Two banks coming to Columbia Falls; Park Side building new home

Columbia Falls will gain two new banks in the next year or so and Park Side Credit Union is also moving to a new location on U.S. Highway 2 at the former site of Angie’s Greenhouse.

First Interstate Bank is building a new branch adjacent to the Auto Zone and Stockman Bank continues its expansion at the former Burger King.

Stockman will demolish the former restaurant soon and hopes to begin construction this summer with an opening expected in late 2025.

“We are very excited to be a part of the Columbia Falls community as we continue to invest in convenient locations to better serve our customers in the Flathead Valley,” Joe Kola, Flathead Market President for Stockman said in an email.

Stockman Bank is Montana’s largest family-owned, community bank with 37 full-service locations across the state.

First Interstate has more than 300 branches across Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Washington, and Wyoming.

It is headquartered in Billings.

Park Side is currently working on its new 6,500 square-foot location which should be completed this year and open by early 2025. It has outgrown its current space, which doesn’t have enough parking and a tight drive-through.

Park Side has more than 30,000 members, noted President and CEO Jeremy Presta.

It has eight locations in Northwest Montana. It was founded in 1965 originally as Whitefish Great Northern Federal Credit Union — created on the front porch of Miner Stocking’s home to serve the employees of the Great Northern Railroad and their family members.

With the addition of First Interstate and Stockman Banks, Columbia Falls will have four banks total and two credit unions. The city currently has a Whitefish Credit Union branch, Freedom Bank and a Glacier Bank branch.