Business Bites: FexEx Ship Center update; Big Sky Bungee closing; GFPS book giveaway; Pony Up opening; Lewis and Clark Festival; Meet the Maker at 2J’s; ice cream truck; book sale; Baatz tax credits, donations; United Way grants
FedEx
FedEx has changed course and decided to keep the customer counter, or FedEx Ship Center, open Monday through Friday for customers to drop off packages.
A FedEx spokesman alerted The Electric to the change on June 15.
The airport facility will remain open, but local deliveries that dispatch from that location will be consolidated into another area location.
The Electric previously included this statement from FedEx about the other changes:
“As part of our previously announced network transformation strategy, the FedEx facility at the Great Falls International Airport will have a staff reduction effective September 28. Team members at the facility were notified several months in advance, and certain employees will be offered other roles within the company. For customers who have historically used this location for package drop off, other locations providing these services can be found at fedex.com. These decisions are never taken lightly and reflect our commitment to supporting affected employees – through job placement assistance, relocation aid, or severance, as applicable – while transforming our network and continuing to provide an outstanding experience for our customers.”
Big Sky Bungee
Big Sky Bungee is closing.
The final day of classes is June 30 and doors officially closed July 1.
All recurring memberships will be null and void as of July 1 and the gym will refund outstanding punch passes or remaining balances.
All refunds will be handled exclusively through email at bigskybungee@outlook.com.
Big Sky Bungee is for sale and serious inquiries can be made to bigskybungee@outlook.com.
GFPS book giveaway
The annual Great Falls Public School book giveaway is coming up in the Paris Gibson Education Center gymnasium.
This year’s sale is:
- June 17 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- June 18 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Admission is free and books are available for free. These books are out-of-date, obsolete or no longer needed for reference material.
Participants should park in the lot by the football field and enter the south gym doors.
Pony Up and Odd World Brewing
Pony Up bar and casino is opening in the former Pit Stop at 1600 25th Ave. N.E.
The owners also own and operate Magpie and are serving chicken, gizzards, burgers, salads, and a few other items at Pony Up.
They opened for the weekend, but closed June 15 to sort through some details and will be posting their new hours soon.
They’re also opening Odd World Brewing in the former brewery space later this summer.
Lewis and Clark Festival
The 38th annual Lewis and Clark Festival is June 19-20 at the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center.
Meet the Maker/New Press Club location
2J’s Fresh Market is hosting its first Meet the Maker event from 1-5 p.m. June 28.
Meet the faces behind local products:
- Ancestral Botanicals
- Smoot Honey
- Montana Fresh Microgreens
- Natural Pork & Beef of Montana
- Heroes Rise Coffee
They’ll also have food trucks, local vendors, giveaways, a raffle and free tote bags for the first 100 visitors.
They’ll also celebrate the grand opening of The Press Club location in 2J’s, which is open daily from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Sugar Bolt
The Sugar Bolt ice cream truck will be operating in Great Falls this summer.
Emma will be sharing updates, locations, menu items, events, and more on the Sugar Bolt page.
Shred Day
Montana Credit Union is hosting a shred day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 25 in the parking lot of their branch at 15 14th S. S.
Bring up to two boxes of paper per person and a non-perishable food item to support the Great Falls Community Food Bank.
AAUW Book Sale
The 67th annual AAUW book sale starts in October.
They’re collecting donations on Tuesdays at the alley door of the Great Falls Public Library from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
They accept hardback and paperback books in good condition, puzzles, music, both printed and recorded, movies, audiobooks, and games.
They do not accept encyclopedias, old textbooks, VHS tapes, items in poor condition, Reader’s Digest Condensed Books, or National Geographic magazines. They do take a few magazines that contain patterns that instruct, like woodworking.
Most of their members and volunteers are seniors and greatly appreciate donations in smaller boxes or bags.
In special, limited circumstances, they may be able to arrange a pickup or arrange a different drop-off time. Call Terry Reynolds at 406-452-4264 or Lynn Allison at 406-315-2960.
Baatz Building tax credits
Homeword and NeighborWorks Great Falls have received approval of their Historic Preservation Certification Application Part 3 for the Baatz Block Apartments, meaning it will receive historic rehabilitation tax credit.
Historic tax credit equity covered nearly 17 percent of total development costs and more than 23 percent of construction costs. Restoring and preserving historic features often costs more than replacing them, and historic tax credit equity helps bridge that gap, according to Homeword.
