It’s Buy Local Week here in Colorado, and around the country. There are so many reasons why it’s good to buy local, and according to ColoradoLocalFirst.com, there are five main reasons.
1. Environment By buying things closer to home you are cutting down on fossil fuel use, reducing your carbon impact AND saving money!
2. Local Economy Local businesses buy more often from other local businesses, so the money you spend is retained in the community in a more concentrated fashion.
3. Local Flavor The experience at a local establishment is unique – providing the local flavor of the area.
4. Community Care Local entrepreneurs are more connected to our community, because they live here, too! They are more likely to get involved in community efforts and activities.
5. Voicing Your Opinion By buying locally you are saying, “Hey, I like this business and the neighborhood wouldn’t be the same without it.”
So without further ado, to celebrate Buy Local Week here on HeidiTown, I’ve joined forces with a local Colorado company, LoyalTee, a Denver-based t-shirt company. LoyalTee is a collection of shirts featuring local landmarks, like Johnson’s Corner, Stadium Inn, and Duranglers Fly Fishing, to name a few.
All LoyalTee shirts are made in the USA, and a percentage of all sales goes to the business feature on the shirt. I absolutely love this company and their concept, so I was very happy when they decided to be a part of a HeidiTown contest.
In addition to getting a $23 gift certificate and free shipping to LoyalTee, the lucky winner of this contest will also get a HeidiTown t-shirt!
Just leave me a comment telling me your favorite Colorado landmark and you’ll be entered. As usually, I will pick the winner (at random) on Friday afternoon, Dec. 2, 2011, at approximately 3 p.m.
It’s hard for me to pick just one favorite Colorado landmark, but today I think I’ll go with the Bucksnort Saloon. I love that the Bucksnort is located up a long dirt road. I love their un-level floors, and I especially love their forest fire burger with jalapenos and cream cheese.
Good luck!
~ Contest Closed ~
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Ah, I did some underage drinking in the Bucksnort, back in the day! Alas, you already picked it. On the subject of bars, I’d also choose The Little Bear in Evergreen. However, a great place to take creepy photos (as a photog, I’m always on the lookout) is Lakeside Amusement Park.
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Hi Heidi,
I get absolutely giddy when a Heidi visits town! 🙂 I’ve been to The Little Bear and that’s a GOOD one! I’ve never been to Lakeside, although my husband remembers going there while growing up in the Denver area. I’ve watched a fascinating documentary on the place – locally made, but very good. If you ever get a chance to watch it, it’s worth it. Good luck!
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I wanted to come up with something quirky and awesome, but you know what’s the stone truth (pun intended)? I love Red Rocks. That place is effing magic and home to so many amazing memories and awestruck moments I don’t even know where to begin. So – my answer is kinda boring but the place is kinda amazing.
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We used to live 10 minutes from Red Rocks. It’s most definitely one-of-a-kind and so very Colorado.
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I love that Lonnigan’s place in Estes. I could live there. LOL. SO fun!
Plus I just really wanted to enter to win the shirt. 🙂
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We went to Lonigans to watch a Bronco game long before I even lived in Colorado! 🙂 I hadn’t thought about that place in awhile. It is fun.
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Online at http://lonigans.com/. 🙂
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Man, I’d have a very hard time picking one place – I’m a semi-native (moved here when I was 5). I think the D & F Tower is kinda iconic Denver, and it’s modeled after the one in St. Mark’s Square in Venice. A couple of bars/restaurants I remember from my childhood (that are still around) are My Brother’s Bar and Wazee Lounge & Supperclub, which still had the viaduct running by it when we used to visit as kids. LoDo was a different place back then!
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My Brothers Bar is a GREAT one Mary K. A true iconic Denver landmark. Love their cream cheese and jalapeno burger… 🙂
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Can’t find a website for it, but here’s the Westword says about MBB: http://www.westword.com/bestof/2011/award/best-brothers-bar-1770397/
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As a native of Southwest Colorado, I’m going to have to go with Mesa Verde – the shape of that mesa was a part of my skyline until I headed off to college.
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Love, love, love that area!!! Dolores is one of my favorite little Colorado towns. We stayed there a couple years go and spent the days exploring Mesa Verde and the surrounding area. Good one! http://www.nps.gov/meve/index.htm
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The Devils Backbone. cool looking and fun/easy place to hike!
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My favorite hike in NoCo!!! http://www.co.larimer.co.us/parks/openlands/os_devils_backbone.htm
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It has to be Bruce’s in Severance, oysters for all. 🙂 Admit it a bar that is world famous for selling Bull balls has got to be the winner.
http://brucesbar123.com/
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Bruce’s is iconic, that’s for sure. My friend had her 30th there about six or so years ago and it was one hell of a party!!! Balls and all… 🙂
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As a Colorado newbie I don’t know many major landmarks yet, although I will say the mountains are a huge part of why we are here. Can I say RMNP is a major landmark for me?!
Or a better more local business would be the Copper Pot in Denver – we’ve only been there once but it was great!
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Well, as it turns out, you aren’t the only who picked RMNP! I do love the park, although we rarely go because they don’t allow dogs and we usually hike with HeidiTown Security, Xena the Princess Warrior dog. 🙂
Link to RMNP: http://www.nps.gov/romo/index.htm
Yeah! Another Heidi commented on HeidiTown!!!
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As a non-native of Colorado, I have to say Red Rocks. I had heard tales of it my entire life (from my former-hippie parents) and absolutely couldn’t wait to see it with my own eyes when we moved here. It lived up to the legend and then some 🙂
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One of the best concert venues in the world. Have you been to the Gorge in Washington? Another memorable and one-of-a-kind concert venue. Sting at sunset was pretty amazing.
