Shopping in Longmont

Colorado Life’s contributors scour the plains and peaks of their state, regaling readers with tales of quaint vacation locales, stunning natural vistas, and unique area residents. Articles on local history connect present-day residents to the distant past, and pieces covering cultural topics acquaint readers with aircraft museums and Colorado’s tradition of Spanish folk music. Rich writing and colorful photographs bring the Centennial State’s hidden treasures to life, such as tucked-away bed and breakfasts, windswept canyons, and the secret fifth corner along the border with Utah. Elsewhere in the magazine’s pages, rustic comfort-food and breakfast recipes brighten up potlucks and family meals.

When Nicole Joelle's parents placed a slim, pink 110 camera into her 6-year-old hands, it was love at first sight. As she watched her first photos materialize underneath the chemicals of her 7th-grade darkroom, she knew her life would revolve around her passion. And it has. Since graduating from the Art Institute of Colorado, Nicole (or Nikki to her friends) has captured intimate images of families and young couples at Contemporary Photography while striking a subtle balance between her subjects and their environment. Family portraits pop out against a simple black background or studio setting, while engagement photos travel to sentimental locales to pick up the textured exterior of a red-brick wall or the peeling paint on an old storefront. At Contemporary Photography, Nicole presents a distinctly modern and mature take on boudoir sessions, framing skin and lace in soft folds of studio lighting. Her photo studio also hosts workshops with trained instructors, helping gets students past questions like "When should I use flash?" and "How do I Photoshop the lens cap out of my self-portrait?"

Akinz began in a studio apartment in Houston, Texas, where founder Suzanne Akin designed T-shirts and tank tops to sell from the back of her purple Mini Cooper. After peddling her colorful wares at bars and wakeboarding events, Suzanne moved to Colorado, where she fell in love with snowboarding culture and expanded her clothing repertoire to include stylish beanies, hoodies, and jewelry—all knit, acid-washed, and crocheted by hand.

Like Theodore Roosevelt's early years taming wild grizzlies in the Pacific Northwest, each item of clothing exudes a free-spirited, peaceful aesthetic, as exhibited by the company's encouraging slogan, "Find Your Wings." In addition to outfitting customers with trendy active wear and outdoor apparel, Akinz adamantly supports the local bike culture, sponsoring Fort Collins-area Bike to Work events and the Fort Collins Bike Co-op.

Operating under the mantra that fly-fishing isn't a hobby but instead a lifestyle, St. Peter's Fly Shop prepares anglers of all experience levels for success on the stream with classes, gear, and an encyclopedic knowledge of man's gilled adversary. Two Fort Collins locations sit within close proximity of local fishing hot spots, including the waters of Rocky Mountain National Park—famous for its placid lakes made from pastels on canvas—and the Poudre River. There, the staff leads educational courses and guided trips that spend equal time with instruction and hands-on fishing practice, allowing students to perfect the often-difficult art of casting with finesse and accuracy. Back at the shop, customers reel in top-notch equipment such as Winston rods, Simms waders, and Brodin nets, which are sturdy enough to secure a bucking trout as it tries to nestle in the hammock.

In a reflection of how easy it is to make a quick jaunt of I–70 on the way to the Colorado ski resorts, the staff at Exit 240 Ski Shop puts convenience first. In doing so, it supplies clients with four levels of ski and snowboard rentals, along with waxing and tuning services, so customers are ready to hit the slopes as soon as they arrive. While they are fitted for boots, they can chat with the staff about the latest snow reports while sipping selections from a full espresso bar.