Bonnie and Betty, the twin owners of The Fitter, have owned and operated their store for 40 years. The Pipefitter (now the Fitter) opened its doors on the Hill in Boulder in 1973. Through the decades, multiple changes have occurred. The single most defining moment in the history of The Pipefitter was the raid by the federal government in January 1991. After confiscating all bank accounts as well as merchandise, the federal government settled with the owners for a very stiff fine and hefty legal fees for carrying “drug” paraphernalia. The twins faced serious federal prison time during a period of mandatory federal sentencing. The Pipefitter removed all paraphernalia for the next 3 or 4 years, changing itself into a gift shop.
Eventually they opened their pipe market back up again at The Pipefitter. The legal situation soon became a non issue until March 2003, when there were federal crackdowns once again in the industry in other parts of the country. Under the advice of their attorneys, they liquidated all of their pipes during their 30th Anniversary sale. After a couple years, the twins, who by now had changed the name to The Fitter, were able to operate again, filling their store with pipes and merchandise like those that are showcased today.