Niwot Rental & Feed Sale Pending

In a January 2021 Left Hand Valley Courier article celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Niwot Rental & Feed store, founder and co-owner Steve Rollman said he had no plans to relocate or retire for at least the next decade.

Now, one-and-a-half years later, his thoughts have changed. The Feed store, located at 291 2nd Avenue, was listed for sale at $1,250,000 on March 8, ,2022. Within ten days the Rollmans had an offer.

When asked what changed his mind, Rollman was quick to answer. "A lot of things. The economy is not very good right now. Half the stuff we order we don't get. That's causing supply problems. And then everything in the economy is really turning sour. And now it's time." Co-owner and Steve's son Tim Rollman said that it has also been impossible to find help. "My dad and I are putting in 60-hour weeks," Tim said. "We can't keep going like that."

The 1,508 square-foot commercial building was built in 1975 and the building sits on a 0.32 acre lot. The store has been owned and operated as an equipment rental and feed store by the Rollman family for over 40 years.

Anne Postle, who owns Osmosis Gallery just across the street, is sorry to see the Niwot Rental & Feed go. "The feed store is iconic," Postle said. "It's a business that has defined 2nd Avenue for a generation. That piece of it is a huge loss."

Steve Rollman has plenty to look forward to in his retirement. "I've got a '46 OA Jeep at home," he said. "And that model Dodge truck out there has got 570,000 on it. I need to do a little work on that, and then I've got a '78 Chevy I need to fix...So I've got plenty of work. And then the house to keep me busy and the garden."

The Rollmans expect to close the deal by the end of May. Until the sale is final, the potential buyer has asked to remain anonymous. Redevelopment opportunities in downtown Niwot are rare, and any potential plans to develop the property have not been disclosed. Located outside of the Historic District, the lot is zoned for a wide variety of uses. Possible uses permitted by the Niwot Rural Community District (NRCD) include retail, restaurant, office, residential, mixed-use, and a wide range of other commercial opportunities.