46 MARCH 26-APRIL 1, 2026 westword.com WESTWORD | FOOD & DRINK | MUSIC & VENUES | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT | SHOPPING & SERVICES | SPORTS & RECREATION | CONTENTS | Best Sign of Life on 16th Street XSO Night Club 500 16th Street, Suite 322 xsodenver.com For years when confused visitors stopped us on 16th Street asking where to go for a night out, our answer was: Not here. But in less than a year, the XSO Night Club has become a reason to hop on the MallRide at all hours. The sprawling venue on the third level of Denver Pavilions plays Latin, EDM and reggaeton music across multiple themed rooms and on an outdoor terrace. It offers a higher-end experience compared to its neighbors, with upscale decor and a dress code for attendees. Though the location isn’t known for being a party scene, XSO might just turn that reputation around. Best Sign of Life on East Colfax Avenue La Vista Motel 5500 East Colfax effortlessstay.com/la-vista-motel-rooms Once a popular stop for travelers in the 1950s, La Vista fell into decay and noto- riety after Interstate 70 replaced Colfax Avenue as the main way West. But a recent renovation has transformed the motel into hipster-vibed, boutique lodging with a mid- century feel and all the modern amenities. Sharing the space is El Piñon, a combina- tion coffee-and-crafted-cocktails bar that has indoor and outdoor seating, with more in the cozy, ’60s-reminiscent Grandma’s Basement. While the Colfax Bus Rapid Transit project has hit many businesses hard over the last year, La Vista can see the future — and it’s looking good. Best Antique Store Antiques Etc. 5736 East Colfax Avenue denverantiques.com The days of South Broadway being the only place to go antique-shopping are over. Now, you can fi nd great shops all over town — including on East Colfax Avenue, where Antiques Etc. has a style all its own. Rather than specializing in fusty furnishings, the fifty-plus dealers who occupy the more than 10,000-square-foot store carry the coolest artifacts of the mid-20th century: paintings, glassware, vinyl, vintage cloth- ing and assorted decor items that defy easy characterization. The layout has plenty of personality, too, with three floors filled with booths and sales areas. Every nook, cranny and turned corner reveals fresh surprises, and the prices are usually rea- sonable enough to transform looky-loos into customers. Best Place to Buy Super Cheap Closeouts Leo’s Discount & Bin Store 4901 East Evans Avenue facebook.com/p/Leos-Discount-Bin- Store-61580245102045/ Looking for random retail items for way less than you’d pay online or at a big-name box store, things like sheets, mattress top- pers, appliances, clothes and small kitchen appliances? Leo’s Discount & Bin Store is fi lled with all kinds of overstock items and returns from Amazon, Target and Kohl’s, as well as other arbitrary merchandise that you can get for just a few bucks. Leo’s re- freshes its revolving assortment of goods weekly. On Friday, stuff in the bins goes for ten bucks, and the price decreases ev- ery day until Thursday — when the store closes to restock. Best Shop for Mid-Century and Modern Home Decor Adorn Objects 1671 Market Street adornobjects.com Both a retail shop and interior design ser- vice, Adorn Objects will help you elevate your home or office decor with unique accessories. Created by Gensler Denver, the 2800-square-foot store has bright- white walls, high arches, terrazzo fl oors, modular fi xtures and colorful nooks; the hygge-esque space lends itself to commu- nity events featuring local creatives as well as creative shopping. You’ll receive person- alized service while selecting everything from lighting to textiles, books, fragrances and works by the local artists-in-residence. Best Ma and Pa Thrift Store Assistance League of Denver Thrift Shop 6265 East Evans Avenue, Suite 8 assistanceleague.org/denver/ thrift-mart/ Thrifting used to be a lot more fun back in the day. Walking into a resale shop was once a captivating capricious adventure, where you had no idea what secondhand salvages you’d find, from a vintage pair of 501s to a threadbare ’80s metal T-shirt from a concert at a venue that doesn’t exist anymore. Like just about everything else, thrifting has become mainstream, and al- most all of the places you go to now are picked over or