...what would they be?

Here are mine:

Payless Shoes
a place to get REAL bagels
a large craft/hobby store (I miss Lou's!)
a non-western, non-athletic (and non-WM!) men's clothing store
In-N-Out (or Sonic)

Five existing businesses I love:
Maurices
Pleasantries
Mexico Lindo
MC Greenhouse
Discovery Pond

And five I'd love to give the boot:
casino
casino
casino
casino
casino

A mid-priced "department store" like a J.C. Penney.
A 24-hour restaurant like a 4B's, Perkins, Denny's.
A family friendly Italian restaurant like a "Spaghetti Factory".
A second, more modern movie theater.
A dry cleaning and laundry (not a "laundromat").

I would love to see some more ethnic food places. Indian, Thai, Italian, Sushi, etc., not that I think that they would be likely to be very successful.

I don't think that we need a second movie theater but it would be nice if they could replace the seats (assuming they still have the same seats that they did when I was there, it's been a while) and get a more high tech projector.

Agree with Dave that a mid-range clothing/department store like JCPenney/Mervyns/Kohls etc. would be very nice.

5 Businesses I'd like to see...actually 6:
JC Penney's
Taco Bell
Great American Bagel
Joann Fabric
someplace that has automatic spray tanning booths
a movie rental place!!

5 Businesses I love:
Mexico Lindo
Murdoch's
Unique Creations
Silva's Service Center
Miles City Saddlery

Off topic - but is Mexico Lindo still in the Olive, or have they moved.

Bob, they are still a the Olive for now. The last thing I've heard is they are supposed to be moving next month next to Aaron's. That will be a great move for them, great location, plenty of parking, and their own place! The only bad thing, no full bar!

Kohls or something like it
Hastings!
A buffet that isn't chinese
Michaels/Joanne's Fabrics/Ben Franklin's or something like it
A gaming shop that offers stuff more on the comic side of things than I've seen at T & Js

Five favorite businesses (in alphabetical order)
--- Bison Bar
--- Kegler's
--- Mexico Lindo
--- Montana Bar
--- Trails Inn

Love to see:

1. Dry Cleaners
2. Target
3. Johnny Carinos
4. Perkins
5. Shoe Store

5 I Love:

1. Mexico Lindo
2. Bloedorns
3. Arbys
4. Dr. Wallicks
5. Reynolds

Olive Garden
Any decent middle of the road clothing store.
Any decent shoe store!
Craft store
A book store like Hastings or Borders

1. Bill's Minit Market.

2. The Sunset Drive-in.

3. The Airport Inn (original).

4. The Crossroads.

5. The Penguin.

...I know, I live in the past.

Hawaiian Barbeque
Payless Shoes
Target
Hastings or Borders
Michaels
Old Navy

Ok that was 6. It would be so nice not to have to go all the way to Billings for shoes and kids clothes! Yes I know Walmart carries both, but the selection is poor.

Target, Michaels, and Old Navy are just pipe dreams, but I think the others would thrive here.

Miles City needs a mens clothing store!

Here are my five suggestions. Note that only one off them should be a chain:

A good bookstore, used and new
A dry-cleaners
A shoe store
A more expanded version of Great Grains
A mid-size department store like Sears or Penneys

Business that need to stay:

Pleasantries
Kafe Utza
Great Grains
Murdoch's
Miles City Saddlery
Discovery Pond

A decent shoe store selling quality shoes.

A decent men's store selling mid-range men's clothes.

A decent women's store selling mid-range women's clothes.

I either order through catalogs or drive long distances for these products that used to be available in Miles City. Big box discount stores may have their place but we need better quality products as well.

Love to see:
Ross
Target
Costco
Dominos
JC Penney

Best in MC
ProBuild
Mexican Lindo
Unique Creations
Murdochs
Maurices

The one I would Love to have come to town it Chik-fil-A!!!!

1. Bill's Minit Market.

2. The Sunset Drive-in.

3. The Airport Inn (original).

4. The Crossroads.

5. The Penguin.

...I know, I live in the past.

God, you're not kidding, Frank...I was very fond of those places, too!

IF I lived in Miles City I would want to see the return of a lot of places that no longer exist due to the economy not being able to support them. I'd type a list, but that would take a while and go a few screens long.

That said, a laundry and dry cleaning place is a must...it must really suck that MC doesn't have one anymore. How do you all get by without it, I wonder?

