More than three decades ago, a Spokane-based company saw a development opportunity at the site of an old railroad yard in downtown Kalispell amid the shopping mall boom era. Despite objections from local businessowners in the area who were eventually evicted, the city council approved the project and behold – the Kalispell Center Mall (pictured above) was born.

Over the years, the mall has slowly lost whatever flavor it had in the 1980s, especially when Herberger’s closed after its parent company, Bon-Ton Stores, filed for bankruptcy in 2017 – not long after the tenant doubled the department store’s size at the Kalispell location.

Nowadays when I walk into the mall to buy face glitter at JCPenny or for a bite of Kazakhstani cuisine at the Hungry Hun, I observe a few teenagers wandering around, but not much action is otherwise happening in Kalispell’s premier shopping center.

But that all will change in the coming years, according to the Texas developers who purchased the property last year. After the former railroad was transformed into the linear Parkline Trail stretching from the east and west ends of the city in recent years, the developers saw an opportunity. Imagine the trail leading runners to the next trendy coffee shop, moms wearing lululemon pushing strollers into Trader Joe’s after Pilates class and the young professional grabbing a microbeer from the brewery after work.

“We’re trying to make sure that these things all come together to be an 18-hour destination,” John Doubleday of SHOP Development told the audience at the Kalispell Chamber of Commerce Growth Summit. “The Parkline District – which is what we’re calling it – is something far better and far different than what was here.”

SHOP Development officials revealed the potential plans for the mall yesterday at the Growth Summit from inside the Red Lion Hotel, which will be included in the renovations. Concepts include a music venue, restaurants, breweries, coffee shops, the library relocation and more.

But the developers recognize the challenges that lie ahead to ensure Kalispell residents will be able to party at the mall for 18 hours. One audience member pointed out that there’s “nowhere to dance” in the city.

“We need to change that,” Doubleday responded. “Everybody needs a place to dance.”

But while Kalispell is arguably a sleepy city during the shoulder season and on most Sundays, Main Street sure comes alive on Friday nights during the informal “Kruise Kalispell” event, pictured above. The action ranges from dedicated enthusiasts showing off their polished classic cars to moto heads drag racing around downtown in lifted trucks emblazoned with LED lights while rolling coal to the waving spectators until the early morning hours.

Kruise Kalispell behavior became a source of division last year during city council meetings when cruisers defended the weekly ritual following repeated complaints of illegal activity that includes reckless driving, engine revving, burnouts, disabled mufflers and overall obnoxious participants, prompting more law enforcement presence.

“I really don’t want my rights to be infringed upon,” one self-described “hot rodder” told the city council last year when there was talk of shutting down the “Kruise.”

I’m Maggie Dresser, here to get the party started with a roundup of today’s top stories from northwest Montana and beyond …

In her latest column, Bigfork-based cookbook author and food blogger Julie Laing shares her recipe for your choice berry curd. Check it out here.