Here's some business news in the Missoula area:

It looks like there's a new place to get fancy cocktails and bites in downtown Missoula. The owners of the Old Post restaurant and bar have announced that they're opening their downstairs space, called The Grotto, to the public. Located directly beneath the Old Post at 103 W. Spruce St., The Grotto will be open Tuesday through Saturday, 4-11 p.m. with cocktails and smaller plates of food like cheese boards, bruschetta, naan pizza and mushroom polenta.

A picture of the food available at the new spot, The Grotto, beneath The Old Post in downtown Missoula.

"We’re not just about incredible cocktails, our food menu is just as extraordinary," the owners wrote on social media.

The entrance is located in the alley, down the stairs.

A new eatery called Nautical Bowls just opened in the old Staggering Ox location at the corner of 39th and SW Higgins in the Russell Square shopping center. Owner Greg Scanlon said he hopes people come in to try their fruit bowls.

"We offer acai superfood bowls," he said. "They are gluten-free, dairy-free, plant-based, soy-free, all natural, and packed with essential vitamins and nutrients."

Acai is a fruit from Central America and South America.

"We have 10 signature bowls or a build-your-own bowl option," Scanlon said. "Acai is the most used base in our bowls, but other bases include mango, coconut, pitaya, cacao, and chia pudding. Each signature bowl is a combination of different bases. "

The bowls are topped with a mixture of either honey oat granola, bananas, blueberries, strawberries, almonds, cacao nibs, goji berries, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, cacao protein crumbles and chia seeds.

"From there, the bowls are drizzled with either almond butter, cashew cacao butter, honey, peanut butter or a combination," he said. "The almond butter and peanut butter are made fresh at the time of sale. We have grinders that grind the nuts into a fresh, smooth, spreadable consistency to top off the bowl."

He said he's targeting the time from the order being placed to the time the bowl is in a customer's hand to be one minute.

The Missoula Montana Airport has announced the launch of Sun Country Airlines' service. They offer flights from Missoula to Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota (MSP) every Wednesday and Saturday through Aug. 24.

“Montana is a very popular state with Minnesotans,” said Sun Country’s chief marketing officer Colton Snow. “That’s why we are thrilled to offer new service to Missoula. With no shortage of outdoor recreation, including hiking, biking, or rafting, Missoula is an ideal spot for a summer vacation. And we encourage you to come visit Minnesota this summer. While we don't have mountains, we make up for it in lakes, entertainment, and vibrant restaurants.”

The Montana Department of Labor and Industry recently announced the 2024 Montana State Employers Council Employers of Choice Award winners. This award, bestowed annually, recognizes employers who show exceptional commitment to attracting and retaining workers, thereby fostering a robust workplace culture. 

“Montana small businesses are the backbone of our economy and way of life. It is an honor to award and recognize companies that go the extra mile for their employees," Commissioner Sarah Swanson said. "These companies, and thousands more across our state, demonstrate daily the importance of hard work and the need for cultivating a positive and productive internal workplace culture. Our agency is well equipped to help workers find jobs and companies find employees. Montanans should use our agency as a resource by contacting one of our 17 free Job Service offices across the state.”

The companies nominated are from Missoula, Glendive, Billings and Kalispell. These companies are recognized for their outstanding efforts in managing their workforce. The awards were distributed across three categories based on the number of employees: 1-50 employees, 51-150 employees, and 151+ employees. 

Missoula businesses edged out the competition in all three categories. The winners are:

Homeword – Missoula (1-50 employees)

ALPS – Missoula (51-150 employees)

Submittable – Missoula (150+ employees)

“On the behalf of everyone at ALPS it’s an honor once again to be recognized as an employer of choice,” said ALPS President and CEO David Bell. “Being a great employer isn’t just about the benefits or even the work-life balance. It’s the culture and the work atmosphere, and a strong company culture comes from very different people working together on a common mission and who care about one another.”

"We are able to be a successful employer because we have such an incredible team and workplace culture here at Homeword," said Karissa Trujilo, Homeword executive director. "Our staff are passionate, knowledgeable and hardworking and all care so much about our critical work. But we also care about each other in a way that creates a supportive and balanced work environment. I cannot speak highly enough of the amazing team here at Homeword, and all they do for Montanans statewide."

The Missoula Community Foundation has just launched the Missoula Nonprofit Directory, a new community resource that aims to be a robust, up-to-date, easily searchable guide to Missoula’s nonprofit sector. The directory is the first of its kind in Missoula. It will help donors and grant makers direct their charitable giving, introduce newcomers to our dynamic nonprofit sector, and showcase the vital work being done.

The Missoula Nonprofit Directory currently includes descriptions and contact information for over 200 local organizations. The information was collected and compiled during Missoula Gives, the local giving day that is managed by the Missoula Community Foundation. 

The foundation will maintain and expand the directory, a project that aligns with the foundation’s mission-based work to grow the philanthropic pool and support nonprofits in Missoula.

“Our goal is to connect donors with the causes they are passionate about,” said Marcy Allen, executive director of the Missoula Community Foundation. “And this directory enables donors to easily search for nonprofits by name or cause, access contact information, and find nonprofit EIN numbers, simplifying the process of giving."

The directory lives on the Missoula Community Foundation website, MissoulaCommunityFoundation.org.

Organizations that are not yet represented in the directory should visit the foundation’s website or email [email protected] to submit their information.