I had to post about other businesses that I'm grateful we have, just because

Main St. Grind, because of the atmosphere, treats, ciabatta bread and Thai soup
Kafe Utza, because of the cinnamon twists
Cattail Junction, and I'm thankful for lay-away!
Rib and Chop House (Ahi tuna - yum, and that sinful caramel apple dessert - to die for!)
McDonald's, because of the $1 drinks and because there are enough great people to make up for the rude and/or slow ones
Albertson's, because they special order all the Indian and Asian foods we need, and because I can buy nori and sushi rice right off the shelf
New Hunan, if for no other reason than the walnut shrimp. It's heavenly! No, it's not the best Chinese restaurant ever, but I like the overhauled buffet.
Pizza Hut, because of the salad bar
Pedal Power, because of (or in spite of? ) the iconic Miles and all his kindness to our family
7th St. Mercantile, because of the costume rentals, music and antiques
ROCKS, because the teens who work there are awesome with the kids
Iron Horse, because of the parmesan-crusted cod and appetizers
Crazy Apron Cake Studio, because of the amazing cake and cupcake creations. Makes me want to renew my vows just so I can have another wedding cake!
Studio M, because the people are great, they fill a need, and because they weren't afraid to open up and "do it right" from the get-go.
Dairy Queen - French Silk Pie Blizzards make me weak in the knees...
Blank Canvas, because one day I will actually take a class
Montana Theater, because of all the awesome art deco-ness and the cheap treats and ticket prices, and because they let me bring in my own drink because Pepsi is nasty.
DEAP, because they provide great services to our community.
Creative Corner - good prices, nice people
The library - I know it's not a business, but I'm so glad it's there.

I really miss Taco Bell, K-Mart, Good Things, Cherry Pickins', Copper Thimble, NZ Shoes, the dollar store, Geri's Cakewalk and Donut Run, and JC Penney.

Ones I'd love to see...

Panda Express
Barnes and Noble
Payless
Target
Trader Joe's
And a Thai, Korean, Sushi, or Indian restaurant

I also have to agree that new seats in the theater would be awesome!

1. a brewery
2. vietnamese food
3. Griz Alumni Shop
4. drive through liquor store
5. dispensary

vietnamese food

Given the number of kittens I've seen for sale/give away in the classifieds, I think a vietnamese place would probably have a decent shot of keeping food costs at a reasonable level. Yes, I'll have a bowl of the con meo pho...

Bridgier, seriously? Sigh...

For the rest of you who like Thai, VN, Korean, Indian, and sushi, send me an email and we'll seriously invite you over for one of our potlucks sometime.

Would google lie to me? http://journals.worldnoma...skin-a-cat

And I long ago came to the realization that I'll happily eat pretty much any animal protein that doesn't fall into the "sweetbread" category.

Sears or JC Penney
Cracker Barrel
SHOE STORE
Clothing Store...not western
Buffet place

1. Play It Again Sports
2. Teriyaki Restaurant
3. Pet Boarding Facility
4. Sears
5. New Movie Theater Projector with 3D

In order of amazingness, like if one of these came to town, I'd live here, permanently.

1. The Old Spaghetti Factory. If you never had it, you are missing the best meal for the best price. They usually open inside Old TRAIN DEPOTS (hint hint.)

2. Pic n' save (now known as big lots.) Best way to save money.

3. A super 99 cents store. The one where I am from makes life cheap! EVERYTHING is 99 cents, with occasional items 2 for 99 and 3 for 99. It was awesome.

4. A mall. I know, that's unrealistic for a town this size, but a mall opens a world of possibilities for people (kids) to hang out, especially if they house an arcade.

5. A concrete swimming/recreation center. I'd love to swim someplace without the fear of fish feeding on my toes.

Family entertainment:

A family pool-hall or mini-golf.

