Ruis work on park Merc begins

A crew for developer Mick Ruis has begun working on the facade of the former Park Mercantile building on Nucleus Avenue, but whether it will be a pie factory, as first envisioned, remains to be seen.

At this point, the plan is to rebuild the facade, project manager Troy Brist said recently. The original management for the pie factory fell through, he noted.

Now Ruis Holdings, LLC, is looking for businesses that may be interested in locating at the Merc as a retail location.

Nucleus Avenue has seen a resurgence in businesses over the summer, as new restaurants and a new bakery have opened up.

A new bike shop behind the Cosley Building is also taking shape.

Prior to Ruis purchasing the Park Merc, the building was used for storage by an antique dealer based in Bigfork. It was rarely, if ever, opened to the public.

Businesses interested in locating at the Merc can email Brist at troy@ruisholdings.com