Mark your calendar for a fun event. We have invited the assistant director for the Montana Department of Commerce, Doug Mitchell, to join us on Thursday, November 20th to speak to Uptown businesses at a no-host luncheon. We will be sending out more details soon, but reservations will be required so if you would like to attend, reserve an early place at this luncheon by sending an email to geverett@montana.com or call 565-2249.
Organization
Thank you to new and renewing members who have made a commitment of support in the last couple of weeks for Mainstreet Uptown Butte.
Business
Butte Community FCU, 2901 Grand Ave., 723-8284
Driscoll Drug, 327 S. Excelsior Ave., 723-3308
Jim Gilman Excavating, Inc., 3099 Grand Ave., 723-6349
Granite Mountain Bank, 605 Dewey Blvd., 533-0600
High Country Lung & Sleep Disorders Clinic, PC, 505 W.Park St., 782-8988
Mountain West FCU, 400 E. Park St., 782-9760
Payne West Insurance, 49 N.Main St., 723-7365
Proforma InfoSystems, 825 W.Mercury St., 600-1885
The Dublin Bar, 20 S.Montana St., 723-0282
US Bank, 10 S. Main St., 496-4000
Zip Beverage, 1301 Scott St., 723-6528
Friend/Non-Profit
Butte Community Celebrations, P.O. Box 245, 565-7685
Rocky Mountain Insurance, 1917 Harrison Ave., 723-3251
New members at all levels are always welcome. The easiest way is to go to the web site and join -- www.mainstreetbutte.org/join.htm. Or, please call 565-2249 and I will send more details or stop by.
Design
Winter will be here too soon, and with the coming winter weather, Mainstreet Uptown Butte is offering a new service for members. For a small fee, we will arrange to plow your Uptown sidewalk of snow to help businesses comply with snow removal requirements.
If you would rather arrange this service directly yourself, we can get you in touch with contractors with the equipment and experience to reliably remove snow from in front of your business. For details on how to sign up for this service, call 565-2249 or send email to geverett@montana.com.
Promotion
US Bank is looking for Business Partners
US Bank has started a program to allow Uptown businesses to decorate their lobby with examples of their products and services. Stop by to find out more about their Business Partners of the Month program and see what Wilhelm Flower Shoppe has done to decorate the bank's lobby. If you are interested in getting involved, check with Rhonda or Meagan. Keep in mind that they will give preference to business partners who are customers of US Bank.
Uptown Open House and Nibble of Butte
This annual event is the kick off for the Holiday Shopping season in Uptown Butte. It is set for Sunday, November 16 from noon to 4 pm.
We are gathering a “Bundle of Butte” with prizes that represent the best of Uptown businesses and customers will be able to register to win in participating businesses from November 1 through November 16. The drawing for the winner will be held on Monday November 17. No purchase is necessary to enter. Businesses are encouraged to partner with Uptown restaurants to offer samples of their culinary treats. Please let us know if you plan to be open, and we will encourage folks to visit you, check out your wares, enter the contest, and enjoy a “Nibble of Butte.”
Enter as often as you like in different stores between November 1 and November 16.
We want to let everyone know that Uptown Butte businesses are ready for the coming holiday season and they are inviting shoppers and browsers alike to visit on Sunday, November 16th from 12 noon to 4 pm and to sign up for a drawing the two weeks before that..
A special treat again this year for those who come up to browse through Uptown stores for an early peek at ideas for their holiday gift lists will be "The Nibble of Butte" -- renowned Butte restaurants will be offering samples from their menus to shoppers in Uptown retail stores.
This is a great opportunity to introduce shoppers to the fine food available in restaurants all over the Hill. To do that, restaurants are teaming up with retail stores. Stores will have sample food from some of Butte’s best restaurants.
Shoppers will be able to compare their holiday gift lists against the merchandise in Uptown shops while enjoying free samples from some of the finest restaurant menus in Southwest Montana.
Early shoppers too will be able to sign up in participating stores to win a bundle -- literally. They can stop by Uptown businesses and enter for the drawing for the Bundle of Butte.
The Bundle of Butte is a gift package of prizes that has been assembled from Uptown businesses To be eligible, shoppers only need to fill out an entry form in participating businesses -- no purchase is necessary. Shoppers are encouraged to visit Uptown businesses from November 1 through November 16 to sign up. The drawing for the Bundle will take place on Monday November 17.
Many Uptown shops offer free gift wrapping, free delivery and shipping, and most offer gift certificates for customers who want to shop light. For more details, visit http://www.mainstreetbutte.org, on Facebook at uptownbutte or call 565-2249.
Christmas Stroll
Despite the many changes all around us, the Stroll is taking shape for Friday December 5. We will not have Heritage Park which is gone to make way for the Northwestern Energy general office building and we do not have the Courthouse Rotunda which is under construction to restore the dome but we have been busy trying to adapt to the changing Uptown terrain.
CCCS will be back on West Broadway with the popular games, pony rides and visit with Santa.
Something different this year is the addition of a holiday Support our Local Artists and Musicians (SLAM) event. This will include a schedule of performances in the Grand Hotel hosted by Quarry Brewing Company.
We have also arranged a special treat for children -- a Gingerbread House Decorating class at the IBRC at 68 W. Park Street. The cost is $25 and a food item or two for the food bank. The event will be led by Deb Caples aka The Pie Lady who will also have her famous pies for sale in the adjoining Stroll market. For details or to register your child to decorate a 9" x 13" house that they can take home, send an email to geverett@montana.com or call 565-2249.
