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EAT! DRINK! SHOP! Old South Gaylord Street

By Doug Wagner, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published January 4, 2009 at 3 p.m.
Updated January 5, 2009 at 8:31 a.m.

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A reindeer window display at The Art Pedlar attracts Laurie Chahbandour, left, Isabelle Desjardins and Claire Chahbandour of Denver during their visit to the Old South Gaylord Street shopping district.

Photo by Marie Griffin / The Rocky

A reindeer window display at The Art Pedlar attracts Laurie Chahbandour, left, Isabelle Desjardins and Claire Chahbandour of Denver during their visit to the Old South Gaylord Street shopping district.

Karmen Berentsen holds a treat for her 12-week-old yellow Labrador, Bagley, while purchasing puppy supplies at Lil' Angel Pet Boutique and Gallery.

Photo by Marie Griffin / The Rocky

Karmen Berentsen holds a treat for her 12-week-old yellow Labrador, Bagley, while purchasing puppy supplies at Lil' Angel Pet Boutique and Gallery.

South Gaylord Wine Etc.

Photo by Marie Griffin / The Rocky

South Gaylord Wine Etc.

Made in Turkey, this glass vase with 24-karat gold is sold at Silk Road.

Photo by Marie Griffin / The Rocky

Made in Turkey, this glass vase with 24-karat gold is sold at Silk Road.

The Singletrack Factory

Photo by Marie Griffin / The Rocky

The Singletrack Factory

Pan-Roasted Salmon with sweet and spicy tavern mashers, sauteed spinach and a whole grain mustard-orange glaze, is a delightful meal at the Tavern.

Photo by Marie Griffin © The Rocky

Pan-Roasted Salmon with sweet and spicy tavern mashers, sauteed spinach and a whole grain mustard-orange glaze, is a delightful meal at the Tavern.

Dish sets painted in bold colors are available at Art Pedlar.

Photo by Marie Griffin / The Rocky

Dish sets painted in bold colors are available at Art Pedlar.

Sports Plus offers a large selection of new and used sports equipment for children and adults.

Photo by Marie Griffin / The Rocky

Sports Plus offers a large selection of new and used sports equipment for children and adults.

Dino's Soda Bar takes you back to the 1950s with homemade ice cream featured in floats, sundaes and shakes.

Photo by Marie Griffin / The Rocky

Dino's Soda Bar takes you back to the 1950s with homemade ice cream featured in floats, sundaes and shakes.

A reflection of the Chicken Parmesan topped with Rigatoni Alfredo pasta at The Tavern.

Photo by Marie Griffin © The Rocky

A reflection of the Chicken Parmesan topped with Rigatoni Alfredo pasta at The Tavern.

Photo by Marie Griffin / The Rocky

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Story by Doug Wagner * Photos by Marie Griffin/Rocky Mountain News

For inhabitants of the Washington Park neighborhood, the Old South Gaylord Street shopping district must be a true oasis. The shimmering lights must beckon to them from blocks away:

Come, gather in our glow. Leave behind the quiet of your sleepy residential block and come eat, drink and be merry.

And, of course, shop.

There are an astonishing number of ways to spend your money on this single city block, and an average-size block at that. If we lived here, we'd fear for our checking account.

But for those of you who also don't live here, it's a great place for an occasional all-day splurge. OK, and regular visits to Japon for sushi and The Tavern for turkey pot pie, if you must.

For those of you who do live here, well, we trust you've found a way to affordably coexist with this land of enchantment just down the street.

If there's a block in the metro area that's home to more boutiques than the 1000 block of South Gaylord Street, there also had better be plenty of bar space for glassy-eyed husbands.

That said, there's no overlap here, amazingly enough. Though some of the shops are more eclectic than others, each has a strong, distinct identity. How could five boutiques all have something worthwhile and unique to offer? Let's count the ways.

1. Pome: This is the most eclectic of the lot. There's barely room to turn around in the two aisles here, but it's well worth the effort when you consider the sheer volume of stuff that your field of vision will encompass: scarves, ribbon by the yard, throws, tops, French soaps, botanical-print wrapping paper, jewelry, baby toys, paper dolls, cupcake-making "tool kits." For hubby's sake, save this one for last.

