Business
POLSON – Opening a gathering place downtown was a dream turned reality for Jeff and Debra Blodgett when they opened Blodgett Creamery Coffee Saloon at 325 Main St. on June 30. A lot of work was put into the effort, including a complete renovation of the building that the couple purchased from Denny Wilson in March. A new roof and flooring were added and some walls in the 2,700-square-foot building were redone. Debra explained that the couple put over $150,000 into the building in renovations alone. A $100,000 low-interest 18-year federal loan the couple procured through the Montana Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Division helped. Debra sa...
ST. IGNATIUS – Getting started in the ice cream business wasn’t an easy task for the owners of the Golden Yoke, but they made it happen. Connie Surber and Laura Ginsburg originally wanted to purchase a pasteurizing machine to make ice cream with milk from their farm. They started working on a ...
By Caleb M. Soptelean Valley Journal ELMO – After 14 years of working as a dog groomer for someone else, Beverly Weimar was ready to strike out on her own. She opened the Dog House at 27534 Ricketts Road full-time in June. She had been an apprentice and then a dog groomer at the...
CHARLO — Not too many people can say they had artist Charles M. Russell on their front porch in the early morning, waiting for them to wake up to let him in for a visit. But on Sunday, June 2, 1911, another famous Montana frontier artist, Edgar S. Paxson, was in his studio at 6 a.m. just starting to re...
News from S&K Technologies S&K Technologies, Inc. (SKT) Chief Executive Officer, Thomas Acevedo, has decided to wrap up his successful tenure as CEO of SKT and will transition from the company on Sept. 30. Over the last ten years, Tom has worked tirelessly to advance the quality and impact of th...
WOODS BAY – To hear Don Goodspeed tell it, this year’s wine grapes are going to be great. Goodspeed, who owns a vineyard on Flathead Lake 1.5 miles south of Beardance Trail, is excited. “I’ve never seen a crop this good,” said Goodspeed, who’s been harves...
By Rob Zolman Valley Journal POLSON – What are you doing the rest of this summer? Head Over Heels gymnastics studio has an end of summer program that will make you flip. Head Over Heels is now offering classes in gymnastics, tum...
It’s been a bountiful lavender harvest this July for local grower Eileen Neill, owner of Spotted Bear Vineyards and Lavender Farm on Finley Point.
POLSON – A new bookstore recently opened in Polson at 101 7th Ave. W. The building the store is located in is also occupied by the JourneyBe church and the Soups On soup kitchen. Dave Marshall, a book enthusiast, came up with the idea to start a bookstore in order to raise money for JourneyBe....
POLSON – A local couple have canceled plans to open a restaurant in town after the city cited parking issues. Bill and Cynthia Barrett had planned to convert the building at 51145 U.S. Highway 93 that previously housed Great Clips into “Dude’s Place,” a restaurant featuring tapas, ...
