Shopping in Vail

  Following a day of skiing, it has long been our practice to head back for a hot shower and then foray into town for a little shopping before what most people consider the real “après-ski” experience: the restorative drink or three and a lively review of the day’s slopeside adventures and triumphs. Fortunately, the opportunities for retail diversion in Vail are many. To be sure, plenty of shops sell kitschy souvenirs and enough T-shirts to clothe the planet, but here are some places that stand out.

Gorsuch (263 East Gore Creek Drive), which we always look forward to, is the apotheosis of refined alpine style and taste. Its charming chalet-like building is full of clothing, housewares and skiwear that is just about unmatched. The array of sweaters is exceptional, and we have long found this to be one of the best places for a good selection of the Dale of Norway line that we like for its design and versatility. The downstairs home furnishings department is full of attractive china and glassware that is heavy on motifs such as stags and pinecones that we often use at home for holiday and winter entertaining. Gorsuch has a dedicated housewares shop in Beaver Creek, as well as branches in Beaver Creek and Aspen.

Pepi Sports (231 Bridge Street) is similar to Gorsuch in that it sells sportswear, ski equipment, casual clothes and home furnishings. We have long admired the store’s skiwear, and have more than once walked out the door with a jacket or hat that, perhaps, we did not really need — but had to have (Mrs. Harper nods in agreement). Based on our most recent visit, we can heartily recommend the ski equipment department. A friend felt that it was time for new boots, so we joined her in her pursuit. After trying a couple of other places, we ended up at Pepi, in the hands of Tanju Torgout. His knowledge, service and care could not have impressed us more, so much so that two others in our party asked to be fitted. The results were happy indeed: Our friend noticed a marked improvement in her comfort and skill the first day with the new boots, and we therefore can send you to Mr. Torgout with the utmost confidence.

Kidsport (122 East Meadow Drive) has a full array of ski equipment, clothing and accessories for children of all ages. The children who were part of our party were already kitted out when we arrived in Vail, so we initially visited the store merely out of interest. But we were impressed with the array of products offered, found the staff friendly and seemingly well-informed, and we would make this a first stop if we were in the market to outfit kids for adventures on the slopes. And we did leave with hats and jackets for a couple of young relatives who were not on our trip.

The Squash Blossom (198 Gore Creek Drive) is a lovely store that specializes in jewelry from all over the world. The emphasis is on pieces that use gold and precious stones, and the array of bracelets, earrings, necklaces and charms is very impressive. The owners, John and Patti Cogswell, source all of the jewelry with utmost care, and over 34 years of business have developed relationships with many highly respected artisans whose work appears in the handsome wood display cases. Obviously, this is not quite my thing, but the women in our group were quite taken with what we found — and we made several happy purchases. Illustration © Melissa Colson.