Anniversary Spotlights

For nearly 50 years, the Pearl Street Mall has been shaped by the people and businesses that bring it to life every day. From longtime staples to beloved local legends, these stories celebrate the entrepreneurs, characters, and community builders who have helped define downtown Boulder.

As we look toward the Mall’s 50th anniversary, this series highlights the moments, memories, and milestones behind the storefronts—honoring the spirit, creativity, and resilience that continue to make Pearl Street one of the most vibrant places in Colorado.

Check back often as we share more stories from the heart of downtown.

Interviews featured in this series are courtesy of Bob Yates.

Featured Spotlights

The King of Falafel - Falafel King

As a boy growing up in Yavne, Avner Gilady walked to the beach and later learned about healthy food working on a farm at a nearby kibbutz. Avner brought that knowledge of fresh food to Boulder, coming to Colorado as a young man in 1977.

I Would Walk 500 Miles - Pedestrian Shops

In addition to being one of the best songs ever, 500 miles happens to be the average distance a person walks in a pair of shoes before they are retired. Richard Polk knows a lot about shoes. He estimates he has sold at least one million pairs of shoes since he opened Pedestrian Shops in Downtown Boulder in 1969.

Symbols of Love - Hurdle's Jewelry

Hurdle’s Jewelry has been providing symbols of love to the Boulder community for more than three-quarters of a century. Opened in 1947 by Chester L. Hurdle, the store began as a small jewelry business on Pearl Street, 30 years before the creation of the Pearl Street Mall.

Mike, The Hot Dog Guy - Freddie's Hot Dog Stand

Mike Horowitz has been selling good hot dogs and telling bad jokes at this very spot since 1997. An estimated one million hot dogs over the course of 28 years. Probably at least as many bad jokes. The best hot dogs come with mustard. The ruined ones with ketchup. (Mike has an opinion on that.)

An Open Book - Boulder Bookstore

As we approach the 50th anniversary of the 1977 creation of the Pearl Street Mall, it’s worth remembering the businesses that have opened, thrived, and closed along Boulder’s main thoroughfare, as technology evolves and human desires shift.

We've been called

the Happiest Place

in the United States