BUTTE — A developer is almost ready to announce what businesses have agreed to set up on a 17-acre plot that’s being developed off Harrison Avenue in Butte. This is welcome news for many people in Butte who are starved for new retail. So, I decided to ask people what they would like to see here.
“A Whole Foods store, honestly. There’s not really a lot when it comes to food shopping, especially when you’re someone who loves to cook and stuff and loves to eat healthy,” said Butte resident Winchester Kessler.
New York-based developer Dave Leon purchased the property just north of the Bert-Mooney Airport last year and is planning a groundbreaking ceremony on Oct. 14 where some of the businesses will be named. People in Butte have some ideas of what they’d like to see go there.
“A Herberger’s-style store or retail business, yes. Clothing and such as that,” said Bernie Morgan of Butte.
Former Butte resident Carson Gleason said, “I’d like to see a lot more corporate restaurants or like a Nike store or like another clothing store.”
Clothing retail was a popular answer for some.
“We need more clothing lines for sure because the only place to shop is, like, Walmart and thrift stores,” said Kim Leathers.
Dwight Rose of Opportunity agreed: “It'd be nice to actually go someplace where I could actually buy some men’s clothes, go try it on, be able to go touch it, feel it, versus trying to either go to another city or order it online and get something and getting something that is not even remotely close to what fits.”
Jay Bressette of Butte had another wish: “A hobby shop. There’s nothing here for people doing RC or the doll houses or anything like that.”
Shannon Kuoppala of Butte said, “Honestly, I would like to see a form of entertainment for the kids—an indoor playground or something to use during the winter or like an arcade that functions a majority of the time.”
Any kind of restaurant you’d like to see?
“A restaurant? Honestly, a Popeye’s or a Chick-fil-A. Just chicken in general,” laughed Kuoppala.
