Best of Boulder 2013: At Home, Furniture, Computers and More

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Clutter Consignment, winner of best furniture store

Bath & Body Shop

PHARMACA INTEGRATIVE PHARMACY
1647 Pearl St., 303-442-5164
645 South Broadway, 303-867-3400

Second Place: Rebecca’s Herbal Apothecary
Third Place: Lush
Fourth Place: Bath & Body Works
Fifth Place: Sephora

Pharmaca
isn’t your average pharmacy. Helpful naturopaths wander the store
offering words of wisdom. You may have thought your recent skin issue
needed some topical solution, but you end up leaving with a new diet
plan or herbal supplement to help combat it. That’s because Pharmaca,
while filling conventional prescriptions too, brings its customers a
sense of holistic wellness.

Taking
second place this year is Rebecca’s Herbal Apothecary, where you can
find every herb you can imagine, and can even mix your own herbal
concoction, with help from attentive staff.


Carpet/Flooring

ATLAS FLOORING
4920 28th St., 303-442-3221

Second Place: Carpet Exchange
Third Place: Go Green Flooring
Fourth Place: Boulder Stove & Flooring
Fifth Place: Carpet Mill Outlet Flooring Stores

These folks must be doing something right. They keep winning the Best of Boulder readers competition. Not only has Atlas Flooring been
around for more than a half a century, it also boasts the largest
selection of flooring on the Front Range. That might have something to
do with its winning streak. So if it’s easier to follow the trails on
your carpet than the ones in Rocky Mountain National Park, give these
guys a call. Our readers say it’s the right thing to do.


Computer Retail

APPLE RETAIL STORE
1755 29th St., 720-479-9451

Second Place: Best Buy
Third Place: Mac Shack
Fourth Place: Costco
Fifth Place: CU Bookstore

If your computer randomly, inexplicably turns off in the middle of your favorite episode of The Walking Dead, it might be time for a new computer. If Macintosh is your brand, the Apple Retail Store, this
year’s winner for best computer retail store, is the place to go. Rows
of chic gadgets and a knowledgeable staff can walk you through all
your technology needs. Not sure of your needs? Take a spin on one of
their many computer models to test it out first. If a PC is your jive,
stop by anyways, the Apple Store might change your mind.


Flower Shop

STURTZ & COPELAND
2851 Valmont Road, 303-442-6663

Second Place: Boulder Blooms
Third Place: Fiori Flowers
Fourth Place: Lafayette Florist
Fifth Place: Fruehauf’s

Got an anniversary? Better stop by Sturtz & Copeland. Got
a big date? Better stop by. Heading to a dinner party with friends?
How better to show your appreciation than with flowers? You came home
at 4 a.m. a little wobbly and the best you could come up with was, “My
cell phone was dead”? You definitely need to stop by Sturtz &
Copeland as soon as they open and your head stops spinning. And you
better have their helpful staff fix you up with a special,
one-of-a-kind creation that says, “You’re special and I’m an idiot.”
There are lots of reasons to give flowers, and our readers prefer
Sturtz & Copeland for all those occasions.


Furniture

CLUTTER CONSIGNMENT
1909 Ninth St., 303-386-3423

Second Place: Arhaus
Third Place: No Place Like Home
Fourth Place: American Furniture Warehouse
Fifth Place: HW Home

It
seems fitting that Boulder would pick a consignment store as the best
place to buy furniture. We pride ourselves on minimizing waste and
reusing. What better way to avoid materialism and excess than picking up
someone else’s castoffs? Who needs to keep up with the Joneses when
you can find some gently used treasures another person was ready to
part with? Clutter Consignment has a great selection, and voters
agree that this is the place to go when you want to save a few bucks
on that new (to you) dining room table or unload that sofa you’ve had
for 10 years.


Gift Shop

THE PEPPERCORN
1235 Pearl St., 303-449-5847

Second Place: Bliss
Third Place: Boulder Arts & Crafts
Fourth Place: Jacque Michelle
Fifth Place: Art Mart

When it’s your BFF’s birthday and you’re on the hunt for a honeycomb potholder or a double jigger, you always know where to go: The Peppercorn. The
longstanding Pearl Street kitchen-themed mega shop even makes
gift-giving easy by allowing couples to add every pot, pan, knife, spoon
and corkscrew on their wish lists to a registry. Just down the street
is second-place winner Bliss, where Boulderites can find a gift for any
occasion among the beautifully arranged, hand-picked and locally made
treasures.


Hardware

MCGUCKIN HARDWARE
2525 Arapahoe Ave., Unit D1, 303-443-1822%u2028

Second Place: The Home Depot
Third Place: Table Mesa Hardware
Fourth Place: Lowe’s Home Improvement
Fifth Place: Guiry’s Color Source

OK,
there’s really no question about who is going to win in this category.
One time we brought a light bulb for a 1969 film projector into McGuckin Hardware and
they totally had that puppy in stock. Another time, when we lost a
screw that was crucial to keeping our great-grandfather’s hatchet in
place, they carried that too. Simply put, if you can’t find it at
McGuckin, it probably doesn’t exist. We are lucky to have such an
amazing store in our midst. Take advantage of it. Even if you are
missing a spoke on your ancestor’s covered wagon wheel, they just might
have it.


Home Furnishings

THE PEPPERCORN
1235 Pearl St., 303-449-5847

Second Place: Clutter Consignment
Third Place: Concepts Furniture
Fourth Place: American Furniture Warehouse
Fifth Place: HW Home

Imagine
your dream home. Outside is a big, perfectly blue pool surrounded by a
patio with a barbecue and comfy lounge chairs. Just inside the house
is a vast kitchen, with an island and a convection oven. A wine fridge
lines one wall, adjacent to the bar stool-lined counter. Now imagine
your dream home filled with all the beautiful furnishings you can find
at The Peppercorn. Yep, that vision is exactly what inspired
Boulderites to give the Pearl Street shop top honors in the home
furnishings category. Coming in second place is Clutter Consignment,
where you can find hot items for a low price.


