BOZEMAN — After years of serving generations of customers, Joe’s Parkway is preparing to close its doors, marking the end of a longtime Bozeman family business.
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Tara Wantulok has worked at Joe’s since she was 21, spending years greeting customers and working behind the register.
“I’ve been working here since I was 21 years old, so it's been a long ride,” Wantulok said.
Wantulok married into the family that has owned the store since her husband’s grandfather, Joe, opened it in 1969. Before purchasing the market, Joe worked at Safeway.
“He used to actually work at Safeway for years before he bought this,” Wantulok said.
Joe eventually purchased Parkway Market and put his name on the storefront.
“We are an intimate, family-owned business; we really thrive on customer service and making our customers feel like family,” Wantulok said.
Over the years, Joe’s has offered groceries, specialty beer, wine and cheese boards, while building a reputation for its personal customer service.
The decision to sell came just a few months ago, Wantulok said.
“Just a couple months ago when we decided to take that step, and so it's moving pretty fast,” she said.
The announcement that Joe’s is for sale has prompted an outpouring of comments and heartfelt goodbyes from customers on social media. Signs inside the store now notify customers that the family is preparing to sell.
Wantulok said the decision comes as Bozeman has changed and the challenges of operating a small, family-owned business have grown.
“It's just Bozeman has changed, and a lot of things have happened- employees, all the things that come with running a small business, an older building, and things breaking and stuff,” Wantulok said.
The store is listed for $2.2 million, and the sale is currently pending.
Wantulok said she hopes the next owner will be able to build on what the family has created.
“And allow someone who comes in with a new vision, the energy, the resources to create this beautiful space,” she said.
For Wantulok, the store’s significance extends beyond its role as a neighborhood market.
“People just come in here just because it feels like home. They may have moved away, but they are coming back to Joe's because Joe's has been a staple their whole life,” she said.
Wantulok said the prospective buyer is an MSU alumnus and a longtime Joe’s customer. If the sale is completed, he may continue operating the market under a different name.
“He’s still trying to work out the logistics; he just really appreciates what we have here and wants to keep it going,” Wantulok said.
Joe’s Parkway is expected to close in October.
As the store prepares to close, Wantulok said the family is grateful for the community that has supported the business for nearly six decades.
“Just want to say thank you so much for the support and being such a big part of our lives,” she said.
