As the calendar turns toward a new year, downtown Great Falls business owners are reflecting on the challenges and successes of 2025 while looking ahead with cautious optimism to 2026.
Quentin Shores spoke with a few local business owners about the year ahead - watch the video here:
For Inge Buchholz, owner of Inge’s Fashion, downtown retail is nothing new. Buchholz has been doing business in Great Falls for more than four decades, opening her first shop in 1982 and operating in her current downtown location for the past seven years.
Over that time, she’s witnessed the natural ups and downs of local commerce, but says 2025 proved more difficult than most years. “I've been in business downtown for 43 years. Started in 1982. And so, in here, I've been here now seven years in this space. But other than that, I've been around Great Falls for all those years,” Buchholz said.
Despite the hurdles, Buchholz stays optimistic. Her store specializes in women's clothing, offering sizes ranging from small to 6X, with suppliers based in Billings and Las Vegas. As she prepares for the coming year, she believes that new fashions and continued community engagement will help drive revenue growth.
"The community in Great Falls is wonderful. "They really do support," Buchholz explained. "I just hope for a little bit more support on the local base."
Other downtown businesses experienced similar quiet periods, but used them as opportunities to innovate. According to Isaiah Partain of Stranger Things Gift Shop, 2025 became a year of growth with the arrival of the Build-A-Buddy stuffed animal machine. What began as a unique concept quickly gained traction, drawing in new clients and repeat visits.
"It's been amazing this year, especially with starting the new business," Partain said. "I didn't know how it was going to take off at first, but it seems like everybody is finding out about it and coming in."
The slower months allowed Partain and his staff to collect customer feedback and prepare. They are already planning for upcoming holidays such as Valentine's Day and Easter, and rolling out birthday party packages to expand their offerings in 2026.
Both business owners say strong community support helped them weather bad times and stay optimistic about the future. They believe local support is important not only for individual establishments, but also for the overall character of downtown Great Falls.
"We have great stores in this town," Buchholz explained. "Support local businesses, because without you and without our small stores, there won't be anybody around."
