15 Small Businesses in Colorado to Support This Small Business Week

To celebrate Small Business Week (April 28-May 4, 2024), we’ve asked GoCo employees across the country to list some of the most beloved small businesses in their city. 

Ashley Widener, Director of Marketing at GoCo, grew up in Colorado all along the Front Range.

Check out her small business recommendations below!

1. For Pizza, Oysters, and Prosecco on Tap: Cart Driver 

Address: 2500 Larimer St. Suite 100, Denver, CO 80205 & 2239 West 30th Ave. Denver, CO 80211

Website: https://www.cart-driver.com/

“I love a limited but delicious menu and that’s what you’ll find at Cart Driver. It’s a little bit hidden inside of a shipping container so you can usually smell the amazing wood-fired pizzas before you see the restaurant. Their menu changes seasonally, but you can’t go wrong with some snacky charcuterie bites, a couple of oysters, and any of their pizzas.”

2. For Chai Lattes: Little Owl Coffee 

Address: 410 17th St, Denver, CO 80202, 1555 Blake St, Denver, CO 80202, & 2731 17th St Ste 110, Denver, CO 80211

Website: https://www.littleowlcoffee.com/

“I’m a sucker for a fancy latte but I don’t like them very sweet. That’s why Little Owl Coffee has my favorite. It’s perfectly balanced, creamy, and delicious. All of their cafe-made beverages are top tier and they also sell their expertly roasted beans in individual bags or via a coffee subscription service.” 

3. For Pickles and Bloody Mary Mix: The Real Dill

Address: Headquartered and produced in the Baker Neighborhood of Denver, but sold online & in stores (find one near you)

Website: https://therealdill.com/

“Anyone who knows me knows that I LOVE anything pickled, so for me to narrow it down to one favorite pickle company is a big dill. You can’t go wrong with any of The Real Dill’s pickles and they’re regularly crafting fun seasonal flavors to add to the rotation. But I think the real winner of their product lineup is their bloody mary mix. With a base of the brine leftover from their pickling process and generous amounts of horseradish, dill, garlic, and habaneros, it’s perfect just as it is.” 

4. For a Unique Craft Beer Lineup: Crooked Stave

Address: 1441 W 46th Ave. Unit 19 Denver, CO 80211

Website: https://www.crookedstave.com/

“No Colorado list would be complete without a brewery. With almost 100 breweries in Denver alone, your beer options are endless. For that reason, I highly recommend checking out Crooked Stave. Their lineup stands out from all the rest with specialty wild and sour brews. Their fruited sours are the perfect summer beer and a great introductory sour for those looking to try something new!”

5. For Games, Costumes, and Magic: The Wizard’s Chest

Address: 451 Broadway, Denver, CO 80203

Website: https://www.wizardschest.com/

“It’s impossible to leave The Wizard’s Chest in a bad mood. This whimsical store is a Denver staple, me and my sister used to beg our parents to make a trip and still visit frequently as adults. The space is packed to the brim with every board game imaginable, elaborate costumes and fantasy accessories, and rare collectibles and supplies for magic tricks. They even host parties!” 

6. For Plants and Gardening Gear: Tagawa Gardens

Address: 7711 S Parker Rd, Centennial, CO 80016

Website: https://tagawagardens.com/

“We always had a huge garden growing up outside of Denver, and Tagawa was the place to get all of our plants. Not only are they fully stocked with any indoor or outdoor plant you could want, they are a community staple and a wealth of knowledge for how to have a green thumb in Colorado’s crazy weather.”

7. For Chocolate Chip Cookies: Boulder Baked

Address: 5290 Arapahoe Avenue, Boulder, CO 80305

Website: https://www.boulderbaked.com/

“This family-owned bakery serves fresh, straight out of the oven, ooey gooey cookies from their shop in Boulder. It’s literally comfort in cookie form and while they have a ton of delicious flavors, the classic chocolate chip is my favorite. They are less known for their grilled cheese and tomato soup, but that is equally as delicious and comforting on a cold Colorado day.” 