-Sundial Energy Co. (Coal,Oil,CBNG, and in-situ uranium);

-A nuclear power plant (even the Homer Simpson types in MC need a place to work);

-A Micro-brewery (similar to the Rock Bottom in Englewood or the Fire House in Speedy Village, with premo dark beer);

-Hooter's; (I like their uniforms)

-First Atheist Reformed Temple (where the spirits are not only with you, but in you... for a while... this too shall pass)

-A shoe store (like NZ's) that sells high quality shoes (I don't understand the preoccupation with payless shoes ... you get what you pay for... it's called "payless" for a reason );

-Apple Store or Best Buy (since this whole thread is a pipe-dream in the first place)

[This message has been edited by Richard Bonine, Jr (8/6/2010)]

Here's the thing I find funny about some of these lists:

Dry Cleaner
Ben Franklin
JC Penney
Sears
Taco Bell
Men's clothing store

MC has had all of these things and they have closed. (The Squire Shop was a fashionable men's store.) The reason the stores have closed is lack of business. People go to Billings to get what they want, which leaves small town businesses out in the cold. I guess I would hope that residents would support them more if they were there.

I would like a Qdoba or a Panda Express, but I don't know if the car count is large enough to meet the corporate requirements. However, I believe that the growth that is going on on Haynes is a good sign.

Remember: Shop locally! (I even wait to do some of my shopping until I get home, even though its only about every six months). I bought my last set of tires at Rolling Rubber! You can't have chain stores if the customer count and dollars aren't there to support them continually.

mule deer wrote:

1. a brewery
2. vietnamese food
3. Griz Alumni Shop
4. drive through liquor store
5. dispensary

I think a Viet place would go over just about anywhere...if you could find someone who can make legit pho.

I'm about 400 miles or so from decent pho.

[This message has been edited by Bob L. (8/6/2010)]

Anything promoting good health, physical fitness, decent morals, admirable ethics, and a strong sense of community.
For all citizens of all ages, even those who can't afford it.
This is what I would want most for all communities.
I hope anyone who agrees or disagrees supports any realistic attempt to bring something like this to their town.

J.C. Penny closed because the corporate headquarters decreed all stores had to be in malls and closed all their free-standing downtown stores, even ones that were profitable, as was the one in Miles City.

Sears closed because it was franchise and catalog outlet. When the catalog went, the outlet went with it.

Ben Franklin was owner issues.

Squire Shop closed when the owner retired. NZ Shoes closed when the owner retired. No one was interested and/or financially and professionally capable of taking over these businesses.

Taco Bell was part of Pizza Hut and closed due to headquarters rearrangement which was needed because this was the worst Taco Bell/Pizza Hut in history. They couldn't get an order of bread sticks right.

Could any of these businesses succeed in Miles City? Yes, if the owner was capitalized and experienced and willing to work the long hours owning your own business requires and are willing to forgo corporate benefits.

21st century economy is complicated.

The JC Penney in Sidney is still open and it's not in a mall.

Would like to see:
1) Shoe store (Walmart sucks and Red Rock is tooo expensive!)
2) Buffet Resteraunt (like Golden Corral)
3) a real Dollar Store!
4) Hardees of KFC!!
5) office supply/electronics store like Office Depot

I love:
1) Lindos
2) Rib and Chop
3) Discovery Pond
4) Subway
5) Brewsters

Wish we could demolish ALL the casinos!!

1. A strip club
2. A Philadelphia-style hoagie/cheesteak/pizzeria delicatessen.
3. A microbrewery/tap room
4. A bait shop where they always have live minnows in stock
5. A first rate computer repair service that comes to your home to repair your PC during normal (8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) business hours, not arriving at 9:00 p.m. and finishing the next morning at 7:00 a.m.

Leave Bert alone!

Let's put it to a vote. Take the survey below.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/7HHNDKZ




[This message has been edited by NoThreePutts (8/6/2010)]

1. Swimming pool facility
2. Whole Foods
3. Trader Joe's
4. bookstore
5. non-franchise/chain restaurant

The survey monkey forgot Hooters.

It also forgot the bait shop.

Added them, sorry to those that took it without them.

Frank - The Penguin? Wow! Took me down memory lane. How much of my wasted youth (and hard-earned money as a Star carrier whose route ended there) did I spend there?

Taco Bell sucks, and continues to suck even more year after year ... I'd trade every single one of them in Western Washington to Montana for a single Taco John's here. Taco Time is an alternative, at least we have those around, but realistically they all kind of suck. You gotta go to the correct tex-mex restaurant to get good "Mexican" food.

With Red box and Netflix a Movie rental place is obsolete. Especially in a town so small. It would just end up losing money.

I was in Bozeman when the Penny's here closed and that was the speculation of the local store employees. It appears they --and i -- were wrong about the mall thing, if it is still open in Sidney. Or maybe Sidney was just lucky and corporate forgot about them until the system changed.

