Free Newsletter
Many of this year’s Best of Colorado winners embody the art of specialization. They don’t pretend to be something they are not, rather they concentrate on one element and aim to perfect it. That in turn has clearly helped them make a name for themselves.
Our readers (Best of Colorado customers) not only remember them but make a concerted effort to vote for them. That’s a tremendous accomplishment in this era of overwhelming messages, marketing and mindshare. But that takes time. Here at ColoradoBiz, we’ve heard many serial entrepreneurs and CEOs depict their success as a climb rather than a meandering journey. After all, the highest summits are always uphill and rarely scaled on the first day.
So, here’s to this year’s Best of Colorado winners. They have found a way to perfect their craft, grow their brand, and be recognized for their specialization. They have scaled the summit of success.
Check out our Best of Colorado 2023 issue here!
BEST SPA
REGIS ASPEN RESORT AT REMEDE SPA
The St. Regis Aspen Resort at Remède Spa is recognized as one of the world’s pre-eminent hotel spas. Rejuvenation and relaxation is assured with therapies like the spa’s CBD Healing Customized Massage and customized facials. Spa guests have complimentary access to all facilities, including the steam caves, oxygen lounge and confluence waterfall. The resort also features a heated outdoor pool, 24-hour fitness center and three year-round hot tubs overlooking Aspen Mountain.
Runners-up:
BEST STYLING SALON
SHADE SALON
The Shade Salon, located in Carbondale in Colorado’s Roaring Fork Valley, offers haircuts for men and women, hair coloring, lashes, facials, waxing, massages and more. The goal of Shade Salon’s team is for clients to walk out of the shop radiating confidence.
Runners-up:
BEST PET BOARDER/DAY CARE
CITY BARK
With seven locations in the Denver area spread from Parker to Broomfield, City Bark offers boarding, day care, grooming, puppy preschool and training. It also has a mobile app for convenient 24/7 booking and webcams at most of its locations so you can check in on your furry pal during the day.
Runners-up:
BEST PET GROOMER
JK GROOMING
A family-owned business with four groomers, JK Grooming Salon & Spa takes pride in working with geriatric or “troubled” clients that have been turned away by another groomer.
“Our philosophy for grooming is little restraint and lots of love,” says owner Julianne Krous, a former veterinary technician who has worked with animals all her life. “Your pet gets their own appointment so they get in and out as quickly as possible. While waiting to be picked up, pooches aren’t stuffed into a crate to await your arrival. They have a comfortable space to relax, take a nap, a drink of water or enjoy a spontaneous wrestling match.”
Runners-up:
BEST FLORIST
THE PERFECT PETAL
Based in Denver, The Perfect Petal is a full-service florist known for its floral decoration services for weddings, events, parties and more. Along with sales of flowers, wares and jewelry, the company offers plant classes on topics such as arrangement building and repotting.
Runners-up:
BEST CLIENT GIFT (TIE)
THE CHOCOLATE THERAPIST
Author Julie Nygard launched The Chocolate Therapist to introduce the extraordinary, all-natural chocolate that supports the research in her book, “The Chocolate Therapist: A User’s Guide to Extraordinary Health Benefits of Chocolate,” so it’s no surprise that she’s a daily consumer of the product herself.
Her Littleton store is a chocolate, wine and coffee shop with on-site chocolate production. Small batches of chocolate bars, patties and chocolate melt-aways are handcrafted with all-natural chocolate ingredients.
BREAKAWAY MEETINGS
BreakAway Meetings adds value to events, celebrations and unexpected occasions by creating customized gift boxes delivered directly to recipients no matter where they’re located. The woman-owned, curated gift box company can take a special event to the next level with custom event boxes, employee appreciation packages and more.
Runners-up:
BEST JEWELER
TRICE JEWELERS
Trice Jewelers’ Centennial store is the largest, full-service custom jewelry design shop in Colorado. The state-of-the-art shop is staffed with 10 of the industry’s most talented craftsmen, and the store offers a vast selection of engagement rings, wedding rings, diamond necklaces, pendants, bracelets, diamond stud and diamond hoop earrings, precious stones, and pearls, as well as gold and silver fashion jewelry and fine watches.
Runners-up:
BEST TAILOR ALTERATIONS
ARTISTIC CUSTOM TAILOR
Artistic Custom Tailor can custom-fit a wedding dress, tailor a suit, alter shirt sleeves and pants to fall where they’re supposed to, and more. Customers report driving the extra distance to the Aurora shop because of the workmanship and individual attention they receive.
Runner-up:
BEST SPORTS TALK RADIO
104.3 THE FAN
104.3 The Fan is the top sports-talk station in Denver, according to Neilson ratings, and it’s the city’s second-highest-rated talk station of any genre, behind only the Colorado Public Broadcasting station, KCFR News/Talk.
The Fan brings a captivating mix of ex-athletes and seasoned radio pros to the listening experience, with shows such as Schlereth & Evans, The Players’ Club, Stokley and Zach, The Drive, Denver Sports Tonight, and Terry Wickstrom Outdoors on the weekends.
Runners-up:
BEST TALK RADIO (THREE-WAY TIE)
DAN CAPLIS
The Dan Caplis Show airs weekdays 4-6 p.m. on Denver’s A.M. 630 KHOW. Caplis is a trial lawyer, and he welcomes spirited debates with listeners who call in. He’s been a popular conservative voice on Colorado airwaves for more than 25 years.
GEORGE BRAUCHLER
Brauchler is a former district attorney in one of Colorado’s biggest districts, an officer in the Colorado National Guard and political candidate. He is known for having prosecuted the Aurora Theater shooting and Columbine cases. The George Blauchler Show airs weekdays 6-10 a.m. on A.M. 710 KNUS
DEBORAH FLORA
Deborah Flora is a filmmaker, producer and founder of Parents United America, a champion for parental rights and educational freedom. The Deborah Flora Show airs weekdays from 3-4 p.m. on A.M. 710 KNUS.
BEST SMALL TOWN (FEWER THAN 25,000 PEOPLE)
CARBONDALE
Located 170 miles west of Denver and 30 miles from Aspen, Carbondale boasts a vibrant arts and music community, while embracing its mining, ranching, skiing and resort identities. The town of roughly 6,500 people also has become an attractive place for businesses.
The early 1990s ushered in the most dramatic physical and socio-economic change to affect the Carbondale area since the decline of mining and oil shale, the Carbondale Chamber of Commerce points out. The Roaring Fork Valley began to grow at an unprecedented rate, with the development of the Aspen Glen and River Valley Ranch neighborhoods.
BEST SHOPPING MALL
PARK MEADOWS
Located in Lone Tree, about five miles south of Denver, Park Meadows is Colorado’s largest shopping mall, with 185 stores and restaurants, from athletic apparel stores to branded fashion retailers and dining.
The mall boasts 6,700 parking spaces, including 300 covered garage spaces, along with electric vehicle charging stations near the mall’s dining hall entrance.