Owner and founder on the store’s website and social media pages Tuesday but did not go into detail about why the store was closing, simply stating that “all good things must come to an end.”

“We have always believed in the basic truth that the outdoors belongs to everyone,” Bushey wrote. “We’re proud to have helped to make the outdoors more accessible and affordable for so many people and to have been a part of their outdoor journey.”

is known for selling brand-name gear at a fraction of the sticker price, with some items discounted as steeply as 80%. For most of the store’s 26 years, the inventory has included a mix of used, consignment, overstock and sample backcountry gear.

Wilderness Exchange’s final day at 2401 15th St. is set for Sunday, although the will remain active “for now,” Bushey said in the announcement.

Bushey could not be reached for comment on the store’s closure.

The news drew an outpouring of support and sadness from patrons online, with current and former customers sharing memories of outfitting themselves and their families so they could play in Colorado’s wild backyard.

Less than a block from the REI Flagship store at Confluence Park, Wilderness Exchange started as a way to make it easier for people to connect with the outdoors, Bushey said in a 2022 interview with The Denver Post.

“Our mission was to break down the financial barriers to access the outdoors,” he said. “The whole idea of Wilderness Exchange initially was a community-based store where people could come in and outfit themselves.”

Bushey, then 33, opened the business in a 600-square-foot shop in 2000, close to where the store is now. He lived in an apartment upstairs.

“It took off so fast, my upstairs apartment became part of the store, with backpacks in the living room,” Bushey said in the 2022 interview. “The spare bedroom became the sleeping bag room.”

The store expanded its offerings in 2025, when Bushey partnered with outdoor equipment company Black Diamond to renovate the space and open a “store within a store,” with the upper level selling new equipment while second-hand sales continuing downstairs.

Bushey’s announcement on Tuesday did not say what will happen to the Black Diamond store inside Wilderness Exchange. Black Diamond officials could not be reached for comment.

“We’ll see you on the trail, on the ski hill, at the crags, and wherever the next adventure takes us,” Bushey wrote in the farewell announcement Tuesday. “Until then, keep it wild!”

“The word ‘icon’ gets thrown around a lot but there’s no question that the Sports Castle is a true Denver icon. It����ap also in need of revitalization and we see an extraordinary opportunity to play an important role in bringing the Castle back to life,” said evo CEO and founder Bryce Phillips in an email to The Denver Post. The company purposefully made its name all lowercase.

Phillips said his mother grew up in Allenspark and that much of his family is still in Colorado. Having spent so much time in the state growing up, and since opening evo Denver 10 years ago, he said the opportunity to restore the Sports Castle is especially meaningful to him.

“Layer in the fact that the Sports Castle comes with so much history, lore and soul, I’m especially grateful to have the opportunity to pursue something where together, we can have such a positive impact ton the community,” he said.

Built in 1926 as a Chrysler showroom for the Cullen-Thompson Motor Company, the three-and-a-half-story building at 1000 N. Broadway was designed by prominent Denver architect . The Beaux-Arts style structure is clad in ornate terracotta and features stained glass windows.

It became a Denver landmark in 1971 when Gart Bros. Sporting Goods converted the building into a “Sportsman’s Castle,” operating there for 22 years before Sports Authority took over the space from 1993 until 2016. Since then, the building has , though it has occasionally been used as an urban event space by Non Plus Ultra, a California-based company.

However, its historic and cultural significance has remained strong, and renewed interest in the property has brought fresh attention to its future.

In 2021, the Sports Castle was purchased for $4.5 million by a partnership led by Tom McLagan, executive chairman of Hyder Construction, according to property records. The parking lot across the street was also acquired for $2 million.

Phillips said McLagan is now working alongside evo as a partner and brings deep experience and has strong roots in the city.

Concept plans for redeveloping the property were submitted to the city in December 2025 by , a Colorado-based architectural design firm specializing in single and multi-family residential, office, hotel, historic renovation, and transit-oriented site planning and design.

The plans envision the Sports Castle as a new retail destination and regional hub for a national sports equipment retailer and active lifestyle brand with a strong Denver presence.