Some big chains are unlikely to come to Montana, let alone Miles City. Remember when Billings convinced Krispy Kreme donuts that there were enough people in Billings to support the KK store, even though KK required closer to 500,000 in a shopping area to qualify. Billings was wrong.

We are never getting the BIG chains. The entire state, if we all lived within a few blocks of each other, couldn't qualify for a lot of chains and eastern Montana would never support one of those HUGE stores. There just plain aren't enough of us and we don't have enough disposable income. Even stores like Trader Joe's and Whole Foods are sticking to larger markets with MORE MONEY. (See Bozeman.)

What is possible here? No big chains that require 100,000s in population base. Nothing high-end that requires big bucks. A Saks Fifth Avenue is as unlikely as Costco.

What is possible are small, independent businesses or chains that aim at smaller population centers. Maybe Sundance Shoes in Bozeman could expand to a store here. Maybe

Exotic restaurants? No, not enough population willing to spend the big bucks, plus getting supplies here would be expensive. A good Diner, Drive-In or Dive? More likely.

Realistically?

1. Decent shoe store.
2. Decent men's wear and/or ladies wear (not Western and not for the under 21-crowd.)
3. Dry cleaner. (The folks who took over the laundry's rug business are idiots beyond measure. Plus, I own clothes that need dry cleaning.)
4. Some place a bit out of the ordinary for food. No, a Vietnamese restaurant would not work unless the owner were independently wealthy but maybe a better oriental of some sort.
Or a good diner.
5. Movie rental is a dead category, right up there with livery stables and places that sell tubes for televisions. Bookstores are probably dead, unless you can hook them up with another business.

Bait and books and sushi might just fly!

The top 5 so far are:

Shoe Store
Microbrewery (1st with over 50% of respondents)
Dry Cleaners
J.C. Penny's
Kohl's

Take the survey below to vote for your 5!

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/7HHNDKZ

Bait and books and sushi might just fly!

Are you suggesting a possible outlet for unused bait?

4. Some place a bit out of the ordinary for food. No, a Vietnamese restaurant would not work unless the owner were independently wealthy but maybe a better oriental of some sort.
Or a good diner.

Not sure "oriental" is the proper nomenclature. Unless you're talking about a rug.

Bob, you get a gold star from me. "Asian" is preferred by most Asians I know, and only when their Asian-ness is relevant to the discussion.

Don't you owe me a gold star Bob?

Bridgier:

I'm sure I do! I'll pass my star along to you.


Speaking of "Asian" vs. "Oriental," I wonder what term our pal Frank Cory would use?

Bob....

Don't poke sticks at the monkeys while they are sleeping!!!

Asiatic - just like the lilies..

Sorry.

Here are the results for the survey.

Hooter's 21.4%
Bait Shop 9.5%
JC Penney's 38.1%
Taco Bell 14.3%
Large Dollar Store 16.7%
Great American Bagel 14.3%
Joann Fabric 11.9%
Kohls 31.0%
Hastings 11.9%
Dry Cleaners 40.5%
Target 11.9%
Johnny Carinos 14.3%
Perkins 19.0%
Shoe Store (Payless?) 33.3%
Old Navy 11.9%
Ross 11.9%
Target 9.5%
Costco 19.0%
Dominos 7.1%
Panda Express 11.9%
Sonic 21.4%
Papa Murphy's 9.5%
Microbrewery 47.6%
Office Depot 9.5%

We need
1. a dry cleaner
2. an ordinary shoe shoe ala NZ (The owner of NZ shoes probably quit because I-94 was available more than any other reason. He's now in Sioux Falls with a new store selling orthodics.)
3. a downtown cafe open for breakfast, lunch and dinner 7 days a week
4. a family clothing store which catered to someone older than 25 (Have you tried to buy an 8 year old something not at Walmart?)
5. a specialty grocer

My favorites:
1. Sullivans, they are so very helpful
2. McDonalds, I love their cones, fries and burgers
3. Ace Hardware, they probably have it and they have real live clerks to help you find it
4. Hole in the Wall, love the salad bar and Buthch's Hamburger Mac soup.

It is not realistic to look to the "chain stores." We do not have the population base for them. And, the ethic food--interesting. But, unless it's Italian or Mexican, right now you're sunk. Asian food was the rage a few years ago, not now. AND you'd better have a large pocketbook as restaurant failures are rampant.

