BOULDER - Patagonia Inc. plans to open a retail store on the Pearl Street Mall in downtown Boulder.

The Ventura Calf.-based outdoor clothing and gear designer signed a lease for 2,961 square feet of retail space at 1212 Pearl St. and expects to open in early March 2008. The company also leased 1,000 square feet of storage space and 340 square feet of office space in the building. Chris Boston and Brent Wilson with Gibbons-White Inc. helped broker the deal.

"Boulder is obviously a Patagonia type of town, so they wanted to be here," Boston said. Beyond selling its outdoor apparel and gear, the company is known as an advocate for the environment. It has a retail store in downtown Denver, which will remain open.

"We've been looking for a space in Boulder for quite some time," said Patagonia spokeswoman Victoria Achee. "We take our time to find the right location because we plan to be there for awhile." Patagonia signed a 10-year lease for the space.

The lease on the first floor at 1212 Pearl St. fills the building. Raymond James Financial Services leases the second-floor space. Built in 1875, the two-story, 8,200-square-foot building was historically rehabilitated by Boulder developers Paul Eklund and Thomas Thorpe earlier this year. The owners restored the building to resemble how it looked in the late 1800s.

Patagonia seeks out historic buildings to locate their stores, Achee said. Along with the historic aspect, Patagonia likely will add some green-building practices to finish out the space, she said.

"The building is smaller than what they usually have for their stores, but they really liked what the owners had done to the building," Boston said.

Patagonia is accepting applications for the store manager, assistant manager and sales associates positions at the Boulder store.