The Billings bar scene is shrinking as two West End businesses close their doors.
Craft B and B on Grand Avenue and Peppers Bar and Casino, which is next door to the West End Target, both closed suddenly on Monday.
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The two businesses have signs on the door citing increased operating costs and slimmer margins as reasons for the closure.
Both businesses share the same owner, Storm Mountain LLC, which provided a statement to MTN saying the decision didn’t come lightly. They thanked the community and loyal patrons for their business.
Both buildings are already on the market, and local business leaders say they expect they won’t stay empty for long.
"I would say for the most part, I feel like things are being replaced. In our downtown area, we're trying to add more here. There's some vacancies down here, trying to bring some new restaurants and retail into downtown. I think we're constantly trying to replace those things, obviously a lot of growth on the West End where we're seeing restaurants. Indirectly, you could say 'yeah, they're being replaced', just maybe in a different location," said Braden Berger, interim executive director of Big Sky Economic Development.
George Warmer, supervising broker at Billings-based Coldwell Banker Commercial, which is marketing both properties, said he is already receiving interest.
Signs on both buildings say they hope to find a long-term operator to take over both locations.
