardrobes regularly. It is in the back that I run into Baylee West, a local shopper who is looking for a nice wool sweater, until she encounters a green felt jacket in the men’s section that has her reconsidering her decision. With so many great finds in this store, a shopper could have trouble sticking to the list.
Whooo Whooo…who’s coming in the store this season? Wild Bear Nature Center is not just for the local children but for all ages, shapes and sizes.
Walking in the door is a wildlife experience in itself with a variety of creatures living in the back and on display for interactions with the public.
Jill Dreves enjoys supporting local artists as well as offering environmentally friendly gift ideas. Taking the tour is like visiting a local art museum, with jewelry by Rocky Steirs, Enchanted Forest t-shirts in all sizes with local batik by Peak to Peak Batik artist Eric, of Ward, and more.
Shae Sprong is smiling at me from behind the desk as she fills in part-time in the gift shop. She showed me her favorite gift idea: candles made by local Melissa Freeman, who is also employed in the Nature Center. She makes candles with fragrances such as Aged Whiskey, Java Haze, Snow Cap Forest, Pumpkin Spice and Cinnamon Cookie. So deliciously smelly, they are perfect for the holiday season. If you want a good stocking stuffer or are buying for a sticker enthusiast, I am particularly impressed with the variety on display, as they are unique and clever. Any purchase at this gift shop not only supports locals but offers great environmental and nature education programs.
Doug Armitage has been selling music in Nederland for 10 years. Primarily a string store, he also sells brass, woodwind and some small percussion instruments and is happy to order anything for anybody. Doug specializes in repairs and custom work, offering “Restring Monday” each week for a small fee. He says there are basically two different types of guitars people tend to look for: Fender and Gibson. Both are stocked in fractional sizes (for little people) and full size. He is running a special on amplifiers this holiday season, as well as fractional sized violins and ukuleles. Doug pauses to discuss a ukulele repair with Maeve Dufton, a vocal student looking to pick up her stringed instrument after setting it down for a break. As I follow my curiosity around the store, I notice harmonicas, multiple songbooks for various instruments, drum sticks and digital tuners that all look like they would make great stocking stuffers. Also a consideration would be to pay for a series of lessons for a loved one who has been wanting to explore music but needs that extra push. With so many fabulous local artists teaching, there really are opportunities for everyone at Brightwood Music, located in the Caribou Shopping Center.
Ever come face to face with a Sasquatch? If you come in to Mountain Man Outdoor Store, you very well could. Owners John and Sasha Thompson swear they’ve seen one around town, as verified by employee Kristen Webb as she shows off some of the men’s wear the store has to offer. Flannel, poly, fleece, you name it, they’ve got it. Gear for winter camping or hitting the slopes, used gear for men, women and children. Multiple options for socks! Carhartt everything can be had, for if it is not on the shelf, John will order it! There are even 3 different sized Carhartt dog coats for the little barker in the family. Kristen really likes the Luci inflatable lights for a great gift idea this year. She says they even stock some that will simultaneously charge your phone! I am personally relieved to see that the Bacon Flavored Toothpaste is still on the shelf and available next to a multitude of gag gifts sure to bring surprised laughter when discovered in a stocking on Christmas morning.
Opening the first weekend of December, Kimba Stefane has given her boutique a new focus. Now called The Blue Owl Spirit Boutique, she is steering the store toward something more meaningful and stocking things that help people connect more to Source…Spirit…Enlightenment…God or the Universe or whatever folks choose to call that which feeds one’s soul. It’s not tailored to any one religion, but rather to helping people reach toward whatever it is that will make them fulfilled, happy, whole and more self-actualized. So, whether it’s as simple as an accessory that will enable you to take your yoga practice to the next level, a candle or incense that will help calm your mind as you pray or meditate, a book on deepening your practical magik skills, or if you just need oracle stuff, this boutique will have it. She will also have meaningful jewelry, lamps from Turkey, comfy yoga/meditation clothing, witch enhancements, and eventually Ayurveda consultations. Karen Anderson will be consulting with tarot and astrology.
Open Thursday through Sunday from noon to 5 p.m., stop in and allow Kimba the opportunity to make this winter season more meaningful than the highly consumptive holiday with which so many people are fed up.
All in all, Nederland has many opportunities for a full shopping experience every holiday season (and at all times throughout the year) without the headaches that come with going to the city. So many of our friends are either local business owners, artists or craftspeople that it’s pretty much a no-brainer to shop local and contribute to the wellbeing of your community.
(Originally published in the November 29, 2018, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)
