Blue Cow center features cafe/car wash combination

The Daily Inter Lake

The Blue Cow building in Kalispell will open in January.

Located along U.S. 93 in Buffalo Commons, the funky blue building will house the Blue Cow Cafe and Car Wash and a few retail businesses.

Owners Mike Brown, Jerry Brown and Steve Gascoigne wanted a building people will remember.

"Because of Kalispell's strict sign regulations and the fact we can't have any signs facing highway 93, we wanted our building to be our sign," Gascoigne said. "We wanted a landmark."

CTA Architects of Kalispell designed the 19,000-square-foot retail center with a whimsical wave-and-water theme.

The idea of a car wash in a retail center is to give customers a one-stop, multitask retail opportunity, he said. Customers will drop their vehicles off with a valet for a full-service car wash and interior cleaning.

While they're waiting, customers can eat at the cafe or stop at the retail outlets, including businesses such as Burch's One-Hour Photos, where customers are in and out in a few minutes.

A children's play area, complete with a fiberglass blue cow and play equipment, is located next to large windows where the car-wash process can be viewed. Leather couches, a big-screen TV and upscale coffee bar are other amenities.

By the time customers are done eating or shopping, their vehicles will be waiting.

A variety of car-wash services will be offered, including detailing and hand waxing.

"Eventually we want to have a delivery service for the car wash," Gascoigne said. "You drop it off and we'll bring it back to your workplace."

The cafe will serve soups, salads, sandwiches and breakfast.

Blue Cow is now hiring for the cafe and car wash; it will employ 24 people.

Burch's One-Hour Photo will take two of the four available retail slots, and other tenants should be in place when the center opens.