After spending nearly two weeks in MC it has come to my attention that it needs more restaurants which serve vegetables.

Vegetables are overrated.

My answer would look a lot like Richard's.

With a Pickle Barrel in there somewhere.

It is a shocker moving to Miles City from big population areas. I moved to Miles City in 1964 from a city that had a higher population than the entire state. I think the Internet has been a great success for many rural areas. I agree there are a few must haves in Miles City (dry cleaners, mid-range clothing store for all ages, including shoes, etc., and decent oriental restaurants.) Many restaurants in the Houston area now serve a variety of Asian foods, Vietnamese, Thai, Chinese, etc. Something like that might be successful. Good luck in expanding the businesses in Miles City.

"After spending nearly two weeks in MC it has come to my attention that it needs more restaurants which serve vegetables."

This is an outrage. All restaurants should be required to serve any vegetable who has someone willing to wheel them into the joint.

I think everyone associates chain stores with being "big enough to keep up with Billings", but I think that locally owned unique stores are what can provide a service and bring people here.

My choices:
1. Micro brew/brewpub/sportsbar (serve food after 8)
2. Dog boarding kennel
3. Burger shack/ice cream place, not dairy queen
4. Historical/ natural history tour guide service....battlefields, frt keogh, agates, birding, river floats, ghost tours, etc (would bring the non do it yourself tourists. In and expand their horizons)
5. General store/merchantile on main, a place besides walmart to buy a lot of the basics like socks, tennis shoes, jeans, sheets, towels, and then throw in some local flare to make it more interesting


I do love some great businesses here
1. Montana bar
2. Kafe Utza
3. Movie theater
4. Murdochs
5. Reynolds
6. Mc vet clinic


Fun thread....maybe it will spur some inspiration....
PS, we don't need anymore casinos, banks, or gas stations (unless Parkside wants to reopen!)

Out at work I hear people request things all the time.
1. 24 hr. food
2. Hang out for adults that is not a bar or casino...place to get coffe at after dark.
3. An electronics store more up to date than Wal-Mart.
4. A REAL Hobby shop - planes hung from celing, cars on display, rubber cement in the air kind of hobby shop.... would be nice but wound't work here.
5. Pet store with a monkey cashier?
(I ran out of ideas and that sounded AWESOME!)


I know my list will never happen, but 24hr. food is a must.
If anything just do not serve drunk people, since that's the main problem with having it.

After spending nearly two weeks in MC it has come to my attention that it needs more restaurants which serve vegetables.

I think Hooters serves milk AND vegetables...

4. A REAL Hobby shop - planes hung from celing, cars on display, rubber cement in the air kind of hobby shop.... would be nice but wound't work here.

We actually did have one of those awhile back. In the late-70's, I think. It was on Valley Drive E. next to what used to be the A&W, and it was called "Modern Hobbies". I don't remember the name of the owner, but my mom knew who he was. He sold stuff like models, racetrack sets, kites, and rocket kits that you put together and launch. I bought one of the rocket kits and put it together, but I did so sloppily and it sort-of blew-up upon takeoff.

Anyway, it was a nice place but, much like many other businesses, it didn't last long due to the lack of customers.

MC has had all of these things and they have closed. (The Squire Shop was a fashionable men's store.) The reason the stores have closed is lack of business. People go to Billings to get what they want, which leaves small town businesses out in the cold. I guess I would hope that residents would support them more if they were there...Remember: Shop locally! (I even wait to do some of my shopping until I get home, even though its only about every six months). I bought my last set of tires at Rolling Rubber! You can't have chain stores if the customer count and dollars aren't there to support them continually.

You know what, Cory, I have to admit you sum-up the problem with this statement better than anyone else who has posted on this thread thus far. The economy being in a poor state is one thing - people need to have the willingness to spend before they will do so. But when they do spend, they need to do it in MC if businesses are to survive there. You are right. Too many people go to Billings to hit Rimrock Mall and such (When I lived in Miles long ago, I was guilty of having done that, too, sorry to say) and now you have people ordering stuff they need on the internet and having it shipped to them instead of going to a local business to get it.

So in short I agree that Miles City businesses will never thrive beyond where they are now until people who live there change their spending habits.

ABE said,

5. Pet store with a monkey cashier?

No way. The flying squirrels would drive it crazy.