Baatz project nearing completion, leasing to start this summer [2025]
- skylight over the main stairwell
- original storefront and prismatic glass windows
- original pressed tin ceilings
- historic wood windows and window openings
- distinctive hallway door pattern that reflects the building’s hotel history
Students donate to Baatz
Thirty students in the 2025–2026 fashion design and construction class at Great Falls High School recently put their sewing skills to work for a community project, creating and donating handmade items to residents of the Baatz Block Apartments.
Early in the school year, students crafted 18 bowl cozies and 12 potholders that were donated to Baatz residents.
City supports historic designation for Baatz building [2024]
Baatz is the Great Falls’ first permanent supportive housing community operated by NeighborWorks Great Falls.
The idea for the donation project originated with Cathy Inouye, a neighbor of fashion design and construction teacher Meg Sheehan.
Inspired by the opportunity to connect students with local residents, Sheehan incorporated the project into her classroom curriculum.
“This project helped students see that the skills they learn in the classroom can be used to serve others in meaningful ways. They were proud to create something handmade that could bring comfort and care to local residents,” Sheehan said in a release.
“We are incredibly grateful to the students and Ms. Sheehan for their generosity,” property manager Charles Goodman said in a release. “These thoughtful gifts not only provide practical use for our residents, but also show them that young people in our community care about their well-being.”
City approves $2.15 million in federal funds for Baatz project [2023]
United Way grants
United Way of Cascade County is investing $1,107,127 in the coming fiscal year to advance community goals in education, financial security and health, supporting programs and initiatives that strengthen lives across Cascade County.
Thanks to the generosity of donors during last fall’s campaign, United Way-funded programs are
expected to help 32,683 people in the coming year.
The investment includes $477,056 dedicated to community initiatives, including efforts to address
homelessness, prevent child abuse, improve educational outcomes and manage the federally funded Retired Senior Volunteer Program.
Donors also designated $145,071 from the campaign to more than 100 nonprofit organizations of their choosing.
A volunteer committee determines how undesignated donations are invested, focusing on programs that align with United Way’s goals of helping children achieve their potential and graduate on time, promoting financial stability and independence, and improving health outcomes.
This year, a team of 40 community volunteers spent dozens of hours reviewing grant applications,
examining outcomes and hearing presentations from nonprofit leaders before allocating $485,000 to support 27 nonprofit programs.
The decisions came amid growing demand for services throughout Cascade County.
Local nonprofits requested more than $1.1 million in funding from United Way, citing rising operating costs, increased demand for assistance and the loss or reduction of state, federal and foundation funding sources.
United Way’s investments for the coming year include funding for new programs that provide
wraparound support for individuals and families experiencing homelessness, recovery services for people overcoming addiction and peer-support groups for parents of children with disabilities.
In addition to the workplace campaign, people donate directly to United Way at P.O. Box 1343, Great Falls, MT 59403, or online.
Broken down into United Way’s focus areas of youth opportunity, financial security and healthy
communities, here are the 27 programs that are funded this year:
Youth opportunity – $85,500
- Big Brothers Big Sisters – $11,500
- Boys & Girls Club – $10,000
- Foster Grandparents – $8,000
- Kairos Youth Services – $21,500
- Montana United Indian Association – $7,000
- Peace Place Connect & Grow preschool program – $21,500
- Young Parents Education Center – $6,000
Financial Security – $192,000
- Alliance for Youth (youth resource center) $27,000
- Cascade County Law Clinic – $15,000
- Family Promise – $16,000
- Great Falls Children’s Receiving Home – $12,000
- NeighborWorks Great Falls (matched savings for new homeowners, Baatz Block) – $25,500
- Opportunities, Inc. (housing) – $34,000
- St. Vincent de Paul (homeless outreach, food pantry) – $62,500
Healthy Communities – $207,500
- Adult Treatment Court – $20,000
- Alliance for Youth (Sober Life) – $30,000
- CASA-CAN – $14,000
- Dynamic Recovery (drop-in center) – $9,000
- Get Fit Great Falls (Park Pals) – $10,500
- Great Falls Senior Center – $7,000
- Meals on Wheels – $25,000
- Peace Place Respite Care – $20,000
- St. Vincent de Paul (community kitchen) – $20,000
- Veteran’s Treatment Court – $26,000
- Voices of Hope (crisis line) – $26,000
Got a business bite? Email it to jenn@theelectricgf.com with ‘business bite’ in the headline and the details in text form in the body of the email.
