Beloved boutique adds third location in Vail
In addition to stores in Beaver Creek and Minturn Alpine Kind opens along Gore Creek in Vail Village
Alpine Kind Vail/Courtesy photo
Just in time for the holiday shopping rush and Small Business Saturday, Alpine Kind is open for business in Vail Village. This mountain inspired boutique is the brand’s third location in the valley, but owner Sally January said it has always been a dream of hers to have a store in Vail Village, but not just any store.
“I wanted it to be that one store that, no matter who you are, you can find something that reminds you of your trip here, but maybe not in a traditional way,” January said. “Rather than a t-shirt or a shot glass, you can find a locally-made candle that smells just like the forest, or maybe you make a custom hat, where every time you wear that hat, you are reminded of your magical experience in Vail, a place unlike anywhere else.”
January started Alpine Kind’s concept in Oklahoma over nine years ago and she brought it to Beaver Creek more than six years ago. It was originally called Siempre Viva but was rebranded to Alpine Kind during the summer of 2022. The Minturn location was added during the summer of 2023 and January said it was an essential part of the equation to have Alpine Kind’s headquarters there.
“When we opened the Minturn shop, it was partly to offer a shop in Minturn, but also to house our headquarters, where we process inventory, have storage and where we office. I needed that location to be able to keep up with the inventory demand,” January said. “Now that we have added Vail, it feels like our system is complete and I am excited to fine tune it. It’s come to my favorite part, learning from experience and then using that experience to improve what we do.”
January’s goal to have a store in Vail was because she felt there is a large void in retail there.
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“We have a plethora of souvenir shops, art galleries and high-end shopping, but there is very little in between,” January said. “I wanted to design a store where if I were on a girls’ trip, we would be obsessed with this place. It would be a place to buy gifts, but also a place to spoil ourselves.”
The apparel featured inspires a life outdoors with lines like Cotopaxi, Kavu and Sorel. They also offer a variety of locally made jewelry, candles and keepsakes. January also added Alpine Hats, a concept she tested out this summer with a pop-up location in Beaver Creek. Alpine Hats allows you to pick out your hat and add embellishments like hat bands, personalized branding and more.
“With the addition of the hat bar and the polished look, there are very high vibes going on in this location,” added January, who spent the last several months doing a lot of the remodel herself while running the two other locations. Alpine Kind in Vail Village is in the Sitzmark Lodge along Gore Creek in the former Colorado Footwear location. Currently, the shop is open daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and will move into high season hours of 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Dec. 15.
“It has always been my vision to have a Vail Village location and now that it is complete, it is time to start setting my goals higher,” January said. “But my goal first is to ensure the long-term success of our Vail location so that my business can continue to thrive in new and exciting ways.”
Keep tabs on events, sales and more activities at Alpine Kind’s three locations by following them on Instagram and Facebook.
