Butte America Getting New Grocery Store? Some Hope So

UPDATE on 04/01/24 4:48PM: After speaking to my sources, it has been confirmed that WinCo WILL NOT be purchasing the Butte Plaza Mall. However, there's good news with this update: it was also confirmed that WinCo execs have been in Butte and are shopping around for a WinCo location in Butte. Does this mean we will see a WinCo in Butte anytime soon? Of course not, but it's fun to speculate. Silver lining?

Original Article:

BUTTE, MT - Another year, another April Fools' Day. Us here at the station avoid posting the usual April Fools' Day articles, especially ones that are completely misleading and devoid of any language denoting it's a joke. But today is a little different, since rumors have been flying around here in Butte for the past couple of days that make it seem like they not only may be true, but is in fact NOT an April Fool's Day joke.

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You gotta be careful on days like today, and it may be smart to take all media today with a grain of salt. However, with my sources on this rumor and with the evidence I've seen so far, I'm thinking this rumor has some validity to it, which would change shopping in Butte for the foreseeable future.

What grocery store could change Butte, Montana for the better? Well, some residents think that the ever-popular, nationwide chain WinCo could be coming to Butte within the coming months. Rumors have been buzzing around Butte like a hive of bees: some have said WinCo is taking over the old Butte Plaza Mall, while others have even gone as far to say that they've seen the WinCo execs checking out the actual location with plans in hands. Whose to say they're lying? Full disclosure: I did check the WinCo website for hiring opportunities for a Butte location, but none have been posted yet. If this is all true, it is definitely in its early stages.

WinCo, based out of Boise, ID, is a chain that I believe actually earns its popularity. For starters, they're affordable pricing is reminiscent of America's favorite: Costco. Plus, like Costco, WinCo has employees that stay and work there for years upon years because of good treatment and good benefits. WinCo just has smaller portions, which is nice for us here in Butte since a lot of us don't need to be buying in bulk all the time.

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So, is WinCo really coming to Butte in the near future? I think so; these rumors reminded me of the Chick-fil-a rumors in Bozeman a year or two ago, and they ended up moving into MSU. I really think a Butte, MT WinCo would be a huge benefit for us all, and can't wait to see how this plays out.

Fun fact of the day for you: WinCo's name is short for "Winning Company". Cool, right?