The building would also house complementary retail tenants, limited assembly uses, and a small food and beverage component.

The concept documents describe the building as being in fair to good condition, though some older steel factory windows and other features are in need of repair.

Interior work would include cleaning and restoring several features, removing non-historic partitions, and adding new walls, ceilings, floors, bathrooms, exit stairways, an elevator, as well as new lighting and millwork. The plans also include tenant-specific features like a bar, an equipment service shop, and grab-and-go food and beverage options.

Exterior work outlined in the plans includes a 4,500-square-foot rooftop amenity, restoration and stabilization of the historic terracotta cladding, repairs to windows and aluminum storefronts, and repainting of brick and concrete, along with additional exterior updates.

The plans also call for new signage and lighting, including a corner blade sign inspired by the original, as well as a small south-side ramp and pedestrian entrance to allow after-hours access.

All additions are designed to minimize visual impact on the building’s historic facades.

Honoring the building’s legacy

The Sports Castle is in the process of being listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Evo plans to honor that legacy, with Phillips saying the building’s history will be reflected in its design and programming.

He said creating community gathering spaces is central to everything evo does, and that updating a space while preserving its character is always a careful balancing act, pointing to past projects of his as examples.

One is the , an adaptive reuse project developed in partnership with Seattle-based development team Lake Union Partners.

The project transformed five connected historic warehouse buildings in an underserved area into a “base camp” for outdoor enthusiasts along the Wasatch Front.

Other projects in Phillips’ and evo’s portfolio, among many, include revitalizing a in Seattle, the building in California, and evo’s Portland location, which transformed a former Salvation Army building built in 1890.

“I’ve received a lot of personal notes from people that would love to see a full circle story take place at the Sport Castle given how meaningful it is to Denver and the outdoor community,” Phillips said.

“People have seen the opportunity and also know that it’ll take the right concept and approach to renovating to make it work given the many complexities associated with a historic building like this one.”

Evo operates a retail location just a block away from the Sports Castle at 860 N. Broadway.

If the project moves forward, he said the team plans to backfill the space with another complementary brand or business.

“We’ve always loved curating a mix of businesses that fit together and would lean heavily into this here,” he said.

However, Phillips said that there are several challenges to address and additional work is required before moving forward with full confidence, given the importance of executing the project at the highest level.

He said the timing of the renovations and expected completion is still to be determined, but the team is actively working on it.

Phillips’ passion for the outdoors , just around the time he was in the fifth grade, when his uncle Jack introduced him to skiing and paid for his first lift ticket and rentals at Mt. Ashland in Oregon.

Nearly two decades later, he founded evo in 2001, launching the company’s website while operating out of his garage. Since then, evo has expanded to 11 stores across the U.S. and Canada, according to the retailer’s website.

In January 2022, Rhythm Japan, a leading retail, rental and experience company with seven stores in Japan’s mountain resorts, became part of evo.

Built in 2006, the 11,000-square-foot retail center at 3571 S. Tower Rd. is 100% leased to eight tenants, including national retailers such as Jersey Mike’s, European Wax Center, Sport Clips, and Tide Cleaners.

JLL Capital Markets’ Investment Sales and Advisory team, led by Managing Director Jason Schmidt and Director Austin Snedden, represented the seller, Thompson Ranch Development Co., a Colorado-based company.

The property was purchased by CL Tower Pavilion CO LLC, an Ohio-based entity that appears to have ties with real estate company , according to Arapahoe County public records.

“Tower Pavilion represented an exceptional opportunity to acquire a fully stabilized retail asset in Aurora’s prime retail corridor,” Schmidt said.

“The property’s strong tenant mix, excellent demographics and recent capital improvements including a new roof in 2023 made it an attractive investment for the buyer.”

The average tenant tenure is 13 years, according to JLL. National tenants comprise 62% of the leasable area.

“The property benefits from Aurora’s position as an affordable alternative to Denver while maintaining easy access to downtown,” Snedden said.

“With over 160,000 people within a three-mile radius and average household incomes exceeding $129,000, Tower Pavilion is well-positioned in a strong demographic area.”

