Business Bites: Dave’s Hot Chicken planned; Al Banco moving; cajun fare coming to The Wild Hare; GFDA’s Ignite on Friday; NWGF birthday pint night; Rec Center events, and more
Dave’s Hot Chicken
Dave’s Hot Chicken is planning a location for 1225 10th Ave. S., next to City Brew.
The company applied for a building permit with the city planning office on Dec. 2 for a full interior buildout of the empty suite.
City planners are currently reviewing the application.
Top 10 for 2025: Business Bites
Al Banco
Al Banco is moving from its downtown location to 4700 10th Ave. S.
Bayou at The Hare
The Kitchen at The Wild Hare is revamping this month to Bayou Cajun Kitchen with a new cajun menu.
Ignite
The Great Falls Development Alliance is hosting Ignite 2026 on Jan. 9 at 7:30 a.m. at the Newberry.
The event showcases capital investment in the region that will begin or finish this year.
NeighborWorks Great Falls birthday
NeighborWorks Great Falls is celebrating its 46th birthday this week with a Raise a Pint night at the Celtic Cowboy, 116 1st Ave. S., Jan. 7 from 5-8 p.m.
Mention NeighborWorks at the bar and $1 per drink will be donated to NWGF.
McDonald’s
Yes, McDonald’s is planning a new location on the east side near Walmart.
We reported in April 2025 that McDonald’s had submitted permit applications to the city for a new location at 5300 10th Ave. S.
The restaurant chain is now soliciting bids for construction.
Rec Center events
The Great Falls Rec Center is hosting two events in January.
The first is the Winter Wonderland Daddy-Daughter Dance where “dads and daughters, mothers and sons, aunts, uncles, grandmas and grandpas of all ages can enjoy a night filled with music, dancing, and heart-warming moments. Step into a magical evening of sparkling lights, snowy charm, and unforgettable memories! Get ready for a night full of fun and magic. Our space will be transformed into a shimmering winter scene.”
The dance is 6 p.m. Jan. 30 and admission is $5 per person.
Dress in your winter best, sparkles, blues, whites, and cozy elegance are encouraged.
The second is the Winter Teen Night on Jan. 31 from 6:30-9:30 p.m. The cost is $10 per student.
“Join us for an epic indoor snowball battle filled with games, energy, and winter fun — all without the cold.”
The event includes snowball battle arena, music, dancing, hot cocoa and concessions and games.
History Museum events
The History Museum is hosting “Sounds of Montana” by the Great Falls Symphony’s Cascade Quartet for its Second Saturday program at 1 p.m. Jan. 10.
Admission is free and open to the public.
The program, “Sounds of Montana,” will take audiences on a journey through the state’s breathtaking natural beauty, exploring the inspiration behind various musical compositions. Using storytelling and music, the Cascade Quartet will transport listeners to the towering Rocky Mountains, rolling plains, and rivers of Montana.
The Cascade Quartet has inspired audiences with their depth of sound and insightful interpretations for over four decades. Established in 1978, the quartet is known for their creative programming, engaging stage presence, and passion for music. They have performed concerts and brought outreach and educational opportunities to communities throughout Montana and the Northwest.
GFPS soccer coaches
Great Falls High girls soccer coach Eric Fowell and C.M. Russell High boys soccer coach Brian Clarke have resigned.
Fowell coached the Lady Bison program for the last four years, leaving them to Eastern Conference playoff berths in two of those seasons, according to Mike Henneberg, Great Falls Public Schools athletic director.
Clark led the Rustler boys for the past two seasons. His 2024 team qualified for the Eastern Conference playoffs for the first time in many years.
“The Athletic Department of Great Falls Public Schools is appreciative of both Eric and Brian’s efforts for the soccer programs at Great Falls High and CM Russell. Both of them spent a tremendous amount of time and effort working for our kids and promoting the sport of soccer in our schools and community. We thank him for his commitment to the program and the sport of soccer in the Great Falls,” Henneberg said in a release.
Both vacant position are being advertised and are listed as open until filled on the GFPS website.
Heroes Rise Coffee
Heroes Rise Coffee has opened a second location in The Station District.
Flowing Water music series
The Flowing Water new music series begins in February with performances at 12:05 p.m. Wednesdays at the New Hope Lutheran Church, 3125 5th Ave. S.
The performance dates are:
- Feb. 25
- March 4
- March 11
- March 25
Portage Route Chapter event
Barb Kubik, Corps of Discovery historian, is speaking Jan. 8 at 7 p.m. at the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center, 4201 Giant Springs Road.
Her presentation will focus on the Corps, mosquitos and medicine.
Mosquitoes plagued the explorers for much of their 28 months on the trail, and the phrase “mosquitoes very troublesome” in myriad permutations fills their journals.
Clark alone managed to mosquito at least 19 different ways without once getting it right.
They combated the swarms as best they could with smoke, netting and the dubiously effective “voyageurs” grease.
Kubik will give more insight into that “troublesome” problem that still plagues us today.
Kubik’s most recent work as a consulting historian includes Meriwether, a role-playing video game that can be downloaded from Steam, based on the Corps of Discovery journey, as well as Shannon Kelly’s two-part article for We Proceeded On, “Beyond the Conflict: Frederick Bates in the Greater Context of the Post-Expedition West” [May, August 2022] and the Clark County History Museum’s upcoming exhibition for the 200th anniversary of the Hudson’s Bay Company in present-day Clark County, Wash.
Kubik’s program is part of the Ida Johnson Speaker Series and is free to the public.
The program is sponsored by the Portage Route Chapter of the Lewis and Clark Trail Alliance.
For more information contact the Interpretive Center at 406-727-8733.
Family Connections anniversary
Family Connections is celebrating its 40th anniversary.
Family Connections is a Montana based nonprofit serving 33 counties in Montana. For four decades, Family Connections have been dedicated to making a difference in communities across Montana.
Established in January 1986, Family Connections consistently offered services to help communities thrive and find success.
Family Connections offers financial assistance to qualifying families to help pay for child care through the Best Beginnings Child Care Scholarship.
They also help families find child care with a free child care referral along with information to help families make this important choice for your child. Staff also provides assistance, referrals to community agencies and connects families and providers to resources.
“Every day, the work our staff at Family Connections does impacts the future of Montana; through helping families access quality early education and supporting these educators, our program helps children, families, and providers to thrive. While working or attending school our services provide families with peace of mind that their children are not only safe but also engaged in learning that provides a foundation for the rest of their life. Our programs and services are foundational to economic success of local communities. We have proudly served Montana for forty years and hope to continue to do so long into the future,” Kim Stull, executive director, said in a release.
Got a business bite? Email it to jenn@theelectricgf.com with ‘business bite’ in the subject line and the details in text form in the body of the email.