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Red rocks and in Loveland anywhere where one of the hearts are
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Yes, Loveland is a city with heART!
http://www.engagingloveland.org/events/featured-events/a-city-with-heart
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I could be a little cheeky and say “Casa Bonita”. Is that a landmark?
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The Mayor’s husband says you should win! LOL! Growing up in Colorado, he has a special place in his heart for Casa Bonita. Me, on the other hand, just had a special kind of heartburn after being forced to go there.
But it is a Colorado landmark – for better or worse!!! It even made an episode of South Park.
http://www.casabonitadenver.com/
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There used to be a bar on the corner of Alameda and Colfax I think. My grandparents went there and everyone else in the family as well. They used to serve a “platter”. They put as many beers as could fit on a waitress’ tray. Ahhhh. Memories of my 21st birthday. I think they tore it down. Sad.
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I have to admit to being passionate about homemade spaghetti. The best is the Blue Parrot in Louisville. We went there for every birthday and special occasion starting in the 50’s with my parents, continuing on with my children, and now with the grandkids. Yummy!!
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My mother-in-law would agree. She grew up in Castle Rock and when she was a little girl their entire family would drive up to the Blue Parrot for spaghetti. There is no doubt that this place holds a special place in the heart of many longtime residents of Colorado.
http://theblueparrotrestaurant.com/
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Again, not sure if mine is considered a landmark, but I would pick the Bonnie Brae Tavern..hands down. This place is near and dear to my heart, because as a kid, every Friday after work/school, we met my grandparents there for dinner. I grew up in South Denver, and can re-call wanting so badly to work there, as a busser, or even a waitress when I got older. (sadly that never happened). I can’t recall though, the number of pizza slices I have had from there, or the burgers and fries I have ate over the years. I can’t recall the number of times the owners, and then their kids, and then their kids, greeted my family as we walked in the door. While there are plenty of other “foodie” places surrounding Bonnie Brae in Cherry Creek, and downtown, Bonnie Brae will always feel like home to me.
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I think that Bonnie Brae Tavern is ABSOLUTELY a landmark!!! When I moved here over a decade ago, my husband (who would be a native, but was an Air Force brat) informed me that Bonnie Brae Tavern had “been around forever.”
According to their website it’s 76 years old! That’s pretty impressive.
http://www.bonniebraetavern.com/
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I’m not sure if it can be considered a landmark, but Rocky National Park is by far my favorite place in Colorado! For many folks it represents a happy family vacation, or a scenic drive on the way to Grand Lake, or the place to take visiting friends and family to see all of the amazing wildlife, or a great place to hike and snow-shoe.
But to us, it is the home of our first date, the place we got engaged, and was the perfect place to take our wedding pictures.
When I first moved to Colorado RMNP was the place I would drive up to every Sunday before dusk. I’d feed chipmunks up on my favorite look-out (yes, it’s illegal) and hope to see a bear (I did see a baby black bear on one of my first visits!) There was nothing more relaxing than driving down the canyon at sunset and watching the wildlife graze.
Four years after I moved to Colorado, I met a guy who loved Rocky Mountain National Park just as much as I did! And here I am, 8 years a Colorado citizen, and just as in love with that ‘landmark’ as I was on my very first visit!
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Awwww…. I bet the chipmunks miss you!!!
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Pikes Peak. The climb and the rewarding visitor’s center at the top are an experience not forgotten!
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Marty, that’s a really good one! Pikes Peak is most definitely a very visible Colorado landmark!!!
http://www.pikes-peak.com/
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In Fort Collins, it’s the Avery House. Runner-up in the area is the Stanley Hotel (the way I remember it from years ago before there was a Safeway right down the hill 🙂 )
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The Avery House is a Fort Collins landmark, but The Stanley is a Colorado landmark for sure! I wouldn’t be surprised if LoyalTee does a Stanley t-shirt sometime. I still haven’t stayed there, but I really want too! In room 217, of course!
Avery House: http://www.poudrelandmarks.org/
Stanley Hotel: http://stanleyhotel.com/
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I love the walk along the river in downtown Estes Park – not sure if it qualifies as a landmark, but it reminds me so much of my MN North Shore (Two Harbors to Grand Marais), i love the view, the shops the benches, the little play area for the kiddos. It reminds me of home :o)
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Char, I love that walk too. I even mentioned it in my article about Estes Park, http://www.heiditown.com/travel-agency/colorado/a-second-look-at-estes-park-colorado/.
I think the Historic Park Theater is a pretty awesome Estes Park landmark. Estes has grown on me… http://www.estesnet.com/
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Ooh, tough one to choose. If someone was visiting from out of state I would probably want to make sure they saw Red Rocks. My heart still belongs to Leadville, which is a landmark unto itself, but I always hit the Silver Dollar when I’m there – for history, of course;)
PS: Pick me, pick me!
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Getting in just in time….thanks for the contest Heidi! Great article on shopping local, love it! This may sound kind of strange but one of my favorite places to visit in Colorado are the cemeteries at the top of the hill in Central City. It is so peaceful up there, unless the motorbikes are running. It’s a great place to visit when the leaves are changing, beautiful views.
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Sorry for the tardiness on announcing the winner… we were on the road and then we were out of internet zone for the weekend.
The winner is KIM B.!!! She has been contacted via email.
Thanks to everyone who entered and please consider making a LoyalTee t-shirt a present for someone on your list this holiday season!
~Heidi
The Mayor 🙂
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This is really awesome idea to gift some one. Express your true self with the most fashionable and elegant lifestyle of Colorado with shirt and various garments. There are many other Colorado products in the Colorado clothing company.