Big events and new businesses fuel Pearl Street momentum
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A child walks through the tulips on Boulder's Pearl Street Mall on April 26, 2015. Photo: Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post
With a new leader and a pair of marquee events on the horizon, downtown Boulder is betting that national attention can help reenergize the Pearl Street Mall and reset its post-pandemic trajectory.
Why it matters: As one of the city's most recognizable landmarks and a major economic engine, a thriving downtown is key to Boulder's ambition of becoming a regional destination for visitors, workers and businesses.
Driving the news: Tami Door stepped in as interim CEO of the nonprofit Downtown Boulder Partnership (DBP) in December, bringing with her nearly two decades of experience running the Downtown Denver Partnership along with consulting work for cities, chambers of commerce and downtown organizations nationwide.
State of play: Like many downtowns, Boulder businesses struggled last year with rising costs due to tariffs, and office workers were slower to return than in peer cities.
- City staff cited a 19% commercial office vacancy rate at an April 2025 meeting, according to the Daily Camera.
- Door said that "Boulder is not unique in that way," and DPB is looking at new marketing strategies and possible policy changes to better support local businesses and help them rebound.
The other side: Despite its challenges, 2025 secured a major win for Boulder, with the Sundance Film Festival relocating to the city in 2027.
- That also marks the 50-year anniversary of the Pearl Street Mall — giving Boulder two high-profile milestones that could draw attention.
- The year ahead will be about preparing the downtown core and "sprucing" the area for its time in the spotlight. "We've got a lot of really big plans," Door told us, adding, "You can feel this momentum here."
The intrigue: DBP is also encouraged by Boulder City Council's request that staff explore creating a downtown development authority — a governmental entity that could facilitate economic development and infrastructure improvements.
Zoom out: Boulder's downtown appeal is already attracting major employers. Giant Group, the world's largest bike manufacturer, is set to move its U.S. headquarters to downtown Boulder this year.
- Door argues, "Bringing your team back into the office in a downtown environment like Boulder's provides many benefits. It's a campus in and of itself; this is a great way to reinvent your team."
Yes, but: Even as high-profile companies arrive, city officials stress that Pearl Street remains overwhelmingly local.
- Roughly 70% of mall businesses are locally owned, DBP vice president of marketing Terri Takata-Smith notes — a reality that can be overshadowed when larger, recognizable brands move in.
The bottom line: Door said downtown Boulder plans to leverage Sundance to elevate downtown Boulder as a dining and travel destination.
- For Takata-Smith, the mall's true value is as the "hub of the community" in good times and grief — where fans gathered to welcome Deion Sanders in 2023 and mourned following an attack at the courthouse last June.
- "This is where people come to celebrate and feel connected," she said.