overpriced. But not the As- sistance League of Denver Thrift Shop. At this quaint place, you can still fi nd good deals on some great gems. Best Place to Find Your Favorite Childhood Toy Fifty-Two-80’s 1874 South Broadway the80sareawesome.com Do you have some dim memory of a weird little toy from your childhood in the ’70s, ’80s or ’90s that you cherish but can’t even name anymore? Now there’s a place where you can see all those toys back on the shelves, just like they were at Kmart and Toys “R” Us back in the day. Whether it’s an egg-shaped ghost that glows in the dark (the Weebles Haunted House), a G.I. Joe knockoff action fi gure (Sgt. Rock with your own unique dog tag!) or a stuffed monkey- thing that you remember from the theme song (Monchhichi, Monchhichi, oh so soft and cuddly), they’re all here, along with more super-rad stuff. Best Vintage Store for Unexpected Finds Regal Vintage 1866 South Broadway instagram.com/ regalvintagestore Opened in 2004 by James Elliot and Ste- phen Castillo, Regal Vintage has been a Denver fashion staple for more than two decades. The store is always well-stocked with must-have vintage gowns, shirts, pants and sweaters, but you also might fi nd something you didn’t know you needed — like a kitschy cat planter, antique geta shoes or a Penny Lane coat. Organized by era, this store also makes shopping for something specifi c easy, and Castillo and Elliot always provide a welcoming and fun atmosphere. Best Vintage Store to Find Something Creepy Scavenged Goods 3229 East Colfax Avenue instagram.com/scavengedgoods Punk-friendly vintage store Scavenged Goods, owned by Chip Litherland, is an antique and clothing hot spot where shop- pers might come across anything from tiny antique glasses and photographs to old band tees and pins. Lovers of the occult, strange or just plain creepy will be particularly pleased to fi nd a clown room (yes, with dozens of clown plushies and fi gurines packed into the space); anatomical heart, skull and baby- head candles; and other curiosities that Litherland comes across in his scavenging. “The punk community in Denver is like fam- ily,” he says. “The store is at least partially there as a gathering place.” Best Place to Find Unique Earrings The Common Collective 613 East 13th Avenue instagram.com/thecommoncollectiveco Opened in 2021 by Tristan Bego and Jenny Neal, the Common Collective is a staple of Capitol Hill’s East 13th Avenue, close to other favorites like Wax Trax, Jelly Cafe and Kilgore Books. The store works with vendors to supply upcycled and vintage clothing in a variety of sizes and styles; it also stocks unique accesso- ries, including jewelry and hair clips. The rotating selection of earrings includes unique fi nds that are sure to earn you compliments wherever you go. Pro tip: Don’t miss the great clearance rack at the back of the store. Best Place to Find Bling While Supporting a Good Cause Jewels for Hope 3500 South Corona Street, Englewood childrensdiabetesfoundation.org/ programs/jewels-for-hope Savvy jewelry lovers mark their calendars for the second Saturday of every month, when Jewels for Hope opens its doors for a fes- tive jewelry sale. Donated bracelets, earrings, necklaces, rings and designer bags can be had for a song, and there are also grab bags of miscellany perfect for craft projects. Founded in 2004 by the parents of diabetic children, the program has raised over $500,000 for the Barbara Davis Center for Diabetes; sorting, repairing and pricing the jewelry is done by a dedicated group of volunteers. Best Way to Dress Well While Reducing Your Carbon Footprint The Yellow Morning 358 South Teller Street, Lakewood theyellowmorning.com After working in the fast-fashion industry for several years, Ashley Mitchell saw the need for a more sustainable way for consumers to “look good without feeling bad.” That led to her opening an online store, and now The Yellow Morning vintage boutique, a welcom- ing retail space in Belmar. The focus here is on curated, high-quality, classic pre-owned pieces, arranged by color. Just for fun, you can order “mystery outfi ts,” which contain a few complementary pieces, or pick up a “curated bundle,” with tops, bottoms, layer- ing pieces and accessories tailored to your preferences. continued on page 51 S H O P P I N G & S E R V I C E S ILLUSTRATIONS BY GETT Y IMAGES
