Guide
Where to Shop in Boulder (Pearl Street, 29th Street & McGuckin)
Published July 2026
Boulder's shopping clusters in a few walkable spots. Pearl Street is the place for local and independent shops; Twenty Ninth Street has the national brands and the Apple Store; and McGuckin Hardware is a destination unto itself. Since Sundance falls in January, it's also easy to grab warm layers if you flew in light.
Pearl Street Mall — local & independent
The four-block downtown pedestrian mall is the heart of local retail — boutiques, bookstores, and one-of-a-kind shops, walkable from several venues.
- Boulder Book Store — a beloved independent bookstore spread over three floors.
- Into the Wind — an iconic kite, toy, and games shop that's been a Pearl Street fixture for decades.
- Peppercorn — a Boulder institution packed with cookware, gadgets, and gourmet goods.
- Art Mart — locally made gifts, cards, and Colorado souvenirs.
- Independent clothing boutiques, jewelers, and outdoor-apparel brands (Patagonia and others) line the mall and its side streets.
Twenty Ninth Street — national brands & the Apple Store
About a mile east of downtown, Twenty Ninth Street is an open-air retail district with the big national names.
- Apple Twenty Ninth Street — the local Apple Store, for devices, repairs, and accessories.
- Macy's, apparel chains, cosmetics, and home goods.
- Cafés, a movie theater, and a Trader Joe's nearby make it an easy afternoon.
McGuckin Hardware — a Boulder institution
Not your average hardware store. McGuckin Hardware (in the Village Shopping Center on Arapahoe) is a Boulder rite of passage — a sprawling, family-owned store where green-vested staff help you track down any of its tens of thousands of items, from camping gear and housewares to that one obscure screw. Worth a wander even if you're just browsing.
Outdoor & winter gear
Flew in without a warm coat? Boulder is a great place to gear up for a January festival.
- REI (28th Street) — full outdoor outfitter for jackets, base layers, and winter accessories.
- Neptune Mountaineering (Table Mesa) — a legendary climbing and ski shop with a small mountaineering museum.
- McGuckin and the Pearl Street outdoor brands also stock cold-weather basics.
Good to know
- Downtown shops are walkable from the Pearl Street parking garages; Twenty Ninth Street and McGuckin are a short drive or bus ride east.
- The Boulder County Farmers Market runs spring through fall on 13th Street — it is *not* open during the January festival.