Hot Tub/Jacuzzi

MR. POOL, INC.

2347 South St., Boulder, 303-443-0821

Second Place: Mountain Mist Spas
Third Place: Heat Wave Stove & Spa
Fourth Place: Quality Pools and Spas
Fifth Place: IHT International Hot Tubs

The
immortal Big Punisher once declared, “I’m in the hot tub, poppin’
bubbly.” Want to know why the rapper was in the hot tub? Because hot
tubs are a relaxing luxury item and status symbol, that’s why. Our
readers think Mr. Pool, Inc. provides the best hot tubs around,
and though you probably won’t be surrounded by R&B singers and music
execs should you get one, you’ll reap the same wonderful physical
benefits Mr. Punisher was so excited about. So get a hot tub and some
beverages, pour one out for Big Pun and make like you have a record
deal.


Kitchen Supplies

THE PEPPERCORN
1235 Pearl St., 303-449-5847

Second Place: McGuckin Hardware
Third Place: Sur La Table
Fourth Place: Savory Spice Shop
Fifth Place: Bed Bath & Beyond

Considering The Peppercorn started
out as a cooking school and kitchen-supply store 36 years ago, it
should come as no surprise that the now-booming shop is Boulder’s
favorite kitchen outfitter. From mixers and juicers to spatulas and
cookbooks, The Peppercorn has got you covered. Just about any item you
need for cooking, baking, mixing, decorating or dining is available at
the shop, which is also the go-to spot for hard-to-find specialty
kitchen equipment and local flavorings. Our runner-up is McGuckin
Hardware, which has an extensive selection of kitchen supplies, as well
as everything else under the sun.


Mattress

DENVER MATTRESS CO.
1945 28th St., 303-413-1314

Second Place: Verlo Mattress Co.
Third Place: Urban Mattress
Fourth Place: Boulder Furniture and Mattress
Fifth Place: Mattress King

Kids,
we recall the last time we bought a mattress, and it was awesome. After
all, in what other shopping process can you go from store to store,
repeatedly lie down on beds, and not have an employee give you the evil
eye? Totally relaxing. Everyone should try it, and make sure you make it
last, trying lots of different stores and beds. But you will likely end
up going with Denver Mattress, according to our readers.
Usually, they are right. Roll on down to their 28th Street location and
start getting horizontal. Nests are important. So find the right one.


Moving Company

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK
520 Violet St., Golden, 303-344-9911
536 W. 67th St., Loveland, 970-686-6683

Second Place: Taylor Moving
Third Place: Berg’s Small Moves
Fourth Place: Boulder Valley Transfer
Fifth Place: A Boulder Moving Co.

Surveys
routinely rank moving as one of the most stressful events in a person’s
life, up there with enduring a death in the family, going through
divorce or disarming a nuclear bomb on a nosediving plane. Fortunately,
there’s a legion of Bruce Willises and Will Smiths ready to lend a hand.

For the fourth year in a row, readers picked Two Men and a Truck as
their favorite moving stars. Maybe it’s the eye-catching logo, maybe
it’s the national visibility, maybe it’s the high referral rate among
past customers. Maybe it’s the snappy one-liners as they hoist a
mattress, unload a couch and save the day again.


Pet Store

HUMANE SOCIETY OF BOULDER VALLEY
2323 55th St., 303-442-4030

Second Place: PetSmart
Third Place: PC’s Pantry for Dogs & Cats
Fourth Place: Only Natural Pet Store
Fifth Place: Whole Pets

It´s a testament to Boulder County’s animal shelter that voters chose the Humane Society of Boulder Valley as
best pet store in the county. With thousands of dogs, cats, rabbits and
guinea pigs (among other animals) coming through its doors each year,
all of them hoping to find a loving home, the Humane Society offers the
best for owners and pets alike. What sets the organization apart is its
commitment to finding “forever” homes for the animals it adopts out by
offering behavior classes and a veterinary clinic to ensure ongoing pet
health.


Real Estate Group

RE/MAX OF BOULDER, INC.
2425 Canyon Blvd., Ste. 110, 303-449-7000

Second Place: Wright Kingdom Real Estate
Third Place: Pedal to Properties
Fourth Place: Keller Williams Realty
Fifth Place: Goodacre & Company Real Estate

We
don’t have to sing the praises of living in Boulder; everyone already
knows how lucky we are with our Flatirons views, Chautauqua hiking
trails, Boulder Creek, bike lanes, excellent schools, Pearl Street Mall
nightlife, farm-to-table food options, friendly locals and even
friendlier dogs — oops, we got a little carried away. Our winner, RE/MAX of Boulder, Inc., is
dedicated to helping would-be residents find the best home in our
favorite city or in one of the many great Boulder-area communities. The
company also assists clients with choosing the right real estate agent
and listings for properties that include houses, condos, foreclosures
and land.


STAFF PICK: East County Garden and Nursery Center

THE FLOWER BIN
1805 Nelson Road, Longmont, 303-772-3454

This
East County nursery has been serving the community for more than four
decades. It’s big, it’s beautiful and it has everything anybody could
possibly need or want to make their garden look great. But more
importantly in today’s world of constant environmental change, The Flower Bin’s knowledgeable
staff can guide you to just the right plants and products to suit your
needs, whether it’s a dry year or not. And, even if your green thumb
died sometime ago, the wise folks at The Flower Bin can coach you to
success.