Sea to Summit, an outdoor gear manufacturer, quickly outgrew its first home in Boulder. But finding a new, larger space within the city quickly became a nightmare for co-owner Shelley Dunbar.
She wanted her employees to be able to walk, bike or bus to work and lunch, but the company needed a large warehouse space with a few offices.
The company finally found a space in 2009, but when that lease ends in about three years, Dunbar said she’ll be forced to look outside of Boulder to find a larger space that will fit into her budget.
Portland, Ore., is at the top of her list.
“We know we’re going to outgrow this space,” she said. “We’re growing. Does the city value having a thriving business here? Do they want to keep us? We will definitely look at our options and base it on both financial and lifestyle options. We’d love to stay here, but after all, we are running a business.”
Some cities, states and even countries are attempting to unseat Boulder as the king of the outdoor business industry. These places are striving to become the “new Boulder,” hubs for companies producing equipment and apparel for biking, running, climbing, skiing and more.
Read the rest of this report at .