2. Silk Road: This one's a slam dunk. It's a sure thing that you're not going to find handmade Turkish art glass or miniature churches made of candy wrappers anywhere else on the block. Silk Road specializes in artistic pieces from around the world, with a pronounced accent on Eastern Europe. There's jewelry from Bulgaria and Israel and glassware from Romania, as well as custom bedding, stationery and garden items.

3. The Tended Thicket: It's a French garden growing 5,000 miles from France. The emphasis is on natural-themed decor, with pine- cone birdhouses strung from the ceiling and ornaments in the shapes of acorns and apple-slice flowers hanging on decorated trees. With dried wreaths on the walls and fresh flowers in the cooler, this place is a breath of country air.

4. The Art Pedlar: When we said there's no overlap, we meant that in a stylistic sense. The glassware here is nothing like what you'll find at Silk Road. This is contemporary American all the way. There's also lots of whimsical art to cheer up the most dour of walls, and the animal- shaped Brushkins ornaments, made from palm-tree fiber, would stand out on the most crowded of Christmas trees. But you need to move on this one - the owner's retiring and plans to close in February. Twenty percent off in the meantime.

5. Lil' Angel: Finally, this one's the most run-of-the-mill of the bunch. Mugs, hats, art, indulgent toiletries - pretty much a textbook boutique. Wait - the label on the shampoo says, "Avoid exposure to drafts while coat is wet." Hmm. And now that we look again, we see we hadn't read the whole sign: "Lil' Angel Pet Boutique & Gallery." So that's what's with all the dog breeds on the mugs and the hats. And the portraits of domesticated animals on the wall. (Artist Meredith Brooks offers pet paintings in sizes from 5-by-7 to 20-by-30 and priced from $100 to $450.) Scratch that "run-of-the-mill" remark.

So there. Five boutiques, each with its own raison d'Ãtre. OK, OK, they all sell candles, but that's like asking a restaurant not to sell drinks. Speaking of which, don't forget where you left that husband.

The Singletrack Factory

No matter who's minding the store on any given day, you'll be dealing with a bike expert in the truest sense. Owner Brian Isakson sent his staff members to the Interbike Trade Show this year to ride bike after bike, many of them back to back so that they could really feel the different nuances. Combine that with Isakson's mission to buck corporate America by carrying only great-performing brands that don't pass marketing expenses on to you, and you couldn't be in better hands.

* Don't miss: the selection of skateboards and snowboards.

* 1005 S. Gaylord St.; 303-733-3334, singletrackfactory.com

Sarah

Hounds- tooth jackets are a classic, right? And peacoats? Well, picture up-to-the- minute-chic versions of said standbys and that's what you can expect at Sarah: classy, elegant variations on classic themes with labels like Millard Fillmore, Relais, David Kitchen and Stress. That's not to say funky and retro don't have their say, though. Winter coats by Liquid and Bentley are wearable pop art.

* Don't miss: Makeover Mondays.

* 1067 S. Gaylord St.; 303-482-2299, sarah denver.com

South Gaylord Wine Etc.

Take the Etc. seriously. This is far from just a wine shop. Or a wine-and-beer- and-spirits shop. There are also coolers, decanters, stemware, stoppers, totes and books. Best of all, owner Joe Kelemen stocks the user-friendliest wine racks known to man. Besides being made of lightweight metal and easy to install, Vintage View's storage system takes the "sideways" concept to a new level: Not only do bottles lie on their sides, but they're displayed sideways so you can see the labels rather than the corks. They come in 3- and 4-foot lengths and one-, two- and three-bottle depths, with prices starting at $60.

* Don't miss: the wine-of-the-month clubs, two bottles a month for annual fees that range from $100 to $500.

* 1084 S. Gaylord St.; 720-570-1535, sgwineetc.com

Lil' Angel Pet Boutique & Gallery

* 1014 S. Gaylord St.; 303-777-0224, mega petportraits.com

Pome

* 1018 S. Gaylord St.; 303-722-2900, pomedenver.com

The Tended Thicket

* 1034 S. Gaylord St.; 303-722-6815, thetendedthicket.com

Silk Road

* 1065 S. Gaylord St.; 303-698-0582, silkroadhomedecor.com

Art Pedlar

* 1071 S. Gaylord St.; 303-744-3421

Details on these shops 3

Pine Creek Clothing Co.