8. For Colorful Vintage Clothes: Heady Bauer

Website: https://www.facebook.com/headybauer/

“Boulder has a lot of vintage and thrift stores, but Heady Bauer is the most fun. Originally a traveling festival clothing shop, they sell bright, unique, and eclectic pieces to help you express yourself no matter the occasion.”

9. For Kites and Wind Art: Into the Wind

Address: 1408 Pearl St., Boulder, CO 80302

Website: https://intothewind.com/
“The Colorado plains have some of the worst wind in the country so you can bet that the kite masters at Into the Wind know what makes a great flying, durable kite. It’s hard to miss the colorful shop on Pearl Street with bright kites of all shapes and sizes on display. Whether you want an easy-to-fly kite for your kids, a stunt kit for wind tricks, or a decorative windsock to hang outside your home, they have it all (and sell online, too)! ”

10. For Kitchen Necessities: Peppercorn

Address: 1235 Pearl Street, Boulder, CO 80302

Website: https://peppercorn.com/

“There are few things quite as exciting as walking into Peppercorn for the first time if you like to cook. The store is jam-packed with rare kitchen gadgets, imported and gourmet foods, handmade dinnerware, and more. You can find anything you need for your kitchen, and discover just as many things you never knew you needed.”  

11. For Adventurous Apparel: The Duck Company

Address: Made in Arvada but sold online

Website: https://www.duckco.com/

“This is a true CO company, having been founded in a dorm room at CU Boulder. They now supply other small, locally-owned businesses with custom-printed apparel that celebrates adventure! Keep an eye out for the duck label when shopping at retailers around the US, and reach out to them if you need custom printed apparel.” 

12. For a Unique Shopping Experience: The Barn

Address: 400 3rd Street, Castle Rock, CO 80104

Website: https://thebarncastlerock.com/

“This is technically many small businesses in one since The Barn houses dozens of vendors selling antiques and handmade goods. It’s easy to spend hours browsing all of the unique wares, which is exactly what I grew up doing. At least once a month while my parents browsed antiques, I would spend my time in the greenhouse and apothecary, checking out everything from venus fly traps to handmade lavender soaps. ”

13. For Handmade Spaghetti: Angie’s

Address: 201 Fourth St, Castle Rock, CO 80104

Website: https://angies.us/

“Anywhere you can get a plate half full of spaghetti and half full of ravioli with a giant meatball on top is a winner in my book. The handmade noodles are always perfectly al dente and the sauce is super flavorful. I’ve heard the rest of their menu is good too, but you’ll never catch me ordering anything but spaghetti at Angie’s!”

14. For A Relaxing Massage: Camino Wellness

Address: 123 E. Costilla St., Colorado Springs, CO 80903 & 1045 Garden of the Gods Road, Suite J, Colorado Springs, CO 80907

Website: https://caminomassage.com/

“Camino specializes in Ashiatsu Massage, in which the massage therapist works from above using their feet to provide the deepest massage possible. I know the idea of someone else’s feet touching you sounds crazy to most people, but once you try it there’s no going back to regular massage. Because of the deep pressure this style of massage fully relaxes not only your muscles but your nervous system. There’s also no pain like with traditional deep tissue massages that rely on sharp elbows and knuckles to access muscle groups. I’ve had massages at dozens of spas and this is the best. I literally count down until my next appointment at Camino and would go every day if I could!”

15. For a Middle Eastern Meal & Turkish Coffee: Taste of Jerusalem

Address: 15 E Bijou St, Colorado Springs, CO 80903

Website: https://tasteofjerusalemtogo.com/

“This family-owned business dishes up phenomenal traditional Mediterranean food. Everything I’ve tried is delicious and I especially love the authentic Turkish coffee and teas. They are also a staple of the community, offering free meals to Colorado Springs’s homeless community and setting up a Food For All fund to allow restaurant patrons to contribute directly to their efforts.”