BUTTE, Mont. — Plans for an independent grocery store in the often-neglected town of Walkerville are moving forward, but organizers are asking for the public’s help to keep the ambitious proposal on progress.
Two Walkerville entrepreneurs purchased a dilapidated building on North Main Street eight years ago, and have spent recent years stabilizing the structure, putting up a new roof, getting windows installed, and doing other grunt work. It’s been primarily funded by grants, donations, and volunteer labor.
“We’ve been working on framing, today we’re working in the basement. Just kind of a slow, continuous slog towards reaching our goal of finishing the renovation of this building and opening the grocery store,” said Clark Grant, Walkerville Grocery co-owner, who will oversee the deli.
Now, it is time to fund plumbing, heating, and electrical work, which is why they are holding a fundraiser at the shop at 1613 North Main Street this Saturday at 4 p.m., where $20 gets you bread and soup, and there will be live music as well.
“This front area here would be a small grocery store, with a couple center aisles that have household staples and non-perishable goods and drink coolers, beer, snickers, ice cream. That’s my dream, ice cream,” said Grant.
When finished, the shop will also feature a café serving coffee roasted on site, among other things.
“If you want to buy a dozen eggs or a loaf of bread in Walkerville, you have to drive about two miles to get to the nearest grocery store. So, I think the convenience factor will be really nice and also just a place for people to gather and meet and congregate, eat good food and hang out,” said Walkerville Grocery co-owner Daniel Hogan.
Those attending the fundraiser can bring their own beer, and there will be water on hand. The soup options will be borscht and a vegetarian lentil soup with a salad on top.
If all goes according to plan, the hope is for the store to open sometime in early 2027.
“This is going to be the first new business of its kind to come in Walkerville in a very long time. There used to be neighborhood grocery stores up here. It’s just more convenient to have a store in your neighborhood. I think it’ll also give people in Walkerville a place to convene, conduct commerce outside of a home. There’s just not a lot of third spaces left in Walkerville – all the churches closed, all the schools closed, all the mines closed, all the grocery stores closed,” said Grant.
Dining and Cooking