Iconic après-ski spot to get major remodel

A landmark of Big Mountain skiing culture is set to get a fresh look and a new lease on life.

Whitefish Mountain Resort announced Friday that it has reached a long-term agreement with Bierstube owner, Scott McIntosh, keeping the iconic bar at its current location in the upper village where it has stood for half a century.

As part of the agreement, the building will undergo an exterior face-lift, including new siding, doors, windows, roof and deck. The renovation project will begin this spring and be completed by next ski season.

“Having a long-term lease allows me to re-invest in the facility and I am looking forward to working closely with the mountain planning continued improvements,” McIntosh said in a press statement.

“The ‘Stube has long been part of our skiing heritage and culture for everyone from the part-time employee to the homeowners across the street. It’s both a fixture of the past and the heartbeat of the mountain today. It is very exciting to preserve this piece of history for decades to come.”

While the biggest changes in the renovation will be made to the exterior, some interior improvements are also planned.

The design was completed by local firm Montana Creative architecture + design. It will feature board and batten siding and tie in to the look of other current buildings in the village. The deck will extend off the west end of the building and be partially covered by a gable roof. The project will be managed by McIntosh and completed by Dow’s Custom Construction of Whitefish.

“It’s going to tie in better with the rest of the village,” resort spokeswoman Riley Polumbus said. “It’s not a big departure [from the current look], but it will bring it into this century.”

The Bierstube has been a part of the mountain’s culture since the 1950s, and the business has been located in its current building since 1967. It was originally built by Gary Tallman for Jim and Joyce Black, Big Mountain employees who took over management of the bar.

The Blacks transferred ownership back to the ski area in the 70s, and it was later leased to Whitefish business owner Gary Elliott. McIntosh took over the business 14 years ago.

In 2011, the resort finished a two-phase effort to rebuild the Bierstube’s foundation after it was discovered the building was beginning to lean. At that time, there was discussion about possibly building a hotel at the site, but those plans never came to fruition.

Polumbus said there is strong support behind keeping the bar at its present spot.

“It’s a part of our culture and history,” she said. “You walk in there and it’s kind of like a museum of days gone by.”