The center is in front of Hampden Crossing and Highpoint Marketplace, which are anchored by King Sooper’s and Safeway grocery stores. National retailers around the property include Natural Grocers, Kohl’s, Walgreens and Starbucks.

A mall representative confirmed the opening with The Post on Tuesday afternoon and said, “It’s Colorado’s only holiday pop-up location, conveniently located next to the giant Play Park,” adding that the store is expected to open on Dec. 1 and will cover more than 13,000 square feet.

The store opening comes after Toys “R” Us announced last week that it is expanding alongside its partner, Go! Retail Group, with plans to launch 10 new flagship stores and 20 seasonal holiday shops by the end of the year.

The company operates flagship stores at American Dream and Mall of America, as well as locations in Chicago and Texas. Additionally, Toys “R” Us is inside every Macy’s store nationwide and has a dedicated store at Dallas Fort Worth Airport.

Toys “R” Us is also planning to grow its footprint with military families, with six new stores slated to open through its partnership with NEXCOM, building on the first two already serving U.S. Navy and military bases.

Globally, Toys “R” Us is expanding into new markets such as Chile, Peru, Venezuela, Ecuador, Morocco and Lebanon. The company is also reestablishing a presence in Turkey.

The brand is further strengthening its footprint in major markets such as the UK, Mexico, South Africa, Asia and South Korea, where it is introducing new concept formats with partner LOTTE.

“As we head into the most magical time of the year, Toys “R” Us is reaching more kids and families than ever before,” said Kimberly Miller, global chief marketing officer.

Toys “R” Us filed for bankruptcy in 2017, crushed by the lower prices and convenience of online shopping.

In 2021, , a New York-based brand management firm, in Tru Kids Inc., parent company to Toys “R” Us (“TRU”), Babies “R” Us, Geoffrey the Giraffe brands and more than 20 established related consumer toy and baby brands.

Now, Toys “R” Us generates more than $2 billion in global retail sales annually through more than 1,500 stores and e-commerce businesses in 35 countries.

WHP Global has a portfolio of consumer brands, including fashion brands such as Vera Wang and Express, that generate over $7 billion in retail sales, according to their website.

Built more than two decades ago on a 22.07-acre site, the over 200,000-square-foot shopping center is near major retailers such as Walmart, Home Depot and Sam’s Club.

The center, 7506 East 36th Ave., also features over 40 stores and restaurants, including national retailers like Ross Dress For Less, Office Depot, PetSmart, Big 5 Sporting Goods, Five Below and more.

Big Ben Private Real Estate I LP, a Canadian-based fund, acquired the shopping center with Capital Asset Management as the fund manager.

“Quebec Square and the Denver market is a strategic part of the fund’s long-term growth,” said Paul Klink of Capital Asset Management, who oversees all acquisitions for the fund.

Capital Asset Management is a privately-owned commercial real estate company operating in Phoenix, Nevada and Hawaii, offering property management, brokerage, leasing and development services.

JLL Capital Markets’ Investment Sales and Advisory team, led by Managing Director Jason Schmidt and Director Austin Snedden, represented the seller, , a Texas-based private real estate fund.

ALTO focuses on investing in and developing logistics centers and open-air shopping centers in high-growth U.S. markets.

Over the past 15 years, ALTO has raised approximately $540 million across four funds and has acquired 78 properties, with a total value of $1.8 billion and 47 successful exits.

Denver property records reveal ALTO purchased the property for $42.25 million in September 2019.

“Quebec Square is a regionally dominant power center in a high-barrier-to-entry area of Denver,” Snedden said.

Quebec Square is 20 minutes from downtown Denver, is two blocks from the Central Park Station and draws 3.4 million annual visits as a result of it being situated along Quebec Street and near Interstate 70, according to JLL’s announcement of the sale.

The retail center also serves a densely populated area, with 125,500 residents within a three-mile radius.

The funding was facilitated through a partnership between , a national real estate investment, development and management firm and , a firm specializing in special district financing.

“Redtail Ridge is a transformational project that brings together cutting-edge life sciences and innovation with unparalleled dedicated open spaces and community benefits,” said Rodney Richerson, Managing Principal at Sterling Bay in a Monday news release.

