Developer Mick Ruis has sold the former Bandit Bar to a successful Whitefish restaurant owner.

Ruis said last week he closed on the sale to Pat Carloss, who owns the Tupelo Grille.

Carloss was traveling and could not be immediately reached for comment, though he did confirm the deal in a voice message to the Hungry Horse News.

Ruis said he would continue to invest in downtown Columbia Falls. He currently has plans to build an 18-unit apartment complex at the former Davall Building and is finishing up an apartment-retail unit next to the Columbia Bar. The apartment building should open sometime next month. The 18-unit complex was expected to break ground on Wednesday, Ruis said.

He bought the Bandit Bar from John VanValkenburg in May and had plans for a sports bar there.

Ruis has single-handedly invested millions in Columbia Falls in recent years. He built the Cedar Creek Lodge and he remodeled the former Park Merc Building, which now houses three separate health and fitness businesses. Another health related business is set to go into the building next to the Columbia.

He also remodeled the former Kaplan Law Office Building as well.

Ruis sold the lodge to Xanterra Parks and Resorts earlier this year. He also owns the former First Citizen Bank building.