A fire at J.W. Heist Steakhouse in downtown Bozeman last week has left the restaurant closed and the Treasure State Hostel, located directly below it, dealing with water damage and displaced guests.
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Nina Erickson, owner of Treasure State Hostel, opened the 40-bed hostel more than a decade ago. She says the space has become more than a place for travelers to stay — it has become part of the community.
“These four walls are more than just a building; it's memories,” Erickson said.
Erickson, an adventure enthusiast who grew up experiencing hostels around the world, said she wanted to bring that same sense of community to Bozeman.
“That's what I wanted to do here in Bozeman, and Bozeman is the perfect spot for it.”
That community was disrupted Thursday when Erickson said she received a text from her staff about a fire at J.W. Heist, directly above the hostel.
“They were taking care of everything; my staff was great, saw the smoke, smelled the smoke, evacuated.”
Restaurant staff evacuated patrons and called 911 as the Bozeman Fire Department responded.
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RELATED: Chimney fire forces evacuation of downtown Bozeman business
James Short, deputy chief of operations with the Bozeman Fire Department, said crews worked to contain the fire while limiting additional damage.
“Our main priority is to do as little damage as we can while still containing the emergency and containing the fire.”
Short said the fire began in the restaurant's chimney. He said chimney fires are less common than fires involving restaurant hood systems.
“In restaurants it's really not that common, what we see more often is some sort of hood system fire which is what this ended up being.”
The fire department is still investigating the cause.
Hostel reports water damage
While firefighters worked to extinguish the fire upstairs, Erickson said water began seeping into the hostel.
“The fire was done, but the water continued, because it had time to come down,” Erickson said.
Erickson said Thursday's incident is not the first time the hostel has experienced leaks or flooding from the restaurant above.
“It's the truth, they caused us to have leaks or floods multiple times,” Erickson said.
According to Erickson, the latest incident displaced all of the hostel's guests, including people who were staying there at the time and others with upcoming reservations.
She took to social media to ask for help and posted a sign outside the hostel.
“What do you mean I can't stay for $30 a night, and the only other option is $400? That is when I said we need help.”
Erickson said several hotels have since price-matched rates for displaced guests, while local restaurants have donated gift cards.
J.W. Heist responds
MTN News reached out to J.W. Heist for comment about the fire, the hostel's reported damage and the restaurant's reopening plans.
The restaurant provided a statement saying it is unsure when it will reopen.
“At this time we are in the remediation and fact finding phase. We are working diligently with contractors and restoration services but do not have a reopen date set. Our hearts go out to all those affected by this event including the 75 employees who rely on JW Heist for their rent and living expenses as well as the 100's of guests we welcome in nightly who were coming to J.W. Heist for their special life events who have to make other arrangements . We would like to send a very heartfelt thank you to the Bozeman Fire Department for responding to this unfortunate event so quickly and acting with the utmost skill and professionalism to prevent what could have been a much worse outcome. As a locally owned and operated business we thank everyone who has reached out with words of encouragement and support.”
Both businesses now face an uncertain timeline for reopening.
Erickson said she does not know when Treasure State Hostel will be able to reopen, but said she is grateful for the support from the Bozeman community.
“Bozeman is not just for one type of person and I think that is what we are trying to protect.”