Next door, the Foreground Gallery will be taken over by artists and crafters selling a variety of crafts that may be familiar to anyone who has attended the Butte Farmers' Market this past summer.
We are still seeking sponsors for the Stroll to help defray the expenses of the event.
Ice Sculpting Contest?
The Ice Sculpting Contest is primed and ready to proceed on Saturday, December 13, ice is waiting to go into the cooler and we are gathering the prizes for the best of the best in various categories.
All we need now is to hear from a sponsor or two or three willing to associate their name to help support the event. For details about sponsorship opportunities, please call 565-2249.
Upcoming Events
October 22 -- The Butte-Silver Bow Public Archives, 17 W. Quartz St.,will continue its Brown Bag Lunch series with a presentation by photographer Lisa Wareham. She will speak about her Deep Butte Roots exhibit, currently on display at the Clark Chateau. She will talk about the stories of nine families that have deep Butte roots. You'll hear about a peddler from Lebanon who started Thomas' Apparel, tradition in the kitchen, a woman who became blind at age 16 but lived a full life in spite of it, and much more. These are the not-so-tall tales of the people of Butte that photographer Lisa Wareham felt passionate about capturing in new portraits as well as old newspaper articles, school papers, letters, photos and greeting cards.
The presentation begins at noon and runs about a half hour. Guests are encouraged to bring a sack lunch. Coffee and water will be provided. For more information, call 782-3280.
October 24, 25, 31 and November 1 -- The Original Nightmare 3, a haunted house at the Original Mineyard from 7 pm to 11 pm. Tickets are $5 per person. For details, visit ButteOriginalNightmare.
October 28 -- Under the Streetlamp performs an evening of classic hits from the American songbook at the Mother Lode Theatre, 316 W. Park Street. Members are all recent cast members of the Tony-Award winning musical Jersey Boys. For more information, call 723-3602 or visit www.buttearts.org.
November
November 8 -- The World Museum of Mining presents the second Annual “Evening with the Museum” Live & Silent Art Auction in memory of Donald Cooney. Enjoy an evening of hors d'oeuvres, cocktails and amazing visual art pieces by local & regional artists. Doors open at 6:30 pm with the auction following from 7–9 pm.
Tickets are $10/person and are available at the World Museum of Mining, Butte-Silver Bow Archives, Headframe Spirits and on-line via Ticket River atwww .ticketriver.com/event/13037. All proceeds from the event go to advance the vital work performed at the museum in collections management, photo archives, preservation & education. For information, call 723-7211.
November 15 -- Season's Greetings Trade and Craft Fair at the MAC from noon to 6 pm at the Maroon Activities Center on East Mercury Street near the Belmont Senior Center.
Come start your holiday shopping season and be the first to beat the Christmas Rush. Vendors welcome, spots are $50. A table will be provided 6x2. You may bring two extra tables if you want just let us know for the setup space. Fordetails or a registration form call Jamie Offutt at 723-7797, email Offuttjamie@yahoo.com or visit Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/events/1512180959017455/.
November 16 -- Uptown Open House from 12 pm to 4 pm. Shoppers are invited to visit Uptown businesses and sample the fare from the many Uptown restaurants that will have samples and desserts in participating retails stores. From November 1 through November 16 stop by participating retail stores and enter to win this year's Bundle of Butte -- Stop by an Uptown business and ask how you can sign up to win a bundle! This will contain gifts from several Uptown businesses all gathered into a bundle. The winner will be drawn on Monday, November 17.
December
December 5 -- A Victorian Christmas in Butte -- the Uptown Stroll from 5 pm to 9 pm. Look for a gingerbread decorating art class led by Deb Caples(The Pie Lady) at the IBRC at 68 W. Park. A craft market with many familiar vendors will also be held in the IBRC.Stop in retail stores for discounts and snacks. Watch for more details soon!
December 5-- The 25th Annual Festival of Trees, a fundraiser for the Paul Clark Home. For details call 782-0353 or visit www.paulclarkhome.org .
December 13 -- 14th Annual Ice Sculpting Contest. We are still looking for sponsors for this long running December event where local sculptors carve away at 300-pound ice blocks throughout the day. If you are interested in sponsoring a block of ice or a larger part of this event, send an email to geverett@montana.com or call 565-2249.
January 2015
January 5 -- Smokey Joe's Cafe featuring the Coasters, a tribute to songwriters Leiber and Stoller at the Mother Lode Theatre at 316 W. Park Street. For more information, call 723-3602 or visit www.buttearts.org.
January 27 -- Jekyll & Hyde at the Mother Lode Theatre at 316 W. Park Street. For more information, call 723-3602 or visit www.buttearts.org.
February
February 3 -- The Great Gatsby at the Mother Lode Theatre at 316 W. Park Street. For more information, call 723-3602 or visit www.buttearts.org.
February 17 -- Memphis at the Mother Lode Theatre at 316 W. Park Street. For more information, call 723-3602 or visit www.buttearts.org.
March
March 17-- St. Patricks's Day Parade. For details, contact Linda with Butte Community Celebrations at lredfern1731@yahoo.com or call 565-7685.
-from Mainstreet Butte Director George Everett