“This partnership represents the culmination of years of collaboration, planning and investment in Boulder County’s future.”

The 2.6 million-square-foot campus is designed to meet the growing demand for life sciences, R&D, bio-manufacturing, office and industrial facilities.

The former StorageTek campus property will feature over 330,000 square feet of office building space, along with a 20,000-square-foot amenity center offering a gym, yoga areas, lounge and conference center, according to the Redtail Ridge project website.

It will also provide over 194 acres of outdoor space, more than 20 miles of trails, pedestrian paths, bike lanes and approximately 14,000 square feet of retail space.

Along U.S. 36 between Denver and Boulder, Redtail Ridge is positioned near four major bioscience programs at the University of Colorado Boulder, Colorado State University, University of Denver and the University of Colorado Denver, providing an ideal location for a life sciences hub.

AdventHealth Avista has also within the Redtail Ridge development for $34 million, with plans to build a new hospital.

Redtail Ridge is expected to generate $43 million in local taxes and fees throughout construction and $24.4 million annually in commercial property tax revenue at full build out, according to an announcement last year.

Projected annual retail sales amount to $144 million and $12.5 million is expected in new annual sales tax revenues. The development will generate about 10,500 jobs, including more than 1,400 direct and indirect jobs through AdventHealth Avista’s Redtail Ridge location.

Colorado’s life sciences ecosystem has seen significant growth, with private and NIH funding exceeding $9 billion over the past five years, based on Monday’s news release of the project.

“We are proud to support a project that will drive economic growth, foster innovation and expand opportunities for the life sciences sector in Colorado,” said Shelby Noble, managing director at Piper Sandler special district group.

Construction on the first phase of Redtail Ridge’s horizontal infrastructure is set to begin in spring 2025. The first vertical phase is anticipated to commence later this year.

Founded in 1986, Sterling Bay’s team of 150-plus professionals manages a portfolio exceeding $20 billion in real estate assets across the creative office, industrial, residential and life sciences sectors.

The holiday, also known as “303 Day,” was created to encourage Coloradans to support local businesses and invest in their communities, strengthening the state’s economy during a slow retail season. The legislation also designated this week as  “Buy Colorado Week.”

“Buy Colorado Day isn’t just about shopping— it����ap about investing in the trend-setting businesses that make our state such a brilliant place to live and work,” said Colorado native Ricardo Baca, founder of Buy Colorado Day and other Denver businesses, including PR-marketing agency , music festival , and fine art biennial .

According to the holiday’s official website, Colorado was the first home of products now recognized by the world, including Crocs, the snap-button western shirt, Jolly Ranchers, Coors Banquet Beer, the Denver Boot, the Denver Omelet, the cowboy hat, the Chipotle burrito, outdoor Christmas lights, Celestial Seasonings teas, the root beer float, OtterBox, PopSockets, the Slopper, and even the cheeseburger.

Working toward its formal launch in March 2026, Buy Colorado Day’s launch partners include , , , PopSockets, the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade, Icelantic, Westbound & Down, Never Summer and Grasslands.

“Buy Colorado Day is a great opportunity to showcase the spirit of our home state and connect with the global community that embraces this mountain-inspired lifestyle,” said Topo Designs CEO Matt Williams

Colorado is home to over 700,000 small businesses, including 13,000 restaurants and taverns, 500 craft breweries and distilleries, and countless creators, makers, retailers and service providers.

Olympian-founded and woman-owned outdoor apparel retailer opened its first brick-and-mortar store in �ٱ�Ա����’s RiNo neighborhood on Wednesday morning.

The store, 2609 Walnut St., will offer an extensive selection of outdoor apparel, including its new Winter 2024 collection, which features snow jackets, insulated ski sets, wool and bamboo base layers, as well as accessories like beanies, socks and neck warmers.

“We started Halfdays with the mission to introduce more women to the outdoors, and our hope is that our retail space creates a welcoming environment where customers can have fun while finding the perfect fit,” said Halfdays co-founder and Kiley McKinnon in a news release.

