December 3, 2021

Region provides no shortage of Colorado gifts

Sarah Welle, co-founder of Colorado Crafted of Longmont, had good reason to hope she wouldn’t be burdened by all the nasty supply chain problems plaguing the nation: The gift boxes curated by her company contain products made by local Colorado businesses.

Alas, “there has been a ton of disruption this year,” she said, from an adhesive shortage affecting the Denver manufacturer that makes Colorado Crafted’s gift boxes to its candle maker that couldn’t find tins, to an order of candy canes cancelled at the last minute because of employee and ingredient shortages. 

“Luckily we can be flexible, and our vendors are super creative,” Welle said, “so we are just constantly figuring it out and making it work.” 

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Keeping that in mind, here are some gift ideas that we believe should be in stock for the season, unless another boat gets stuck in a canal. 

What is it? Gift boxes

Who makes it? Colorado Crafted, which puts together gift boxes that fit a theme, also allows customers to hand-pick items to fit their own theme: They can use filters on the site as specific as “Women-Owned Businesses.” The company suggests the chocolate box, the Everything but the Cheese Box or the Apres Ski box as gifts (the last includes a hat and hot chocolate). 

Where can I get it? https://www.coloradocraftedbox.com

Who should I buy this for? Someone who loves variety, like Vegas buffets, and are hard to target for specific gifts. 

Alternatives: Alpine Arts of Fort Collins (https://www.alpineartscolorado.com) represents the Rocky Mountain West with more than half of the products made in Colorado, including hats, hoodies and T-shirts. Another favorite is a real aspen leaf plated in gold, silver or bronze and made into ornaments or jewelry. Another alternative is It’s Only Natural of Niwot (https://itsonlynaturalgifts.com). 

What is it? Artwork

Who makes it? Various artists from Madison and Main in downtown Greeley

Where can I get it? Madison and Main is located at 927 16th St., Greeley, and is an artist-owned co-op that’s operated since 1987, with ever-changing offerings as varied as pottery, paintings, jewelry, sculptors, stained glass and photography. There’s even a small library of books by local authors.

Go to www.madmaingallery.com or call (970) 351-6201.

Who should I buy this for? Someone who appreciates one-of-a-kind artwork that isn’t too esoteric, with a variety of thought-provoking pieces or comfortable decor. 

Alternatives: Many artists hold winter sales or co-operative events this time of year. Find them in your city for unique gifts. 

What is it? Spice

Who makes it? Colorado Spice Co. of Boulder. 

Where can I get it? Colorado Spice Co. is located at 6350 Gunpark Drive. This company has a national reputation for providing spice to restaurants, food makers and grocers, but also sells individual servings. 

Who should I buy this for? Chefs who want to prepare healthy, quick meals by following recipes included with the spice as well as foodies who want to experiment in the kitchen. 

Alternatives: Savory Spice and Old Town Spice Shop, both in Fort Collins.

What is it? An annual entrance pass to Larimer County Parks, Open Spaces and Trails 

How much is it? $90 for Larimer County residents and $120 for non-residents. Permits that include boats are twice as much. 

Where can I get it? Go to https://www.larimer.org/naturalresources/parks/permits

Who should I buy this for? Active residents who want to train for their next race, whether that’s biking, swimming or running (or all three), or those who enjoy hiking or wildlife watching all year long. There are enough trails that most residents could do a new hike every weekend. 

Alternatives: There are also annual passes to Colorado State Parks (https://cpw.state.co.us/buyapply/Pages/AnnualPassInfo.aspx) or Rocky Mountain National Park (www.nps.gov/romo). 

What is it? A stay at a bed and breakfast

Who makes it? The McCreery House, 746 N. Washington Ave., in Loveland is a good bet, featuring breakfast made by the owner. 

Where can I get it? Go to www.mccreeryhouse.com or call (970) 310-7383.

Who should I buy this for? Someone who worships weekend retreats. 

Alternatives: Some other popular choices include the Edwards House and the Inn at Whiskey Belle Ranch, both of Fort Collins; Boulder Guest House and the Alps Inn, both of Boulder; and the Niwot Inn and Spa of Niwot. 

What is it? All things nerd, including comic books, card sets, games, Funko Pop! and other novelties. 

Where can I get it? The Nerd Store doesn’t necessarily sell locally made gifts, but it’s probably the only store that offers one-stop shopping for just about every dorky thing you can dream up. The store is located at 807 Eighth St. downtown Greeley. Go to https://thenerdstore.ionsuite.com

Who should I buy this for? Yourself, if you’re a nerd, or your nerdy friends. You know who they are. 

Alternatives: Bricks and Minifigs, 1449 Denver Ave., Loveland, sells new and used LEGO sets (https://bricksandminifigs.com/loveland-co). 

What is it? Unique watches

Who makes it? Vortic Watches of Fort Collins. 

Where can I get it? Go to https://vorticwatches.com for more information and to see a gallery. 

Who should I buy this for? The watch fiend who loves exact, artistic wrist jewelry. 

What is it? Craft beer

Who makes it? Left Hand Brewing of Longmont

Where can I get it? Visit grocery stores or liquor stores or go to lefthandbrewing.com. You can also visit the outdoor venue, The Garden, next door to the brewery at 1245 Boston Ave., in Longmont. 

Who should I buy this for? There are so many terrific craft brewing places in our region, but Left Hand is definitely one of the best, with gift packages for any beer lover in your life. 

Alternatives: New Belgium of Fort Collins; Weld Werks or Wiley Roots in downtown Greeley; Verboten Brewing in downtown Loveland.

What is it? Distilled liquor 

Who makes it? Syntax Precision Spirits in downtown Greeley

Where can I get it? Go to syntaxspirits.com or visit the tasting room in the ancient and refurbished Greeley Elevator building. Syntax was one of the first in the area, if not THE first, to produce distilled alcohol. 

Who should I buy this for? Cocktail lovers who don’t really love beer. 

Alternatives: 477 Distilling in Greeley; Elevation 5003, Feisty Spirits Distillery or NoCO Distillery in Fort Collins; Boulder Spirits of Boulder. 

What is it? Tea

Who makes it? Happy Lucky’s Teahouse in Fort Collins

Where can I get it? The teahouse is located at 236 Walnut St. in Fort Collins, where “Leafsters” can help you pick out teas to fit your friends’ lifestyles (and perhaps yours as well). 

Who should I buy this for? People who need afternoon drinks but don’t like coffee past 8 a.m. 

Alternatives: Celestial Seasonings in Boulder.

Sarah Welle, co-founder of Colorado Crafted of Longmont, had good reason to hope she wouldn’t be burdened by all the nasty supply chain problems plaguing the nation: The gift boxes curated by her company contain products made by local Colorado businesses.

Alas, “there has been a ton of disruption this year,” she said, from an adhesive shortage affecting the Denver manufacturer that makes Colorado Crafted’s gift boxes to its candle maker that couldn’t find tins, to an order of candy canes cancelled at the last minute because of employee and ingredient shortages. 

“Luckily we can be flexible, and our vendors are super…

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