Butte's iconic M&M Bar will open this Friday, just in time for the Christmas Stroll, owner Ray Ueland said Monday.
At first there will be just bar service, but the café will open shortly, with gaming — pull tabs, video gaming and horse racing wagering to follow.
Butte native Dave Andrews has been hired as general manager of the M&M, Ueland said. Andrews has extensive experience including a stint as food and beverage manager at Fairmont Hot Springs.
Andrews said he's excited to get open before the holidays and the new NorthWestern Energy building. The menu will include some traditional M&M items like the "garbage omelet" and "ground round burger," but will also include new items.
Both Ueland and Andrews agreed the M&M, 9 S. Main St., will not be open 24 hours.
"Those days are gone," Ueland said. "We know we will open at 6 a.m. but we don't know the closing time yet."
Ueland bought the bar in April. He said he saw it closed last St. Patrick's Day and thought, "That's not right."
"It took awhile to get things in order and find the right personnel," Ueland said. "I've found that if you're not ready you can make more money being closed.
"With that said," he added, "the M&M will be open for the Christmas Stroll."
The stroll is Friday, Dec. 4, starting at 6 p.m. from the county courthouse.
Marko Lucich, executive director of the Butte-Silver Bow Chamber of Commerce, said it is great news for Butte, its economy and Uptown.
“It’s not just an icon for Butte but for the whole state of Montana,” he said.
It even stretches beyond that. People traveling across the state on interstates 15 and 90 have stopped in Butte just to visit the M&M, having been there before or heard about it.
From the Montana Standard