You Know You Grew up in Bozeman If...

The joys of growing up in Bozeman are many. Any native or longtime local will agree. There’s a whole new generation of kids growing up who won’t understand what old Bozeman was. For those that were lucky enough to grow up back in the day (as they say), you will most likely remember…

1. Having birthday parties at Skate Palace. Remember getting to ride in the giant red roller skate? The best!

2. When Gibsons and Kmart were the go-to stores. Kmart was always the top choice because you got to ride the merry-go-round out front.

3. Having pizza at the Village Inn while playing in the game room and watching old movies on their big screen.

4. Riding the one and only escalator in town at Sylvester’s.

5. Watching movies at the drive-in on N. 7th. And then riding go-carts there years later.

6. When you would have to drive to Billings for school clothes shopping each year.

7. Saying “I’ll meet you at the polar bear” was a regular part of your vocabulary when meeting friends at the mall (who remembers that bright red carpet?!).

8. Getting giant jawbreakers and fireballs at Charlies.

9. When the Caravan, Accents West, and Rising Sun Leather were the best stores downtown.

10. Going to the Ramada Inn to play on the waterslide.

11. Never needing a reservation to camp at Hyalite.

12. You went to middle school, aka 5th and 6th grade at the Willson. Or elementary school at the Emerson. Even better, you went to the Holy Rosary Catholic High School before it was the Law & Justice building.

13. When people say they are staying at the Lark, all you can think of is when it was the old Imperial Inn.

14. You went to movies at the Campus Square, the Ellen, or the original Rialto Theatre. Bonus points if you went to The Cinemas on the corner of Main and 8th.

15. JB's and 4B's.

Let’s go back really far…does anyone remember when the Rialto was a post office?

Oh, how we love Bozeman.