Take 5
Construction is underway at the corner of 13th Street and 10th Avenue South.
The city planning office issued a construction permit in late February for a Take 5 oil change business.
The construction necessitates the closure of 11th Alley South at the location and the work is scheduled from March 10 through June 13, according to the city.
Loading Zone
The Buffalo Saloon/Loading Zone building is being demolished as of March 10.
The property was purchased by Discount Tire.
Buffalo Saloon/Loading Zone closed September 2022 and have been vacant since.
City approves alley vacation for new tire shop [2022]
City Commissioners approved an alley vacation for the Discount Tire project in December 2022.
Pizza Ranch
Construction is underway to remodel the former Joann location at 2515 10th Ave. S. into Pizza Ranch.
The new Pizza Ranch will be 15,000 square feet and include a Fun Zone arcade with 55 games, according to the company.
Children’s Museum of Montana
The Children’s Museum of Montana closed at 22 Railroad Square in November.
The museum’s lease for the city facility ended Jan. 31.
The museum board has toured 10 facilities and narrowed the options down to two, according their March newsletter.
Sletten Construction and Cushing Terrell have donated resources to conduct assessments and develop renderings for the potential new locations, according to the board.
The board also hired a local marketing firm to develop a new website and logo for a museum rebrand.
The board has established an endowment fund for the museum with the Montana Community Foundation.
Greg and Mallory Ferriter established the fund with an initial $25,000 contribution, according to the museum.
Strunk selected for small business program
Tara Strunk, owner of 5th and Wine, has been accepted into the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program.
Malmstrom contract
The 341st Contracting Squadron at Malmstrom Air Force Base has awarded a contract for the DSN/CSN Demo Dorm 631 project to Shumaker Trucking & Excavating Contractors, Inc. of Great Falls for $798,500.
The period of performance for this award is 190 calendar days are receipt of notice to proceed.
Honey Hippo
Honey Hippo has expanded their coffee shop to a new location in the Rendezvous at 410.
They have the same drinks as the main location now available at honey’s Sip and Chill, on the second floor of 410 Central Ave.
Hours are 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
The Press Club
The Press Club has moved to 421 Central Ave. and is hoping to open in the new space on March 13.
Friends of the Library book sale
The Friends of the Library are accepting donations every Saturday through April 26 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for their upcoming book sale May 15-24.
Donations should be dropped in the back garage of the Great Falls Public Library.
Wordmeister Challenge
Registration is open for the Wordmeister Challenge, which si 6-8 p.m. March 20 at the Great Falls Public Library.
Register teams of two to four people here and costumes are encouraged, but not required.
Leprechaun Trap
The Great Falls Rec Center, 801 2nd Ave. N., is hosting a leprechaun trap building event from 5:30-8 p.m. March 14.
Students in fourth grand and under require an adult chaperone, students in fifth grade and up can be dropped off for the activities.
Register here.
There’s a $5 entry fee for each student participating.
The teen room will also be open during the event for students in fifth grade and up.
Art classes at The Square
Registration is open for spring art classes and kids summer camps at the Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art.
Spring quarter begins early April and classes are filling up.
The Square also has a few one-time workshops with local and visiting artists throughout April and May.
Have questions? Contact Liz Slot, education director at liz@the-square.org or call the museum main line at 406-727-8255.
Benefis remodel
Benefis Health System is currently renovating the North Tower to expand the lab, create some of the required space for their new internal medicine residency program, and add office space across several departments.
The renovation also includes exterior upgrades to the tower and updates to the main entrance and café spaces, according to Benefis.
Community Band spring concerts
The Community Bands Association has two concerts scheduled for April.
- April 12 at 7 p.m., the Great Falls Community Jazz Band, under the direction of John Gemberling, will present “The Jazz Music I Grew Up With”
- April 13 at 2 p.m., the Great Falls Community Concert Band, under the direction of Russ Kellogg, will present “Some of My Favorite Pieces”
Both concerts will be performed at New Hope Lutheran Church at 3125 5th Ave. S.
There is no admission charge for either concert, but a free will donation will be appreciated.
Cash for Kids
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Montana is launching Cash for the Kids charity raffle.
