There are numerous galleries and shops in town. Many of the high-end trendy stores like Prada, have taken over many of the long-time, locally owned retailers over the past 10 years. I still try to frequent the original ones.
Located in an old Victorian house, Explore Booksellers is the perfect place to get lost. It has a great selection of books including bestsellers, art books and many books on travel. 221 E Main St. The cafe upstairs is one of my favorite spots in town.
One of the best galleries in town is Galerie Maximillian, at 602 E. Cooper, which offers 19th-20th century masterworks on paper and contemporary British and American art.
I never miss Amen Wardy. They have a new location at 625 E Main. It is great for gifts, table top and home accessories!
A major part of the Aspen art scene is Intersect Aspen, formerly ArtAspen, in early August. It features over 30 galleries plus artists talks and advice on how to build an art collection. It is held at the Aspen Ice Garden located at 233 W Hyman Ave.
Thanks to ArtAspen/Intersect Aspen, I found Christopher Martin who does wonderful abstract, contemporary pieces. Make sure to visit his gallery at 525 E. Cooper.
Baldwin Gallery: Located at 209 S. Galena, this is one of the best contemporary art galleries in town.
Pitkin County Dry Goods, since 1969, has great clothes and ski apparel, Gorsuch has wonderful clothes and home accessories with a Tyrolean feel. They have three locations in town, 611 E. Durant, 419 E. Cooper and 601 E. Dean St. The latest on Dean St. sells ski clothing and accessories and includes a casual coffee bar at the base of Ajax.
Ute Mountaineer has the best hiking and outdoor clothing and Kemo Sabe has fun western apparel. Kemo Sabe recently moved to a new location around the corner at 217 S. Galena. Aspen Home Consignment has some great antiques and home accessories. 202 E. Main.
The Aspen Emporium and Flying Circus at 315 E Main is a fun store with a mix of local vendors and artists. You will find food products, vintage clothing and jewelry. Have fun wandering the maze of shops.
Hayes Silver and Goldsmiths was founded in Aspen by Jim Hayes in 1949. He was known for his handmade aspen leaf jewelry including belt buckles, money clips, earrings, pendants, cufflinks, bracelets, key chains and pins. My brother has had several of his pieces for many years. Today the company is still operated by his daughter, Jess Bates. You can find his pieces at the Aspen Saturday Market or online.
The Boutique at the Little Nell, just off the lobby has some great gift items such as clothing, jewelry, handbags, totes, blankets, hats, artwork, books, home accessories, spa products, dog treats and leashes, postcards, wine glasses, pre-packaged food from the element 47 kitchen and much more.
The Opera Gallery is a leading international dealer and representative of modern and contemporary art with galleries in prime locations in New York, Miami, Aspen, London, Paris, Monaco, Geneva, Zurich, Singapore, Hong Kong, Seoul, Beirut and Dubai. Make sure to stop in to see their current offerings. 501 E. Dean St.
Another gallery that I found recently is the Cha Cha Gallery at 426 E. Hyman for contemporary art and jewelry.
In August, 2021 I explored a number of new galleries in the self-guided Gallery Walk. New finds included Casterline/Goodman Gallery at 631 E, Durant which features well-known contemporary artists including Keith Haring, Donald Judd, Gerhard Richter, Alexander Calder, David Hockney and Jeff Koons. They also have a location at 611 E. Cooper.
Fat City Gallery, at 529 E. Cooper Ave., features contemporary art and the posters of Thomas W Benton and local, Hunter Thompson. It was previously the Gonzo Gallery.
Hexton Gallery, at 447 E. Cooper, has a number of paintings, prints and sculpture from today’s leading contemporary talent.
Valley Fine Art at 231 S. Mill St. is known for its western art, including works by famed photographer Edward Curtis.
I also just found Guadalupe Laiz | Gallery Space, which features the photographs by international photographer Guadalupe Laiz. 306 S Mill St.
In September 2024, I went to the Aspen Art Gallery at 427 E Hyman Ave. I read in The Aspen Times that morning that German artist Martin Köster was doing a painting demo. I stopped by and enjoyed meeting him and the gallery owner, Damian Guillot. His streetscapes are excellent and the gallery was very attractive.
Harvey Preston Gallery: An excellent gallery which moved downtown a few years ago from Aspen Highlands. They specialize in contemporary ceramics, prints and works on paper. Check out their current exhibitions at their new location at 465 N Mill St.#14.