Know upfront that we don't really get how a hoodie that will do nothing to keep you warm can cost only $30 less than a lush sherpa coat that certainly will. But just because we can't make much sense of these things doesn't mean we don't love it here. What's not to like about the sexy-classy boots and the Spanner biker jackets? And the belt rack is a stunning formation of rhinestone, mother-of-pearl and leather. The sherpa coat ($198), by the way, is by Tribal, and the featherweight hoodie ($168) is from Ed Hardy, whose labels are apparently spun of pure gold.

* Don't miss: If you're on a budget like the rest of us, how about Life Is Good socks for $10 a pair? It all starts with the feet, right?

* 1099 S. Gaylord St.; 303-733-4848, pinecreekclothing.com

The Tavern

If hard times give you an appetite for comfort food, you'll find no greater comfort than The Tavern's turkey pot pie. It's a simple, supremely satisfying affair in which the star is the turkey, not a buttery crust or a cream-fortified gravy. Couldn't eat another bite of turkey this holiday season? Then how about the Kobe meatloaf? And Mondays, the prime rib's only $15. If you need more comforting than that, you're downright inconsolable.

* Don't miss: the enclosed patio, where you can revel in those enticing lights of South Gaylord.

* 1066 S. Gaylord St.; 303-733-0350, tavernhg.com

Borderline

Not just another boutique, Borderline is a riot of artistic expression. Technically, this import shop stocks the usual - accessories, clothes, jewelry - but since when do sculptures of dancing coyotes in evening wear qualify as accessories? No, the items to be found in this eclectic, exotic, technicolor collection are sure to be focal points. Besides Markus Pierson's coyotes, highlights include gorgeous 3-D iron wall pieces by Andres Martin del Campo and Naui's 3-D portraits of round women with faces literally bulging with character. Better not tell these guys they're in the accessories business.

* Don't miss: the mask collection and the Day of the Dead figures.

* 1010 S. Gaylord St.; 303-733-6243

Dino's Soda Bar

At Dino's, the homemade ice cream gets along swimmingly with the soda that flows freely from behind the marble- countered bar. Besides the floats, there are phosphates, Italian cream sodas, egg creams, splits, sundaes and shakes. The breakfast and lunch menus feature eggs, pancakes, salads, burgers, hot dogs and sandwiches. Don't tell 'em it was our idea, but you could keep your table all day at a joint like this.

* Don't miss: the Diablo Turkey sandwich, held together by a chipotle mayo that'll have you lick- ing the wax paper.

* 2217 E. Mississippi Ave.; 303-777-0414, dinossodabar.com

Parking

There's free two-hour street parking along South Gaylord.

Slater Gallery

Time may not quite stand still at Matt Slater's photo gallery, but it does take a seat on a snow-covered bench overlooking the lake at Wash Park. His landscapes give you an idea of what Denver might be like without all these people and their incessant activity. And it looks pretty good, especially in misty snowscapes where you can hear the silence and bask in the stillness. Life a little too fast and loud? Slater knows some great mental-vacation spots.

* Don't miss: Slater's shots exploring Western ranching life, with an emphasis on the great wide-open.

* 1078 S. Gaylord St.; 303-436-9545, slatergallery.com

Sports Plus

What a beautiful, recession-friendly concept: a store full of used sports equipment. Why buy your daughter new figure skates when she'll just need a bigger size next year? Why buy your tyke a brand-new starter glove when he might end up preferring beading to baseball? Whatever sport your kids are dabbling in, the gear's here. For hockey moms without Sarah Palin's equipment budget, this place is nothin' but net.

* Don't miss: There's also plenty of new stuff for people who've stopped growing and know what their passions are.

* 1055 S. Gaylord St.; 303-777-6613, sportsplusdenver.com

Comments

  • January 5, 2009

    11:56 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    jamesdenver writes:

    All these small shops mentioned by not two of the busiest restaurants?

    You should add Max Gill and Wash Park Grill to your list. Both excellent establishments which deserve press too...

    james http://www.futuregringo.com

  • January 5, 2009

    3:59 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    nosnow writes:

    Good heavens, how do you not mention Reiver's, a great little tavern which has been there much longer than The Tavern! Also, what about the salons - Flirt, Heinz, Catalina?
    This is an wonderful block - come visit!

  • January 7, 2009

    10:55 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    RoxForBrains writes:

    Another great shop down there is Creative Eye Framing and Gallery. They are the BEST and most knowledgeable frame shop in Denver. Plus, all the artwork in the gallery is by Colorado Artists.