I really enjoy the main street grind too. Alisha and Caitlin create such a great atmoshphere when i come in. But I did notice that some of the other workers bring there family life (fighing, drama, ect..) to work.

you know gypsyskin, we have the most rare type of swimming facility already here in miles city. And if the people of miles city would just put forth towards are facility to make it better, it would be the best. You know we dont need no fun-2-u swimming area because it would cost millions of dollars to maintain it whereas the Oasis is nearly free to maintain. So in a real world fun-2-u will never happen. Its people like you that give miles city a bad name. Maybe if you went down to the pool and tried it out instead of basing your opinion on false information, you would like it.

tej said:

you know gypsyskin, we have the most rare type of swimming facility already here in miles city. And if the people of miles city would just put forth towards are facility to make it better, it would be the best. You know we dont need no fun-2-u swimming area because it would cost millions of dollars to maintain it whereas the Oasis is nearly free to maintain. So in a real world fun-2-u will never happen. Its people like you that give miles city a bad name. Maybe if you went down to the pool and tried it out instead of basing your opinion on false information, you would like it.

I have not based my opinion on false information. I am a lap swimmer and personally prefer swimming in a pool. I swim for exercise and one of the many problems with the Oasis is that, at best, it can only be open 3 month of the year.

For your information, the Oasis is not nearly free to maintain. I agree that a concrete pool facility is more expensive to maintain. However, I do think you would see more people using and enjoying it year-round. I have no problem with the Oasis. I just would like the option of swimming in a pool.

I don't think I have ever done anything to give Miles City a bad name and frequently have visitors that I share our beautiful community with. You are making judgements based on not knowing me and definitely false information. However, you are entitled to your opinion, as I am mine.

[This message has been edited by gypsykim (8/13/2010)]

I can't believe you people would rather have a Taco Bell over a bait shop. Philistines.

Rick K. is dead on with the Pickle Barrel suggestion.

>>No way. The flying squirrels would drive it crazy.

No one ever looks at it from the squirrels' point of view. There are two sides to every story.

The Main Street Grind said that if someone buys them a kettle, they'll start making bagels I would much prefer that to Great American Bagel-Imposters. Steamed bread does not a bagel make. Just a roll with a hole!

[This message has been edited by j2r (8/15/2010)]

j2r, whoever he is, speaketh the truth.

On the Pool question: We have a very nice indoor pool here in Forsyth, and I'm sure if there was a way to uproot it and truck it to Miles City, the majority of the people here would say, "Take it away." The thing is a huge drain on our city budget and has prevented us from doing other things that need doing.

The rosy predictions of patronage numbers that were floated by the pool's backers never materialized, because guess what: People like to swim outside! So people are down splashing around in the river, driving to lakes and such, or buying those huge ugly plastic pools from WalMart, rather than patronizing the local pool.

In the winter, I guess people just don't think too much about swimming.

Miles City might be better positioned than we are to support an indoor pool due to your larger population, as long as you don't build a behemoth pool that costs even more to maintain than ours does. Organizers should just keep in mind that many people who say they'll use the pool "a lot," probably will really use it "a couple of times a year, if at all."

That's a shame, Mike. I remember when the pool was outdoors, I was in it every day one summer. 1970 or so. I loved the high dive...
Yeah by all means the community has to want it! Miles City never did, probably never will. An indoor pool is for folks who are into swimming for physical fitness, and competition. That is a year round sport, but most popular in the winter when there's nothing else to do. Sure, the Oasis is just fine for kids to play in during the dog days of summer.
I still hope Fun2U will accomplish their goals. I always did hope Miles City could improve recreation especially towards kids and physical fitness. Yet another generation (mine) has grown old waiting. Miraculously a Miles City-grown "kid" recently took the silver Medal in the Montana Senior Olympics in the 50 freestyle. I wonder if that will ever happen again.

@Forsyth Mike: I drive to Forsyth with a friend to use your wonderful pool facility once a week and have for years. I guarantee you that if it were here, I would be swimming even more often. It is too bad that the community doesn't support it. They don't know what they are missing.

I hear that Sonic is in the works.. Just don't know when. They're supposed to be building 8 (I think) of them in Montana. I hear Miles City is one of the towns.

Movie Rental places are dying. There are none here in Billings, just Redbox and Hastings. All of the Movie Galleries and Blockbusters went out of business.

I do admit with the first poster.. NO MORE DAMN CASINOS. The whole state is getting overrun with them.

