Business

Crickets and worms help boost Livingston woman’s income

A local woman said she is using her interest in her lizard and her growing business savvy to boost herself out of poverty.

Six months ago, Tracey Karcher established the Livingston Bug Company to sell worms and two different sizes of crickets to bird, reptile and amphibian owners around Livingston.

Karcher said she had been nearly homeless, but the business now helps supplement her income.

New veterinarian on board at Colmey facility

Colmey Veterinary Hospital recently welcomed a new veterinarian to help with the work load after two veterinarians stepped down in late spring.

Steven Chase started at the veterinary facility a few weeks ago.

Chase received his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Oregon State University in Corvallis, Oregon.

New owners redesign local consignment store

Bob N’ Lu’s Second Hand and Consignment recently welcomed new owners to the store.

Joe and Cassandra Weisgerber took over the store in downtown Livingston after the previous owners sold it a month ago.

Cassandra Weisgerber said the owners had asked her if she wanted it, and she ended up working at the store for two and half weeks before taking it over full time.

As the new owner, Weisgerber has changed the layout of the store to make more room for new items such as artwork, collectibles, a seasonal area and a kids’ section.

A new law office opens in Livingston

A new law office opened in downtown Livingston with multiple law specialties.

The Law Office of Eric T. Oden is located at 119 1/2 W. Park St., Ste. 6.

“I’m very excited to have the opportunity to serve the community of Livingston, and to exceed every client’s expectations,” Oden said in a news release.

Oden graduated from the Southern Methodist Law School in Texas before moving to Montana. He worked in the contracts department of Oracle for the past couple years before saving enough to open his own law firm in the beginning of September, Oden said.

Truck N’ Auto expands services

Although Truck N’ Auto Customs has been around since last November, it can now do even more for a vehicle.

Stacey Adams, who originally owned TMA Detailing, now owns Truck N’ Auto Customs, a shop that has expanded to handle almost anything auto related.

“We are the only shop in Park County that does as much as we do,” Adams said of Truck N’ Auto Customs.

Mooseman: The guy with the skinny on scat

Known as the Mooseman in some circles, Timothy Wenthe started doing some dirty work by collecting moose scat and selling it as fire starters in a business called Wild Tinder.

An avid outdoorsman, Wenthe thought of the business a couple years ago while winter camping. He found that in old mountaineering lore, people could use moose poop as a fire starter if it is dipped in wax. After some experimentation, his business was born.

He officially launched the venture earlier this spring through the internet and at farmers markets.

The Mint Bar's two cents and then some

The owner of the Mint Bar and Grill is putting in more than his two cents when it comes to rebuilding the bar’s floor — 137,750 cents, to be exact. The historic watering hole gave credence to the name “The Mint” over the past month with the over $1,400 currency flooring.

Owner Merlin Moss closed the bar in early September after it was discovered there were issues with the floor installed seven years ago when he bought the business. Moss decided it was time to implement one of his more unique ideas for flooring.  

Local nonprofit group hires new director

ASPEN, a local nonprofit organization, has recently hired a new executive director, Heidi Barrett.

ASPEN (Abuse Support & Prevention Education Network) provides support programs for victims of domestic or sexual abuse.

Nature-based Montessori School opens doors

A new Montessori School program has opened with the aim of showing the benefits of small learning and utilizing the outdoors.

Chickadee Montessori, owned and taught by Celeste Mascari, is the second Montessori school in Livingston.

After her mother died, Mascari said she wanted to emulate her and get into child care and Montessori learning.

“I am really passionate about working with families,” she said.

Made-in-Livingston bag store opens retail space

From the outside of this Main Street business, Maranda Lee Designs looks like a small purse store, but inside it reveals how these bags are made.

The business is an online bag and purse retailer that has expanded to a small shop on 225 S. Main St. in Livingston.

The store’s owner and namesake, Maranda Lee, started her business eight years ago as a way to make stylish diaper bags when her children were born. Since then she has established a large online presence with her own website, marandalee.com, as well as through Etsy.com and Zulily.com, where she is also featured.