Owner offers to buy deteriorating Wagon Wheel building; food pantry leaders seek affordable, accessible space

Pat Thompson, owner of Thompson Signature, told Glacier County commissioners on April 9 that she is interested in acquiring two county-owned properties on Central Street — the old Wagon Wheel bar and the building that houses the Harvest Food Pantry — and that she is pursuing a Montana historical preservation grant for nearby remodeling work.

Thompson said her property at 317 (the former Cooley Quilt building) has about 2,000 square feet and parking that could better handle the weight and supply needs of the pantry. "I'm putting in for Montana historical preservation grant," she said, and suggested that moving the pantry to 317 could reduce county liability while keeping services centrally located.

Why it matters: The Harvest Food Pantry serves neighbors who rely on walk-in access, and pantry leaders said Central Street’s location is critical. The pantry’s chair said volunteers and clients depend on street-level access and reported that the pantry now supports "about a 100 households per week," stressing that the site must remain reachable for people without vehicles.

County staff and attendees raised safety, structural and cost questions. Thompson and staff described the Wagon Wheel as unsafe and noted potential asbestos and brownfield issues that require professional inspection. Thompson said demolition would "cost well over, I'm sure, dollars 10,000" and asked the county to allow an inspection so mitigation needs and cost estimates could be prepared.

County staff confirmed an inspector affiliated with the Brownfield process and the Department of Environmental Quality will be in Cut Bank that afternoon to assess the properties. "Michael Perdukas will be in Cut Bank looking at another project on Thursday 04/09," Thompson said, and staff discussed coordinating access and locating an existing structural report for the Mercantile building to avoid duplicative work.

Pantry leaders emphasized that the organization lacks funds to pay rent and that most incoming donations go directly to feeding people. "We don't require them to show proof of income or proof of where they live. If you need food, come get food," the Harvest Food Pantry chair said, describing why a free, centrally located site matters to the community.

No formal action was taken. Commissioners said they would consider options, ask staff to coordinate the DEQ/Brownfield inspection and review any existing structural reports before making decisions about sale, demolition or relocation. The board set follow-up steps and continued other administrative business before adjourning; no vote on property transfer or lease terms was made.

The county asked maintenance staff to make the Wagon Wheel and adjacent buildings available to inspectors and to check for previously completed structural analyses so the Brownfield team would not duplicate assessments. The board scheduled its next meeting for April 14, 2026, in Browning.