BOZEMAN, Mont. — Bozeman is seeing a wave of national retailers and franchises moving into town. So, how are locals reacting to these new additions?
Shoppers at Gallatin Crossing — formerly the Gallatin Valley Mall — are already seeing the arrival of major brands such as Sephora, Pandora and a new Lululemon location. More stores are on the way, including Free People, Arhaus and Anthropologie.
“It’s like the best of both worlds,” Bozeman resident Renee said during a morning stroll with friend Georgina. “We have the small-town, local, downtown area, which is wonderful. But then to have the big brands too — it’s nice to have the best of both worlds.”
Others are less enthusiastic. Arjen, who has lived in Bozeman for 36 years, said he prefers to shop at locally owned businesses.
“I could do without it,” he said. “I like the small mom-and-pop stores. I always used to shop at Town and Country, just supporting the local community.”
Another high-profile arrival is Wingstop, a chicken wing chain with 2,563 locations worldwide. The company opened 138 new locations in 2024 alone. Three Montana locations are planned, with the first opening in Billings on Nov. 11, another in Missoula in May, and Bozeman’s location expected in February. I reached out to the city as well as Wingstop. The exact Bozeman site has not yet been determined.
While some residents are unfamiliar with the brand, Wingstop generates more recognition among Montana State University students, many of whom grew up with locations in their hometowns.
“I’m pretty excited — I think it’s pretty good,” one student said. “I like chicken wings, and I love them during game day.”
WATCH: National retailers are moving in – but how do locals really feel?
For some locals, the influx of national names raises concerns about preserving Bozeman’s unique charm.
“I would just note so it doesn’t take away from the culture of the local stores,” Renee and Georgina exclaimed.
For other locals such as Arjen, he's trying to accept the changes as part of the city’s growth.
“Bozeman is just getting bigger,” said Arjen. “I don’t think there’s a whole lot we can do about it, so you kind of have to go with the flow. It’s still a beautiful place — I wouldn’t want to go anywhere else.”
