How a Colorado city whose downtown is 70% small businesses celebrated Small Business Saturday
With Thanksgiving in the rearview, it's officially the holiday shopping season. Between Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals, small businesses in Boulder are counting on customers for Small Business Saturday.
Boulder Spirits on Pearl Street opened their doors for the very first time Saturday morning. The first retail space and tasting room for the distillery follows years of planning from owner Alistair Brogan. The storefront offers tastings and gives customers a chance to buy drinks they may have only seen in restaurants.
"[Customers] are coming into buying something that's very, very different, very Colorado, very Bolder," Brogan said, "For us to start and selling our bottles here retail side is a huge impact. And what allows us to do is allows us to move forward as a small brand."
They're joining the 70% of small businesses that the Downtown Boulder Partnership says make up Boulder's downtown. This includes Hurdle's Jewelers; the longest-running shop on Pearl Street. Nicole Hurdle owns the store and sits on the board of directors for the Downtown Boulder Partnership.
"My great-grandfather started it in 1947," Hurdle said, "We've sold engagement rings and wedding bands to grandparents and then parents and then their kids. And being able to be part of their story like that is really incredible."
Now, she's hoping those walking Pearl Street will shop small beyond just this weekend.
"Shopping small is everything to us down here. It's literally the heart of our community, and being able to support the small business makes this downtown Boulder run," Hurdle said.
For shoppers concerned about parking, Hurdle says the city public parking garages will have free parking on Saturdays and Sundays in December.
