otto + co

Some may find it difficult to find inspiration within a 206 sq. ft. retail space, but for local entrepreneur, Ryan Fezler, a small space such as 939 Pearl Street can make a big impact downtown. In April of 2023, Ryan combined his passion for retail, his professional background in the outdoor industry and most of all, admiration for his chocolate lab, Otto, and founded Pearl Street’s first rotating brand experience, otto + co. 

otto + co reimagines the traditional brick and mortar business model by removing the operational burden off of growing businesses who are looking to open physical storefronts or expand to other locations. The space serves as a unique prototype to occupy a space on a seasonal basis, as opposed to signing a long-term lease. Ryan jokingly compared it to a “retail Airbnb” - “the space is modular and anything can be moved. The goal is to create.” 

It’s all about location! As a Colorado native and Boulder resident, the vacant space on Pearl Street’s West End was a no-brainer for Ryan. “Boulder is the epicenter for outdoor retail and lifestyle brands and for those reasons, Pearl Street is the place to be.” Within the past year, the store has hosted an array of diverse outdoor brands - many of which share Boulder’s values including active outdoor lifestyles and sustainability while providing a charming small-business experience. In fact, many brands featured at otto + co, including Skida and Wild Rye are women-owned businesses. 

Whatever a brand’s mission may be for their stay in downtown's West End, otto + co solely serves as the foundational blueprint. “My role is to support in any operational aspect that I can. We provide everything from lights, fixtures, shelves and more. That’s the beauty of it, this space opens up the door to really focus on what’s important to business -  the storytelling and creativity of their brand.” 

To Ryan, the size of the shop is no barrier to a visitor. He believes it encourages an intentional shopping experience within tourists and locals alike. “You are more mindful of shopping when you only have so much time to experience a brand and when the person who is helping you out is the actual person behind the mission of the company”. 

Ryan’s innovative approach to a smaller retail space adds a unique twist to downtown’s retail community. otto + co’s small business makes a big impact not only on downtown's local retail scene, but for brands across the world - make sure to stop by the shop and see what’s new this season. In the meantime, allow the anticipation of what’s to come to fuel your next downtown shopping experience.