Two new stores in Kalispell welcome customers

Bed, Bath & Beyond opened quietly Tuesday while its neighbor Best Buy plans to start business with a bang Friday in Kalispell.

The two new stores add a combined 43,000 square feet of retail space to Mountain View Plaza at U.S. 93 North and Reserve Drive.

General Manager Brian Baker said the Kalispell Best Buy opens following a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10 a.m. Friday.

The opening follows a month and a half of work including setting up displays, stocking the store and training employees. Best Buy starting hiring in August.

Right now we have 95 employees including the seasonal employees, Baker said. Were fully staffed and ready to go.

The Kalispell store spans 20,000 square feet reflecting the latest Best Buy design elements such as single-line check-outs and wider aisles. Baker described the store as the warehouse look with the latest in technology and entertainment products and services.

Baker stressed that Best Buy employees dont work on commission.

You get what you need, not what were trying to sell you to make the most money, he said.

Baker said he bumped up his merchandise order for the Kalispell opening based on the reaction he and other employees got just walking around town in their Best Buy shirts.

Ive been through three grand openings and Ive never seen anything like this, he said.

In contrast, Bed, Bath & Beyond began business Tuesday with just a banner across the building announcing the opening. Its the first Bed, Bath & Beyond store in Montana, according to Darrell Palmer, district operation trainer.

He explained the chain traditionally opens with little fanfare to let employees start without the pressure of 25 people in line.

We kind of sneak open, he said with a laugh.

Palmer said the store received a positive response from people who noticed the doors were open. Even on Wednesday, customers seemed surprised as they pushed through the doors into the 23,000-square-foot store packed with a large variety of domestic and home furnishings.

The store, managed by Noel Winters, began hiring employees about a month ago. Palmer said it took about 10 days to set up all the merchandise in the store.

According to Noemi Villani of the stores public relations department, Bed, Bath & Beyond has a policy of refusing to discuss business details such as the number of employees hired.

She said the Kalispell store marks the 710th store in the nationwide chain of retail stores based in New Jersey.

In a guided tour of the store, Palmer pointed out the extent of the beyond in the store overflowing with kitchen gadgets, window treatments and more.

Dont let the name fool you, he said. We have a real broad selection of household goods.

As the name promises, Bed, Bath & Beyond also carries a large line of items for the bath.

Bed, Bath & Beyond is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday.

Best Buy is open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday.

Rocky Mountain Bank also celebrated its grand opening this week at its new building at Mountain View Plaza.

Reporter Candace Chase may be reached at 758-4436 or by e-mail at cchase@dailyinterlake.com.