Trio of Butte businesses firmly established

For our second installment, there are no ghosts — just some stories on three present-day Butte businesses — a liquor store, a fly fishing shop and a restaurant.

At first glance, you may not think the businesses would have anything in common, but there is a familiar thread in this story — the men all share a love for Butte and their chosen professions, and each business reflects that sentiment.

Chunky Thatcher, owner of Chunky’s Harrison Avenue Liquor Store, has been in the liquor business for more than 40 years. He found his niche while in his early 20s and has zero regrets.

For several years, the Butte native was a State of Montana employee, working at the liquor stores in Walkerville, on Park Street, and on Harrison Avenue. That all changed in the fall of 1995, when the state-owned liquor stores were privatized.

“I bid on this store when the state put it out,” said Thatcher. “It was a great opportunity for me.”

Naturally, Thatcher wanted to be his own boss, but another reason factored in, too. He truly enjoys what he does and wanted to continue.

“Every day that my feet hit the floor and I get to work, it’s a good day,” he said.

The business aspect takes much of his time and most days Thatcher is sitting at his desk in the back, paying bills, doing payroll or going through inventory. When he can, though, he still heads out front to talk to his customers.

Thatcher is by no means rolling in the dough. Times have changed and Butte is no longer home to numerous bars situated all throughout town. Nevertheless, his Harrison Avenue business has allowed him to raise a family and get them through college. That’s enough for this father of seven children.

“I told my kids to find something you enjoy doing in life and it will take care of you for the rest of your life,” said Thatcher.

Being in business for more than four decades, Thatcher has witnessed Butte’s highs and lows, but he has taken it all in stride. The lows include the demise of the Montana Power Co., and more recently, the pandemic.

“It was a struggle at times,” he admitted, “but it’s all part of being a business owner.”

Being his own boss has also taught Thatcher that it’s best to be ready — for any and all things. “Business is not always good,” said Thatcher, “so you prepare for those quiet times.”

So, yeah, it’s obvious, Thatcher loves his chosen profession, but there is something he loves even more — Butte, his lifelong home.

The Butte native considers his hometown a special place and plans to hold on tight to it for the rest of his life.

“Until I tip over and land in Holy Cross Cemetery,” said Thatcher, “why would a guy leave a place he considers heaven?”

Switching over to fly fishing, Chris Bradley and Mike Marcum have owned The StoneFly Fly Shop at 2205 Amherst Ave., since April 2006.

“To have a business in Butte for this long is a great thing,” said Marcum. “We love Butte and the area.”

The two men are not just business owners, they are brothers-in-law as Bradley is married to Marcum’s sister, Michelle.

Bradley, a Great Falls native, shared that he and his “fishing buddy” started the business for obvious reasons — a passion for fly fishing.

Setting up shop helped the men to not only share that passion with their customers, but it enabled them to be productive members of the Butte community, something that is important to both men.

The building once housed John’s Log Cabin Guns, run by Marcum’s father, John.

“For us to take it over and turn it into something we love is really special,” said Marcum, who grew up in Butte.

According to Bradley and Marcum, business has been good and has gotten better every year. The pandemic actually helped as it brought more people to their shop.

“People wanted to head outdoors,” explained Bradley.

The shop gets a variety of customers, from locals to tourists, and these past few months, “1923” crew members, too.

“The show ‘1923’ has been good for our business,” said Bradley. “A lot of them were looking for something to do during their off time.”

As far as Bradley is concerned, Butte is the perfect spot for their business because everything is nearby, from mountains to lakes, to rivers and streams.

“From a recreational standpoint, there is no better place than Butte,” said Marcum.

Speaking of rivers, it’s no secret to their customers that the Big Hole is one of their favorite fishing spots.

“The Big Hole is pretty hard to beat,” said Bradley.

Marcum totally agreed but added “you can still head up to the mountains and hit your favorite streams.”

The store’s inventory includes flies, rods, reels, line and tackle, and, according to its owners, some “doo-dads and gadgets that are fun accessory items.”

Because Montana’s fishing season is relatively short, the fall and winter brings fewer customers. There’s a bright side to all this, though, as the shop has become a bit of a social club where many customers meet up.

“People like to visit and hang out,” said Bradley. “It’s become a happy place, which is awesome.”

The men love being business owners, serving not only the people of Butte, but those traveling through, as well.

“Providing good service and products, it’s really gratifying,” said Marcum.

There is a pitfall to having your dream job. Owning the specialty shop has cut into the men’s fishing time.

“Now we talk more about fishing than actually doing it,” laughed Bradley.

Just east of the StoneFly is another long-time business.

The Oasis Casino & Restaurant at 2320 Amherst Ave. opened its doors nearly 25 years ago and Jared Lovshin has been its general manager for the past 15 years.

Lovshin grew up in Whitehall and graduated from high school in 1991. From there, it was off to college in Dillon to earn his teaching degree.

As a college freshman, a part-time job at McDonald’s led Lovshin in a totally different direction. He found he liked the restaurant atmosphere, so much so, he would soon be supervising the chain’s restaurants in Anaconda and Deer Lodge.

Later, he joined the Denny’s franchise in a supervisory capacity not just in Montana, but South Dakota and North Dakota, too. At one point, he and his business partner bought a Denny’s in North Dakota, but later, he decided to get out of the corporate business and headed home to Butte.

Long story short, Oasis owner John Chor hired Lovshin to manage his business in 2007, and Lovshin has been at the helm ever since.

“John lets me do my thing,” said Lovshin, “which I need to succeed.”

Being a general manager is never a 9-to-5 job and requires not only energy, but talent, patience, consistency, diplomacy, and sometimes a chef’s hat. Yes, Lovshin knows his way around a kitchen, which has been put to the test a time or two, particularly during the pandemic.

An extrovert, he enjoys getting to know people — from the customers to the employees, and while being a manager can sometimes be a challenge, he wouldn’t have it any other way.

“The challenge is a blessing,” he said. “There is nothing about the job not to like.”

The Oasis is open daily, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., and employs 40+ people.

“To get employees to mesh and be consistent is the most important thing,” said Lovshin. “We do a good job.”