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Uptown Butte businesses report brisk holiday sales

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BUTTE — The holiday shopping season is over and Santa must have been good to some Uptown businesses as they reported an increase in local shopping over the Christmas season.

“I sold all my hats and scarves almost. We had a whole table full, now we only have three,” said Beverly McVey of Snowdrift Alpacas and Friends.

Snowdrift Alpacas and Friends just opened on Park Street in early November.

“It was kind of slow until after the Small Business Saturday and then, bingo, it picked up like crazy,” said McVey.

Wein’s Men’s Store has been a staple in Uptown Butte for 118 years and expected about a 10 percent increase in holiday shopping from last year. The owner said it hasn’t been from just local shopping.

“Even though we love local shoppers, we like the local Bozeman and Helena people that come here. It’s amazing how many people shop in Butte from those towns,” said Joel Broudy of Wein’s.

Though Wein’s offers online shopping, Broudy still believes people enjoy in-person shopping.

“I think people like specialty stores, they like service they get in stores, they like to come in and see the merchandise. We always have a good selection, a great selection,” he said.

Several businesses say there appeared to be more people walking Uptown during the holiday season.

“There’s a lot of new shops in Uptown, so I think it’s become a good shopping area now,” said McVey.