In a town where winters are long, trends come and go, and small businesses feel every bump in the economy, reaching a 40-year anniversary is no small thing. This year, Top Notch hits that mark, celebrating four decades as a downtown fixture and a go-to stop for locals and visitors alike who want clothing and gear that actually work for life in Golden.
Since opening their doors in the mid-1980s, the shop has grown alongside the community. What started as a local retail idea has evolved into a place where you can find workwear tough enough for the job site, streetwear that fits every day mountain-town life, plus boots and shoes, sunglasses, accessories and even tuxedo rentals (until two years ago) when the occasion calls for it. It is that mix of practical and unexpected that has kept people coming back over and over again.
Walk into the store, and you feel it right away. This is not a rush-you-through kind of place. Staff take the time to talk, to ask where you are headed and what you actually need. If something is not on the rack, they will try to source it. That old-school service is not accidental. It is how the business has survived everything from economic downturns to the rise of online shopping.
Over 40 years, fashion has changed, board sports have exploded, tourism has shifted, and supply chains have tested everyone’s patience. Through it all, Top Notch & Brent’s has adapted without losing its identity. The shop has supported community events, helped outfit first jobs and first ski days, and quietly built relationships that go well beyond a single purchase.
Longevity like this does not happen by chance. It happens when a business understands its town and shows up consistently, year after year, and when owners like Deb and Brent Kwiatek commit to the community.
As Top Notch marks its 40th anniversary, the milestone is about more than a number. It is a reminder that independent retail still matters here, that local knowledge has value, and that when a business invests in its community, the community invests right back.
For Golden, that is something worth celebrating.
1. What inspired you to open the store in the first place?
Deb: I was working at Uptown Girl in the space where the dollar store is now, and the bookstore had just moved out of the space next door. Around that time, men were starting to dress up more, but there really wasn’t anywhere in Golden for them to shop. Barlows had closed, and it felt like there was a real gap.
The idea of opening a men’s store honestly terrified me, but I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I ran into Holly Drage, who had just graduated, and asked her what she was doing. When she said she didn’t know, I asked if she wanted to open a store with me. I was painfully shy, so it came as a complete shock to my family, but we went for it.
We had to get co-signers to borrow the money, and in October of 1985, we went to our very first buying show, trying to get enough stock together to open in December. It all happened very fast, but once we committed, there was no turning back.
2. What’s the biggest change you’ve seen in retail over the years?
Brent: Without a doubt, it’s online shopping. We’re now competing not just with big retailers, but with our own brands, many of which sell directly to customers online. They can put things on sale and offer free shipping without it hurting them, because they’re selling at cost to their retailers anyway. For us, it’s very different. We pay cost plus shipping and need to sell items at a certain price just to cover our bills.
Because of that, we eventually stopped carrying snowboards and hard goods. It was too much money to have tied up sitting on the floor, only to sell it at a discount later. We made the decision to shift our focus more toward workwear and items that sell consistently year-round, rather than seasonal gear like snowboards.
3. What has been the most challenging period in the business?
Deb: The most stressful time was when we moved into the space we’re in now. We had outgrown our old store, Brent wanted to expand the snowboard and snow gear side of the business, and we also wanted to carry more women’s wear.
We invested heavily in renovations. The building was originally two separate stores, and we turned it into one. We put in in-floor heating with exposed aggregate on top, redid the entire front of the building, and renovated everything inside. We had to buy all new fixtures, and Brent even built our counter himself, which we still use today.
At the same time, we were trying to buy the building, but the deal fell through. In hindsight, that may have been a blessing, because shortly after we moved, the mill shut down. Those were incredibly hard years. We had no money left, struggled to pay our bills, and still needed to keep the store stocked.
I ended up writing letters to all of our suppliers, explaining what was happening and sending small amounts of money to each one so they wouldn’t cut us off. Thankfully, they were incredibly understanding and agreed as long as we kept paying a bit at a time. I’m not sure that would happen today.
The bank wouldn’t lend us more money, but eventually, we secured a second line of credit through the Credit Union. We maxed it out, then slowly, painfully, worked our way back by paying down our bills and reducing that line of credit. We’ve had ups and downs over the years, but that period was by far the most challenging.
4. What’s the biggest challenge of running a retail business in a small town?
Brent: In a small town, the biggest challenge is having enough variety without overextending yourself. You can’t really specialize too narrowly because you won’t sell enough volume to pay the bills. You have to be willing to order for people whenever you can and stay flexible.
We also work hard to keep prices reasonable within our brands. We’re very conscious of not buying items that will retail too high for our customers. For example, when we buy jeans, we aim to stay under a certain price point. We can’t just stock what we personally like. We always have to think about what our customers want and what makes sense for this community.
5. What are you most proud of after 40 years?
Deb & Brent: Honestly, we’re proud of ourselves for making it this far. The love and support we felt from our customers during our 40th anniversary event week were incredible, and we are so grateful for that.
We’ve watched generations of families shop in the store. We’ve seen our customers have kids, and now their kids are having kids, and they’re still coming through our doors. That’s pretty special.
Early on, in maybe our second or third year, I started offering $10 coupons as a way to give a little back to our customers, long before points programs were common. We still do it today, and it’s been a great marketing tool.
A few years back, Tawni designed the $10 bills we still use now, which double as advertising, and that’s something I’m really proud of, too.
6. What’s next for you and the business?
Deb & Brent: We are starting to think about retirement and hope that someone will want to take over the store and carry on what we’ve built. It’s hard to imagine selling, but we’re ready to put ourselves first for a change.
We’d like to travel, spend more time with our family, and see what life looks like outside the store. The business has been our social life as well as our job for 40 years, so it will be a big adjustment. But we hope the next chapter includes someone continuing the legacy we’ve worked so hard to create.
