BUTTE — Uptown Butte used to be a clutter of empty storefronts and vacant dilapidated buildings, but thanks to a grassroots effort from some business owners, well, things are looking up for Uptown.
“Oh my god! There’s so much, there’s so much and there’s so many stores. It’s not just us, it’s all over,” said Jailee Coyne.
Coyne is co-owner of the Butte Copper Company and recently moved the business from its longtime spot off Harrison Avenue to West Granite Street in Uptown.
“It’s cool, it’s got character, it’s the brick, just everything about it’s just really cool to be Uptown,” said Coyne.
Six years ago, the Uptown Butte Master Plan Association was formed to make Uptown cool. This group of Uptown business and property owners wants to create a business improvement district to revitalize the area. Working together is key.
“What helps an individual business is having other successful businesses nearby,” said Butte Master Plan President Shanna Adams.
The goal is to raise money to implement various plans that would improve the look and walkability of Uptown.
“More street trees, more landscaping, just cleaner, more garbage cans, all the little things are actually really big things,” said 5518 co-owner Cassie Wick.
Some recent projects included new high-visibility crosswalks and murals.
“Big events like the Folk Festival are super important, but the little events that happen weekly are also critical to these businesses,” said Adams.
Businesses like the Butte Copper Company thrive on tourism and love seeing new customers.
“I love it, like people coming, I’m like, ‘Where you coming from?’ Like, welcome, I’m like, ‘How long you staying? You’ve got to stay longer,’” said Coyne.
