After 68 years with one of the longest runs in retail on Pearl Street, Boulder Army Store will be closing by the end of December. The store released a statement today to all of its loyal shoppers. Management revealed the closing this morning by phone to Boulder Channel 1. The store  is closed now and will reopen on Thursday December 4, 2014 to begin it store closing liquidation sale.

ODDNESS The reason for the closing appears to be that Boulder Army Store could not negotiate a new lease with the building landlords The Boulder Odd Fellows. The Odd Fellows have their lodge on the second floor. A member close to the odd fellows told us that they wanted Boulder Army Store out so they could triple the rent and put in a high end corporate chain store in that space. The Odd fellows are a 19th century fraternal order and secret society much like the Masons. They dress in costumes and funny hats: and have some pretty weird rituals which include keeping skeletons and preserved bodies in hidden closets. This symbolizes immortality. Odd Fellows Have Skeletons in Their Closets–and Their Walls and Attics The Odd Fellows have a group called Rebekahs for their wives who also dress up in weird costumes In recent years the odd fellows have been trying to re-image themselves since all of their members from the 20th century are dying off. By forcing the ever popular Boulder army Store out that is bound to increase their membership in Boulder. Actually, probably nothing will help their membership in Boulder since the Odd fellows is steeped in superstition, 19th century Christianity and is more akin to the Ku Klux Klan that Naropa.

BOULDER ARMY STORE on the other hand has been the authentic cool place to shop in Boulder for years. It is a family owned business by Pat and Shannon Long. The store was started by their father in 1948. When the young hip sons took over in the 1970’s it became the  place for Outdoor enthusiast to shop. That is until REI, Montbello, Patagonia and  the other chains moved in.  The millennials and rich start up kids flocked to these West cost corporate stores which put another nail in Boulders coffin.

Pat Long the stores GM said in a nutshell  ” It is time ”  Fortunately the Longs have similar stores in Glenwood Springs and Denver so this is simply a store closing from a business sense.  But the employees at this store will be out Jobs. Most of them have worked there for 20, 30, or 40 years: since they were kids. Some of them are now senior citizens.  Boulder Army store is one of those stores like Bart’s Records or Village coffee Shop which really represent the soul of Boulder. You can’t say that about REI or Patagonia with all of their slick marketing and new kid brashness. Boulder Army Store is old boulder staffed by long time out door enthusiasts who know every trail in the state by memory. This is a tremendous loss for Boulder.