After Decades, Bob Wards To Say Goodbye To Bozeman

Bozeman's Changing Landscape

As Bozeman grows, lots of new businesses are coming to town, and sadly, some are leaving as well.

Farewell to Local Favorites

It's never easy to say goodbye to a business that has been a part of your life for sometime, but in the last few weeks we have learned that Joe's Parkway and Wild Joe's Coffee will be shutting down.

Both have been a part of the Bozeman community for decades, and it will certainly be sad to see them go.

The Future of Bob Ward's

However, they aren't the only beloved place going out of business.

If you've driven by Bob Ward's on North 19th you may have seen all of the "Store Closing" signs. My wife and I drove by the other night and saw the signs and decided to go inside to see what was going on.

READ MORE: It's not just transplants that are hurting Bozeman

I mean, it's Bob Ward's. They can't close, right? They are a huge part of not only Bozeman, but Montana.

So, I walked right in, found the first employee that wasn't with a customer and I asked, "What in the world is going on?" The employee told me that they were having a huge sale and where getting rid of their inventory.

I then asked if they were really closing down, and they said "Yes and no".

Transition to Al's Sporting Goods

You see, a few years ago Al's Sporting Goods out of Utah bought the Bob Ward's company and while it's true that Bob Ward's is closing here in Bozeman, after a remodel of the store, it will re-open as Al's.

A New Chapter for Retail in Bozeman

So, yes, Bob Ward's will be more, but in all honesty, it's really just a re-branding and a new name.

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