The raffle has a grand prize of $10,000, a second-place prize of $2,000, and a third-place prize of $1,000.
The drawing will take place on June 27 during BBBS’s annual Golf Fore Kids’ Sake event in Great Falls. Participants do not need to be present to win.
Raffle tickets are available for $20 each or six for $100.
Must be 18 or older to enter.
To purchase tickets, contact BBBS at bbbs@bigcentral.org or call 406-442-7479.
Tickets can also be purchased online. Note that online and debit card purchases include a small processing fee and credit card payments are not accepted.
Tickets can be purchased in-person at Sleeping Giant Lanes, Joe Mitchell State Farm and the BBBS office in Helena, and at Bighorn Outdoor Specialists, Kaufmans Menswear, Our Place Beauty Studio and the BBBS office in Great Falls.
Proceeds from the raffle will support BBBS’s efforts to provide mentorship opportunities to children in Central Montana, helping them build brighter futures through positive, professionally supported one-to-one relationships.
Grizzly Golf
The city planning office issued a certificate of occupancy for Grizzly Golf, a new golf simulator space, at 1520 3rd St. N.W.
Fire Within
The Great Falls Development Alliance held the annual Fire Within awards on March 6 with female entrepreneurs.
This year’s winners are:
Aspire Winners (less than five years in business):
- Carly Webber -MT Dirt and Construction, LLC
- Nicole Marchion -The GF Edit and Intentionaire Marketing
- Brianna Rhoten – Rhoten Studios
- Jennifer Renaud – Thrive Cycle
- Kaylene Stewart – Mmkay Cleaning Services, LLC
- Kelly Stephens – Reptile Universe
- Erica Ferrin – GRAE + Co.
- Julie Seaman – The Cage
- Toni Hufford – Whispers Zen Spa
- Jessi Hough – Wellness in the Falls
- Shauna Green – Rocky Mountain Interventions, LLC
- Madalyn Morris – Sunriver Health Care
- Kristin McComb – Crystals & Sage Candle Co.
- Angela Stringer – Times Square Plaza
- Julia Gremaux – Juila Gremaux Photography
- Tia Stiles – Studio Stiles
- Kitty Kennerly – Polished to Perfection
- Chelsie Morasko – Big Sky Dental
- Heather Harpring – Illumination Recovery
- Emily Lindquist – Volta Athletics
- Jen Barnett – The Front Agency
- Lexi Andre – Shindig Rental
- Deana Moler – Signature Med Spa
- Hillary Shepherd- The Montana Shepherd
- Jill Tranmer – Tranmer Toolbox, LLC
- Cheriene Johnson- PowerUp, LLC
- Tobi Hlavnicka – Aquasource Drilling, LLC
Inspire (more than five years in business):
- Ashlee Brown – BRB Preschool
- Katie Scollin – Scollin Design
- Tianta Stevens – Escape the Falls
- Jill Simmons – Big Sky Billing
- Kim Woloszyn – The Gittin Store
- Wendy Weissman – Wendy J. Weissman, CPA
- Veronica Ronnau – Pizazz
- Michaela Bonilla – Rock N’ Chalk Gymnastics
- Debbie Haney – Rocky Mountain Carriers
- Kathleen Royt – Great Falls Interpreting Services
- Victoria Davenport-Burgos – Enlightening Minds and The Gyst House’s
- Blanca Corbett – Rocky Mountain Registered Importers
- Brittney Brokl – Absolute Spa
- Raean Bilbrey – All State Sign Group, LLC
- Sandy Chevalier- Azalea Place
- Sidney Stanley – Cloud 9 Massage
- Britta Lee – The Decorating House
- Jayde Annau – Jayde Annau Floral Design
- Ann Rambo – Total Construction
- Lisa Botti – Whispering Creek Pottery
- Lindsay Hager and Leah McCloskey- Crooked Tree Coffee
- Inge Bucholz – Inge’s Fashions
- Beth Evenson – Planet Earth
- Mary Keeler – Big Sky Kreations
- Mckenzie Cox and Kimberly Heck – Allure Aesthetics
- Shawna Rothwell and Leighanne Bailey – S & L Development
