BUTTE — Officials in Butte have been hammering the point for years to “shop local,” and many small businesses say that Uptown is growing and this is the place to do just that.
“There are a lot of new shops Uptown and all of us are collectively working together to, you know, get people Uptown,” said Shelly Conner, the owner of Gloss: The Green Beauty Counter.
Groups of business owners have been working on the Uptown Master Plan to make the district more pedestrian friendly. In the meantime, several new businesses have opened up.
“A year ago, I was kind of on my own here on this cold empty block. Now, we’ve got Shawn O’Donnell’s, we’ve got the antique store across the street,” said the owner of Plantasaurus Rex Myles Stricker.
The city has organized the Sidewalk Sale event for Saturday, Sept. 7 that will feature specials from more than 30 stores.
“It does give people an opportunity to really find out what’s here in Uptown rather than going to Bozeman or Missoula or getting it on the internet,” said the Regional Director of the Small Business Development Center, Jay Doyle.
The time between Butte’s summer festival season and holiday shopping season can be slow for retail, so this special event is helpful.
“I’m hoping that they come up here and see the transformation that’s happened in a year and see that this is a place to meander and explore,” said Stricker.
And, maybe, spend some money while they’re at it.
“There’s a vibe up here now, and I think we can take advantage of that vibe,” said Doyle.
