MADE IN COLORADO.

• Author: Peterson, Eric

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DOUBLEBUTTER FURNITURE

Dexter Thornton and David Larabee started making furniture as DoubleButter in 2006. Under a moniker that owes its origins to Thornton's preferred toppings on English muffins (with both peanut butter and regular butter), the duo set up shop in Denver's Baker neighborhood.

The flagship product, the sleek Roadrunner chair, has remained the same over the years, as Thornton and Larabee expanded into desks, tables and storage for both the residential and office markets. "All of our pieces are suitable for commercial environments," Doran says. "That awesome color pop sets our desks apart."

In spring 2018, the company opened a new showroom next to the shop at 29 Galapago St. in Denver. "It's not a store," Doran says. "Everything is made to order."

Most products $275 to $2,375 retail

Location: Denver

doublebutter.com

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DUEL DESIGN STUDIO PUNNY COSTUMES

With a background in architecture and interior design, Megan Gilligan started making personalized wedding gifts in 2014 and expanded into the Halloween market based on a personal passion for the holiday. "I've always loved costumes," she says. "Growing up, I loved Halloween and dressing up."

Gilligan noticed people would either make their own costume or spend a fair amount of money on a poorly made import, so she offered a middle ground based on puns, such as Black Sheep of the Family (a sheep-like hoodie), the his-and-her Deer in the Headlights (a "headlights bra" for her and antlers for him), and Chip on Your Shoulder (an oversized potato chip to pin on a shoulder). "I think it's a funny twist on Halloween," Gilligan says. "It doesn't have to be makeup and scary."

$5 to $150 retail

Location: Denver

dueldesignshop.com

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SMOK BRAND SAUCES

Cybersecurity engineer Patrick Tolbert planted the seeds for SMOK with his wife, Tanja, when they lived in her native Germany. "Finding Tabasco was a problem, so we just made our own," Tolbert says.

The couple went pro with SMOK Brand when they moved to Colorado Springs in 2013. The catalog now includes four sauces: the original "Louisiana Style" sauce, Triple-S BBQ Sauce, Whiskey Glaze, and...