Business Bites: A&K opening pushed; O’Haire Inn renovation; Harvest Craft Kitchen moving; Carlson Q closing restaurant; theatre company starting; community band auditions; Malmstrom contract; NWGF receives grant; Roadhouse nominated for award
A&K Diner
A&K Diner pushed their opening date and will announce it soon for their new location at 705 Central Ave. W., the former Lippi’s Kitchen. The new restaurant will serve American and Korean food.
O’Haire Inn
The O’Haire Inn has begun its renovation with façade updates and interior work.
“We are taking the front back to it’s original look of beautiful metal work, adding signage that is reminiscent of the original but with changes reflective of who we are now. We found carpeting that is real close to the original look that was in the building when the doors opened in 1963. We’ll be adding new retro linens and touches to rooms,” according to the inn.
Originally, it was named the O’Haire Manor, then the O’Haire Motor Inn, but they’re changing it to the O’Haire Inn.
The owners are looking for any photos of the inn from 1990 or earlier.
The inn received funding through the city’s downtown tax increment financing fund’s façade upgrade program.
City approves expanded TIF programs for downtown projects
Harvest Craft Kitchen
Harvest Craft Kitchen is moving their operation fully from 220 Central Ave. to The Wild Hare at 518 Central Ave.
They’ll be closed Sept. 12-21 to get everything moved and will be serving the same menu and specials out of The Wild Hare once they reopen.
Nourish was also operating a kitchen out of the 220 Central location and the owner is now looking for a new space.
Al Banco
Al Banco is opening a coffee and pastry bar in the Commons on Central soon. It will be an additional location for them and they’ll maintain their current location in Machinery Row.
Commons on Central is in the former JJs Bakery location on the 100 block of Central Avenue.
Carlson Q
Carlson Q BBQ is closing their brick and mortar location at 1720 10th Ave. S. and will go back to catering and selling food out of their concession trailer.
Great Falls Theatre Company
The Great Falls Theatre Company has been formed to bring community theater back to Great Falls.
GFTC is a nonprofit “dedicated to offering quality arts opportunities to the community with an emphasis of mentoring young artists for success,” according to the group.
To kick off its formation, GFTC is embarking on a months-long fundraising campaign in order to bring its first full-fledged musical production to life.
They’re holding their first fundraising event at 7 p.m. Sept. 28 at the Ursuline Center, 2300 Central Ave.
The company will present “From Page to Stage,” a musical revue showcasing songs from musicals that once began as books.
Admission is free, but GFTC will be looking to gain show sponsors for its upcoming productions.
For more information on visit their Facebook page or contact Amber Henning Griffith at 406-590-0727 or email greatfallstheatrecompany@gmail.com.
Community Band
The Great Falls Community Band begins fall rehearsals Sept. 22 at the New Hope Lutheran Church.
The band is a long-standing Great Falls organization for amateur musicians who continue making music in their adult life. Many of the members also participate in the Municipal Band during the summer, performing concerts each Wednesday in Gibson Park.
Membership is open to anyone interested in performing serious concert band literature written by master composers.
Last season’s band included musicians from 17 to 81 years of age.
Rehearsals are Thursday evenings from 7-8:30 p.m. at the church, culminating in a Nov. 20 Fall concert.
Retired Great Falls Public Schools music supervisor Dennis Granlie conducts the group.
For more information or to register for membership in the band, contact Phil Burton at philbonium@gmail.com or join in person at any of the Thursday evening rehearsals.
Malmstrom contract
The Malmstrom Air Force Base Contracting Squadron has awarded a contract for the Demo Building
1192 project to Northcon, Inc. of Hayden, Idaho, in the amount of $182,029.00. The period of performance for this award is 120 calendar days.
NeighborWorks Great Falls
NeighborWorks Great Falls has received a $30,000 U.S. Bank Foundation Community Possible grant.
“This funding will help NeighborWorks address the need to break the cycle of poverty by creating the opportunity for affordable, sustainable, successful homeownership for low-income families. NeighborWorks Great Falls offers our neighbors multiple ways to do just that, through homebuyer education, financial coaching, down payment assistance, rental counseling, and more,” according to NWGF.
The agency is currently developing 25 permanent supportive housing units in the Baatz building to help move people out of homelessness.
Roadhouse Diner
The servers at Roadhouse Diner have been nominated for Best Front-of-House Team in the inaugural Yelp! Servies Awards.
Voting runs through Sept. 17 and the restaurant owners are asking for the community’s help “to bring home the award for our team that dedicates themselves to always providing the welcoming and friendly service the Roadhouse has been known for.”
Roadhouse Diner is nominated for Best Front-of-House Team.
Got a business bite? Email it to jenn@theelectricgf.com.
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