Lucky’s Market to Open in Billings with ‘Bacon-cutting’

Lucky’s Market will open its first natural and specialty grocery in the state of Montana March 12 with a bacon-cutting ceremony and a $5,000 check giveaway each to Family Services Inc., Passages, Education Foundation and BikeNet.

“We are incredibly proud to be opening in Montana,” said Bo Sharon, who founded Lucky’s Market with his wife, Trish. “We imagine our stores as an oasis of health, kindness and support, the kind of store we love to shop in ourselves. Boulder is a big town for natural food, and we hope to share the best of that in Billings. We also hope you’ll find some new tastes for your kitchen, either as inspiring ingredients or at our chef-quality deli counter – and we cannot wait to discover some fantastic Montana farmers and vendors as well.”

The Montana store is the fifth nationwide for Lucky’s, a Boulder-based independent that expanded within Colorado and into Ohio in 2013. A store opened earlier this year in Columbia, Mo., and the grocer has stores slated to open in Louisville, Ky., and St. Louis, Mo., in 2014 as well.

Other special events planned around the Billings store’s opening include:

• A grand-opening party on Saturday, March 22, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., with $1 house-made pork brats, $1 sodas and live music.
• A local food fest on Sunday, March 23, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., with local food vendors giving out samples. Walking Canvas Face Painting and local food trucks will also be on hand.
• 5% Days in which 5 percent of the day’s total net sales will go to Rose Park Elementary (March 18), Miles Avenue Elementary (March 25) and Burlington Elementary (April 1).
• Reusable bag credits from March 12 through June 30. Shoppers reusing their shopping bags will get a 10-cent credit on their purchase or may send a donation to HRDC Youth Programs, Not in Our Town and Tumbleweed.

Billings shoppers will find a wide selection of organic, specialty and gluten-free items at the store, as well as house-made deli items, in-house cured and smoked bacon, local produce, fresh meats and seafood, a selection of beer and wine, and a decadent bakery. Free wellness activities and store “walkabouts” (for gluten-free and other food categories) will be available at the store as well.