GREAT FALLS — A decade-long dream has finally come to life in Great Falls—with a spooky twist.
Rachel Bateman, owner of the new Haunted Scoops ice cream shop, spent years imagining a classic, old-fashioned parlor named after her two grandmothers.
Quentin Shores reports - watch the video here:
“It’s been actually a very, very long process. I have had the idea for an ice cream shop for more than a decade now, and for years it was going to be a very traditional parlor named after my two grandmas—old fashioned,” Bateman says.
But inspiration struck in an unexpected way. While watching a movie at home, Bateman decided to go in a different direction—one that would let her love of all things Halloween shine.
“Halloween year-round. We like all things kind of spooky, but more Casper than The Conjuring, so it's kid-friendly. We're just having a lot of fun with bright colors, ghost themes, and ice creams with ghostly names,” she explains.
Leveraging her experience in dairy farming and adding a scientific flair by making ice cream with liquid nitrogen, Bateman opened Haunted Scoops to rave reviews from the Great Falls community.
The shop’s playful decorations, creative sundaes, and unique flavors are already drawing crowds of families and ice cream enthusiasts alike.
With its all-ages, always-Halloween approach, Haunted Scoops is quickly becoming one of Great Falls’ most unique new hangouts.
Haunted Scoops, which opened two weeks ago, is at 1900 Fourth Street NE in the space formerly occupied by Nitro Creamery.
Click here to visit the Facebook page.
New restaurants continue to open across Great Falls - recent arrivals include Texas Roadhouse, Panera Bread, Pomodoro, and Xochitl. Restaurants that have recently closed are The Pit Stop and Maria's. Here are updates on several more restaurants:
Street Burgers shut down on Tuesday, March 17. Street Burgers opened in May 2021 at 2319 Tenth Avenue South. The owners posted on Facebook this week: "We want to sincerely thank everyone who has stopped in, shared a meal with us, and supported our small business over the years. Being part of this community has truly been an honor." They also noted that Street Burgers gift cards will be honored at Tracy’s Diner, Homestead 1909, and Electric City Catering for family meal options.
Dave's Hot Chicken plans to open at 1225 10th Avenue South (adjacent to City Brew) within the next two or three months. The chain has two locations in Montana - one Billings and one in Missoula. It serves chicken sandwiches and sliders, cheese fries, and slaw, and features seven spice levels for their chicken, ranging from "no spice" to "reaper." In October 2025, Wyatt Prime, the franchise owner for the Missoula location, said that Dave's Hot Chicken will be coming soon to Great Falls and Helena.
Annapurna Indian restaurant is opening soon at 1220 Ninth Street South, the space formerly occupied by Maria's Mexican restaurant. Annapurna says on its Facebook page that they will serve "traditional Himalayan and Indian dishes," including Butter Chicken, Tandoori, Biryani, Momos, fresh Naan, and many more authentic Himalayan flavors. They plan to open in late March.
Chick-fil-A has announced it is opening a Great Falls location, but there is no word yet on the date. The proposed location is 711 10th Avenue South. The popular fast-food restaurant specializes in chicken sandwiches and waffle fries, and has more than 3,000 locations across the country, including several in Montana — in Kalispell, Missoula, Bozeman, and Billings. There are also plans in the works for Chick-fil-A restaurants in Butte and in Helena.
Stadium Sports Bar & Casino at 1121 Fifth Street South announced that it will be closing its kitchen, and the last day that they will be serving food is March 29th. They posted on Facebook that "our casino will continue to serve the best drinks with the hottest machines and the friendliest staff. Gift certificates can be use for food till 29th after that they my be used for drinks or in the liquor store.
Homestead 1909 is opening soon inside Annie's Tap House at 112 Central Avenue. The Facebook page says it will serve "elevated pub fare," including artisan flatbreads, handcrafted burgers, and signature sandwiches. Owners plan to open mid to late March, but have not yet announced a specific date.
Buffalo Noir opened recently at 415 Third Street NW (suite 106) in the West Bank Plaza. Owners say it is "Great Falls' first vinyl bar, offering music, wine, and food in a relaxed lounge setting," and their goal is to establish a multipurpose location where people may come after work, meet friends, or unwind before or after supper. Click here to visit the Facebook page.