“Our flagship store is an opportunity for us to tell our brand story and create a space where our community can connect with us in person. We’re excited to continue hosting our monthly community events and bring that energy to our retail location with fun activations.”

Until the store opening, Halfdays had been selling its products online and in stores such as Nordstrom, REI and Bloomingdale’s.

The 1,689-square-foot retail location was designed by Toronto-based designers, Reflect Architecture, in partnership with Denver-based architects and sustainable design experts GMSHAY and commercial builder Ellipsis Construction. The signature Halfdays Butter Yellow space features modern furniture and wooden finishes.

Founded in the fall of 2020, the Colorado-based retailer was created to offer women a better option for ski apparel after McKinnon competed in men’s ski wear at the 2018 Winter Olympics, according to their website.

Frustrated by the lack of gear designed for women’s bodies, McKinnon teamed up with co-founders Ariana Ferwerda and Karelle Golda to disrupt the male-dominated outdoor industry.

Crafted from recycled, technical materials, their women-first approach prioritizes not only fashion but functionality and a great fit.  What started with ski wear has evolved into a year-round outdoor apparel brand for women, designed for all mountain activities.

“Our first pop-up in Aspen, just two months after launching, was a game-changer for us. It was the first time we saw how powerful it is for people to interact with the product in person and feel the quality firsthand,” said Ferwerda, Halfdays CEO.

“That experience really opened our eyes to the impact of having a physical presence. As we’ve expanded into trail and everyday outdoor performance fashion, the launch of our retail location couldn’t come at a better time.”

The outdoor-wear retailer has also partnered with . All seven Huckleberry locations in Denver will feature Halfdays Yellow co-branded cups and visitors can enjoy a special signature beverage for the week called “the Halfdays Après Latte.”

The store’s operating hours are from 10 a.m .to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

In September, the center added Rally House, a sports store offering everything from Rockies hats to Broncos jerseys, followed by mobile accessories retailer ZAGG in October.

Warby Parker, the New York-based prescription eyewear brand, , a local women-owned coffee shop and J.Crew Factory, a classic American-style clothing brand, all opened their doors in November.

With over 34,000 square feet of new shopping and dining options, The Orchard Town Center is now over 90% leased, based on a Wednesday morning news release.

The center already features popular retailers such as Target, Nordstrom Rack, Sephora and Lululemon, as well as local businesses such as and

“Whether guests are looking for unique gifts, the perfect family outfits for holiday events or simply a great meal while out shopping, The Orchard Town Center offers a diverse mix of options,” said marketing director of The Orchard Town Center Kate Heckman in the news release.

“Combined with our seasonal events like Photos with Santa, Elf Goat Yoga and a special meet-and-greet with the Grinch, we’re proud to create a festive, all-encompassing holiday experience for the community.”

The Orchard Town Center features over a million square feet of retail space, including over 90 stores and the . The center is managed and leased by , a real estate company specializing in the acquisition, development and management of retail and entertainment destinations of all sizes.

, Vestar owns and operates over 30 million square feet of space in the western United States with an additional 1.2 million square feet in development.

The Outside Festival is driven by a partnership between Outside Interactive Inc., The State of Colorado’s Outdoor Recreation Office, and Visit Denver — all with a shared desire to make the outdoors more accessible and more inclusive.

The climber’s corner had three unique walls featuring competitions, demonstrations and clinics for athletes of all abilities; Film x Ideas were held inside the Denver Art Museum for inspiring documentaries and powerful speakers.  The lineup of well known guests included swimmer Diana Nyad, Snowboarder Shaun White, filmmaker Jimmy Chin, mountaineer, alpinist and climber Conrad Anker and other well known figures in the sports world.

The main stage music venue hosted all-day performances from local and national artists. These artists included Thundercat, Say She She, Nathanial Riley, The Heavy Heavy and DJ Quiet Light. There was also a travel and adventure hub and wellness experience area where participants could find good food and drink as well as to take part in yoga classes with instructors from CorePower yoga, take part in innovative mobility sessions from Black Lab Sports and recharge and cool off in Finnish-style cold plunges from Redwood Outdoors.