My wife keeps telling me to open a computer shop in Miles City. She likes the town and I'm considering moving back.. But I need to finish college first.

I do know thay Sonic will be coming to Billings. I hope Miles City is a destination also. The one in Rapid City is AWESOME!!!

Well, according to the Gazette, It'll be at Randash's old place on Main.

http://billingsgazette.co...002e0.html

i would GLADLY trade all 7 SONIC 'drive ins' in my town for ONE freakin Taco Johns.

i really think the potato oles are made with real awesome and sprinkled with crack..

Great list!!
I remember all of them.
How about the Bean Bag and Legrandgers (don't remember how to spell it)

love to see:
- REI
- a true rec center (like the new one in gillette)
- Ninety-Nines
- new Movie Theatre for sure!!!
- Barnes & Noble

top five stops:
- kafe utza
- discovery pond
- universal athletics
- napa
- tire rama

places i dont like:
- Red Rock Sporting Goods

The Sonic drive-thru's around here have all folded up. They even built new ones like crazy only to shut down within that same year.

Sonic's shakes and iced drinks are really good, but the burgers are pretty bland. I'm sure there are better additions to the list of fast food choices in Miles City.

My wife has for years wanted to start some sort of food business. Being as she's Japanese it would, naturally, be Asian with a Japanese twist but not really the sushi stuff so much. Sushi covers a gamut including vegetable rolls, cooked shrimp, etc. so it isn't all "bait". For her it's about taking care of the family and the biz would be, at least for now, just lunch and just for take out. It is all about the numbers, the traffic doesn't lie, and since my work would either be in MC or Williston, you can do the math. Is it worth starting something up on the "hope" that it may succeed or go to a bigger city, like Billings, or high traffic zones like up in ND? Miles has the interstate as its saving grace, and that's a godsend, but if all folks want to do is eat high carb burgers, fries, and cokes then I don't know if anything unique can survive. For now we're weighing the options.

In regards to the indoor pool in Forsyth, perhaps if it were open during days and hours when people have the ability to go, it would have more business. Open swim hours from 1-4 on some weekdays, closed on Saturdays, that doesn't even make any sense. We would go all the time if the hours were better! The pool is fabulous, just rarely an option. And I'm pretty sure it's never been closed down due to botulism contamination!

Sigh. The ducks were poisoned by a well-intentioned person who made a mistake. The swimming pool here was not and never has been contaminated by botulism.

Hiring people to run a pool is probably even a bigger problem in Forsyth than here. You just can't grab some teenager and put them in charge.

Back to the subject. . .

I overheard a conversation recently in which a developer said he had been in contact with a chain and the chain turned him down, not because of our little population, but the real killer. Low median income. We don't make enough to make us worthwhile for some folks. And, no, don't ask.

MoT,
I think your wife's idea would work well in MC. People there are eating fast food because that's all that's there. But I think that there is a sizeable population that would visit your restaurant just to get away from the other crap. If it's good, they'll come back again and again. I can't believe how many people just want more fast food joints. The problem I see with a Japanese restaurant though is the inability to get fresh fish. I've yet to have decent seafood in MC.

Wendy, I love a good burger as much as anyone. Yum! No matter what may come it'll take research.

j2r: Our pool used to be open much longer hours and more days, but the usage just wasn't there....besides, the best moneymaker is "membrships" and they have never sold like hotcakes.

The thing is, there is never one particular part of the day when everyone wants to go swimming. Some like to go in the evening, some in the daytime, some in the early morning, and so on. It's just not possible to staff it 24/7.

Back to Miles City: One business I really miss there is the KFC. I'm not a huge fast-food person, but sometimes a person just gets in a KFC mood, plus I love some good A&W root beer in a glass mug. I was really bummed when that combo-place went out.

Low median income. We don't make enough to make us worthwhile for some folks. And, no, don't ask.

This is evidenced by all the women in town who sell crap in their spare time, as can be observed in the classifieds section of this forum.

I would love to see:
1. Kohls
2. Payless-better shoe variety than just basketball shoes and walmart
3. Olive Garden
4. Hobby Lobby
5. Target

Places i love that are here:
1. Mexico Lindo
2. Maurices
3. Airport Inn
4. Red Box

It seems to me that if Rollin A. Blunt, MD, were to open a dispensary in Miles it would do fairly well.