Fitness businesses open in old Park Merc building
CHRIS PETERSON | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 9 years, 5 months AGO
Owner Mollie Busby, holding scissors, cuts the ribbon on the Yoga Hive’s grand opening last week in the former Park Mercantile building.
Chris Peterson is the editor of the Hungry Horse News. He covers Columbia Falls, the Canyon, Glacier National Park and the Bob Marshall Wilderness. All told, about 4 million acres of the best parts of the planet. He can be reached at [email protected] or 406-892-2151. | March 15, 2017 8:18 AM
The former Park Mercantile building opened for business last week after about two decades of being nothing more than storage for an antique dealer.
The JIM, the Yoga Hive and Hellroaring Crossfit all welcomed customers. All of the businesses are fitness facilities. Developer and building owner Mick Ruis renovated the building, dividing it into three separate units, which are leased, in turn, to the fitness facilities. The JIM is owned by O’Brien Byrd, his wife Melanie and partner Kaitlyn Sleichter. Mollie Busby owns the Yoga Hive and Gabe Murphy owns Hellroaring Crossfit.
The Mercantile at one point was a grocery store run by EJ Marantette and his son, Jim, but the building was last the home of Pony Circus Antiques. The owner rarely had the store open an simply used it as storage for about 20 years, until Ruis bought it.
Ruis has several other projects on tap. He’s building another new building on a vacant lot between the Merc and the Columbia Bar.
That will house eight apartments on top and retail on the lower level.
Last fall he had the old Davall Building torn down and is working on plans with a similar theme — housing on the upper floors and retail on the lower floors.
Ruis has also renovated the former Kaplan Law offices and physical therapist Dulcie Berube has opened shop there.
Eventually, Ruis said he’d also like to put a restaurant where the former First Citizens Bank is located.
The Yoga Hive didn’t move far — it used to be across the street in the old Nord Building. That space will soon be a medical marijuana dispensary.
ARTICLES BY CHRIS PETERSON
After awful accident, Columbia Falls runner Hazel Alexander cleared to compete
A few weeks ago, Hazel Alexander received a box from her parents. Inside it were a pair of running shoes and a note from her doctor. She was cleared to start running again.
After awful accident, Hazel Alexander cleared to run
A few weeks ago Hazel Alexander received a box from her parents. Inside it were a pair of running shoes and a note from her doctor.
Groups file suit over removal of ‘harm’ from ESA
A host of environmental groups, including Flathead Valley based ones, filed suit recently against the Department of Interior, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and several other Trump Administration officials for removing the word “harm” from rules concerning enforcement of the Endangered Species Act.