Former Helena Shopko building sold, developer plans six leasable spaces

A California developer has bought Helena’s former Shopko at 3101 N. Montana Ave. and plans to divide the 118,943-square-foot building into six leasable spaces. The 10.86-acre parcel has sat dark since 2019, turning one of North Montana’s most visible retail properties into a long-vacant landmark.

Sterling CRE Advisors said the former Shopko had been dark since 2019 and described the project as giving the building a second life. A public post from the firm said Dunham’s Sports is in, and a project transcript dated April 28, 2026, said the former Shopko would be turned into six leasable spaces. Another project teaser tied the building to Boot Barn, Dunham’s Sports and four other tenants by early 2027.

For Helena’s commercial corridor, the shift matters because the site is not a small storefront but a major big-box shell with room for multiple tenants, parking and traffic generated by a 10.86-acre retail parcel. A six-tenant layout would bring more daily activity to the area than the single empty anchor store that has stood idle for years, and it could give nearby shops and restaurants more customer flow along North Montana. It also signals a more active use for a large commercial property that can otherwise sit vacant for long stretches.

The project would likely require substantial work before tenants open their doors. A KBZK post said the investment includes gutting the building, remodeling the interior and improving the parking lot, which points to a full redevelopment rather than a simple lease-up. That kind of work can influence how quickly the property starts producing jobs, sales tax and property tax revenue again, while also shaping how much competition nearby retailers face from new national chains.

The site still has to move through local review and any required permits before the plan becomes reality. Lewis and Clark County describes its growth policy as a non-regulatory, long-range planning document, and the City of Helena maintains a current projects page through Community Development and Planning, both signs that major reuse along North Montana still has to clear the normal public process before construction can begin.