{"id":2153,"featured":0,"modified":"2026-10-11 00:11:39","latitude":45.78454990000000179861672222614288330078125,"longitude":-108.4987217999999984385794959962368011474609375,"title":"Sawyer Stores","subtitle":"Billings Townsite Historic District","fullsize":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/fullsize/3977686966a59dbbdf6dd0e5e41fce02.jpg","address":"2223 Montana Avenue, Billings, Montana","all_locations":[],"zoom":17,"creator":["Montana National Register Sign Program"],"description":"The delicious odor of roasting coffee must have added a pleasing dimension to this industrial area when Sawyer Stores, Inc. opened its plant here in 1928. The facility served as the main office of a grocery chain that operated stores in Montana and Wyoming. The brick commercial building on its prime corner featured a creamery and warehouse on the first floor and a bakery and coffee roasting equipment on the second floor. A bean mill, seed cleaner, ice plant, and a huge basement produce-and-cold-storage warehouse made this a highly diversified operation. Convenient to a railroad siding, trains could pull right up to a loading dock while a second loading dock, now the 23rd Street entrance, accommodated trucks. Sawyer Stores operated out of this location until 1963. Heavy post-and-beam construction, wood flooring, two walk-in vaults, and the still-functioning freight elevator are ample evidence of the long, useful life of this Billings landmark.","sponsor":null,"accessinfo":"Private","lede":"","website":"","related_resources":["<a href=\"https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/e383429f-c0b8-4012-8556-950137726936\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Read about the Billings Townsite Historic District</a>"],"factoids":[],"files":{"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/fullsize/3977686966a59dbbdf6dd0e5e41fce02.jpg":{"id":6858,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Sawyer Stores","description":"View of facade, facing northwest on Montana Avenue.  | Montana Historical Society | September 2026 | <br />\r\nArizona Duff","alt":"alt=&quot;&quot;","thumbnail":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/square_thumbnails/3977686966a59dbbdf6dd0e5e41fce02.jpg"},"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/fullsize/02b7c5a39c171592b04f4566c0ef1bd7.jpg":{"id":6853,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Sawyer Stores","description":"Front to side view of building, facing north on Montana Avenue.  | Montana Historical Society | September 2026 | Arizona Duff","alt":"alt=&quot;&quot;","thumbnail":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/square_thumbnails/02b7c5a39c171592b04f4566c0ef1bd7.jpg"},"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/fullsize/08949c4b5ffda856ed4ef5e6715d543d.jpg":{"id":6854,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Sawyer Stores","description":"Front to side view of building, facing northeast on Montana Avenue.  | Montana Historical Society | September 2026 | Arizona Duff","alt":"alt=&quot;&quot;","thumbnail":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/square_thumbnails/08949c4b5ffda856ed4ef5e6715d543d.jpg"},"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/fullsize/0603c713381a801a78512afbcb0aafcf.jpg":{"id":433,"mime-type":"image/jpeg","title":"Sawyer Stores","description":"1. Name<br />\r\nCommon: Spaghetti Depot<br />\r\nand/or Historic: Sawyers Food Warehouse<br />\r\n2. Location<br />\r\nStreet and number: 2227 Montana Ave.<br />\r\nCity or Town: BIllings<br />\r\nState: Montana <br />\r\nCounty: Yellowstone<br />\r\n3. Photo Reference<br />\r\nPhoto Credit: Sam Thomas<br />\r\nDate of Photo: August, 1978<br />\r\nNegative Filed At: Historic District Office<br />\r\n                             9 N. 25th, Billings, MT 59101<br />\r\n4. Identification<br />\r\nDescribe View, Direction, etc.<br />\r\n#12 Spaghetti Depot viewed from Southwest<br />\r\n[verso], black and white photograph | Official records of the Montana State Historic Preservation Office, Helena, Montana |  August, 1978 | Sam Thomas","alt":"alt=&quot;&quot;","thumbnail":"https://mail.historicmt.org/files/square_thumbnails/0603c713381a801a78512afbcb0aafcf.jpg"}}}