Metro Moves: Japan shoe retailer opens first U.S. store in Boulder

Welcome to the Denver Gazette’s Metro Moves. You’ll get the latest metro Denver openings, closings, hiring and promotion news here. To submit your company’s news, drop an email to bernadette.berdychowski@denvergazette.com.

Specialty shoe store makes U.S. debut in Boulder

Stride Lab is coming to the U.S.

The specialty shoe store based in Japan signed a lease to open its first U.S. location in Boulder, commercial real estate firm CBRE announced. Stride Lab caters primarily to the running community and offers consulting for local sports needs, its website says.

It will be in a 770-square-foot store in Siena Square, a mixed-use site within walking distance from Pearl Street’s shops and restaurants, at 2060 Broadway.

“Opening our first Stride Lab in the US and introducing a natural footwear store in Boulder is a real milestone and just the start of our US expansion.” said Cedric Scotto, CEO and cofounder of Stride Lab in a statement.

Broomfield’s Bay Aquatic Park eyes $9 million renovation project

The Denver area’s first community water park is aging and needs some fixes.

Denver-based Pinkard Construction announced it will run a $9 million renovation project of the Bay Aquatic Park located in Broomfield.

Pinkard built the aquatic park in 1991 and said it needs renovations to improve its condition and meet modern building and health codes. The project will replace the main leisure pool, family slide, body slides and slide plunge pool. It will also add a deck space, more shaded area and a new mechanical building.

The project began in 2022 with BHA Design Inc. and aquatic planning and design firm Counsilman-Hunsaker. But it faced delays after the designing phase to secure more funding.

The aquatic park chose the construction firm to do the renovations and is working toward finalized construction drawings.

“It’s very rewarding to be able to come back over thirty years later and work once again on a project that the community has enjoyed so much,” said Pinkard Construction president Tony Burke. “Many of our current employees remember coming here as kids."

The Bay Aquatic Park may close for construction in August with plans to reopen by July 2025 and operate a partial summer season, the company said.

Colorado Chamber finds new home

The Colorado Chamber of Commerce is moving its headquarters.

The organization announced it would move to the Atrium Campus in downtown Denver at 1700 Broadway in June.

The move won’t be far from the chamber’s current home for 24 years. Its new home will be one block north from the 1600 Broadway office building.

Colorado Chamber president and CEO Loren Furman said in a statement that the organization wanted to stay close to the state Capitol to continue advocating on policies affecting the local business community.

The new office will help the chamber support its growth by providing more space, a larger conference room and a more collaborative environment and better technology.

“It's fitting for the state chamber to call a building with such historic significance – Denver’s first modern high-rise – our new home,” Furman said. “This modernized office space will accommodate the Colorado Chamber’s recent growth and renewed strategic vision, enabling us to better support our members across the state.”