Lori Schuster Q & A: Why Old Town, Fort Collins is the best place to shop on a budget
Lori Schuster is the mother of CSU student, Jenna Schuster. Lori lives in Parker, CO but makes the drive up to Fort Collins frequently…both to see her daughter and to enjoy her favorite shopping paradise: Old Town.
The transcript below has been lightly edited for readability.
Is shopping your primary reason for coming to Fort Collins?
I am probably in Fort Collins about once a month, both to visit my daughter and to shop. My favorite restaurant is “Blue Agave”. They have absolutely the best Mexican food, on the order of gourmet Mexican, and they have a huge selection of tequila and margaritas.
What are your favorite places to frequent in the Old Town area and why?
My favorite shop is “Sense of Place”. They have lovely home accessories at reasonable prices. Having recently moved to a new home, this store was perfect for me to fill in shelves, corners, and walls. It is a beautiful store and is definitely a “happy place” for me. On my latest trip they allowed my golden retriever in to shop with me, an extra bonus. The other side of the store is “The Perennial Gardener”. They sell some outdoor accessories, bird houses, bird baths, fairy gardens, etc., as well as lavender sachets, soaps, scarves, and jewelry.
Of those, which are the best in terms of pricing? What places do you think have the best deals?
Honestly I think Blue Agave, Sense of Place, and The Perennial Gardener are all quite reasonable and offer quality.
Are there any shops/restaurants that you tend to stay away from because of high prices?
There are pricey shops in Old Town and I do stay away from them. The Kansas City Kitty is still within price range and I have shopped there.
What would you consider a perfect night out in Old Town? Where would you go, start-to-finish? (shopping, eating, drinks, etc.)
A perfect night out in Old Town would include a latte at Starry Night Coffee Shop, then shopping at the above stores and loading my car, especially from Sense of Place. Blue Agave’s mango guacamole and one of their specialty margaritas would be next, followed by one of their shrimp offerings. A stop on the way back to the car would be Mary’s Mountain Cookies across the street for an oatmeal raisin cookie.
Do you have any suggestions for how people can save money while going out in Old Town?
I just avoid the high-end stores. Students should take advantage of student discounts where offered, and hit the clearance racks.
How do you think the overall experience of shopping in Old Town could be better? Is there anything you would change about the town? Are there any shops that you would love to see establish a location in Old Town?
More parking would help out, although I always park somewhere…. Live music outside would be nice on weekends. More benches/seating areas. They do a great job with flowers and lights. If they would take the parking out from the middle of College and make it more park-like with benches, fountains, maybe a small area for entertainment. They could close a section of College to traffic entirely and mimic what Boulder has with Pearl Street. I like that idea, but again, parking problem. I love the painted pianos but I rarely see anyone play them. More art, sculptures, fountains, flowers!
