THE GENTLEMEN'S ISSUE
The Montana Man
When our team sat down to plan our June “Gentlemen’s” issue, we had an idea of the kinds of stories to feature: flashy caricatures of the “Montana Man”. But for one reason or another, things fell through. What we originally sought out did not come together, but what landed in its place is better than what we could have imagined…
Fire, steam, and water. These three are the movers and shakers of this month’s issue, though we couldn’t actually sit down and have a conversation with the elements themselves (sadly).
These forces of nature, against which man battles, all have the ability to be harnessed. But the men in this month’s issue have bypassed the frivolous destination of elemental domination.
Whereas others might look at these forces of nature to be something exploited and domesticated, the gentlemen here are respectful stewards and students of their crafts. They’re not after control. Rather, they have become advocates and translators for their passions, making them intelligible to their communities.
Because when someone is stewarding their giftings well, there is an overflowing generosity that extends onto the people we meet.
“How can I make a difference?” We think. Whether it's protecting people’s homes, forming the next generation of tradesmen, or helping someone catch their first fish. We all have gifts to steward, and it’s not done well when we seek full-blown control. It’s done well when we loosen our grip, humble ourselves to the elements, and care about others along the way.
SUMMER ZALESKY, EDITOR @FLATHEADVALLEY.CITYLIFESTYLE
June 2026
PUBLISHER
Greig Fahnlander | greig.fahnlander@citylifestyle.com
EDITOR
Summer Zalesky | summer.zalesky@citylifestyle.com
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Nicole Macias | hello.nikitynak@gmail.com
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Kate Heston, Marko Capoferri, Summer Zalesky
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Kory Anderson, Nick Haas, Nikity Nak Creatives
Corporate Team
CEO Steven Schowengerdt
President Matthew Perry
COO David Stetler
CRO Jamie Pentz
CoS Janeane Thompson
AD DESIGNER Evan Deuvall
LAYOUT DESIGNER Kelsey Ragain
QUALITY CONTROL SPECIALIST Brandy Thomas
city scene
WHERE NEIGHBORS CAN SEE AND BE SEEN
1: Vinyl Night at Hidden Lake Grill & Distillery 4: High quality speakers are brought in by Heaven’s Peak Technologies each month. 5: Patrons are encouraged to bring their favorite vinyl. Photography by Nikity Nak Creatives
Managing Your Residential & Commercial Site Work Needs
business monthly
ROUNDUP OF NEWS FROM LOCAL BUSINESSES
James Beard Foundation Recognizes Chef Earl Reynolds as Finalist
From semi-finalist to finalist, Chef Earl Reynolds of Herb & Omni will head to Chicago to learn the results for title of 'winner' of the 2026 James Beard Awards. The James Beard Award is a highly prestigious award, and to be awarded finalist is in itself a huge honor. Let's route for Chef Earl to take home the win in the mountain region for "Best Chef"! Results will be announced June 15th.
Scan to read more
Elevated Outdoor Living with HAVN
HAVN Outdoor Living designs and builds refined outdoor spaces. From modern pergolas and glass enclosures to fully integrated kitchens, spas, and fire features, the team at HAVN brings together design, materials, and craftsmanship into one seamless experience. Whether you're creating a private retreat or an entertainer’s dream, elevate your outdoor living beautifully and intentionally.
Scan to read more
Local Soap Maker Moves Up in Certification
The Handcrafted Soap & Cosmetic Guild (HSCG) which is the world's largest nonprofit trade association for hand-crafted soap and cosmetic makers recently bestowed a certificate to a Flathead Valley local. Gloria Nyswonger, owner of Nordic Allure in downtown Kalispell, received her Advanced Certificate in Soap Making through the HSCG which requires intensive knowledge of the craft! Congrats Gloria!
THE IRON WARRIORS
ARTICLE BY KATE HESTON | PHOTOGRAPHY BY KORY ANDERSON
THE NEXT GENERATION OF AMERICAN-MADE MANUFACTURING
At five days old, he attended his first steam engine show. At nine years old, he learned about the 150 Case steam tractor, the largest ever made in the early 20th century. In 2018, Kory Anderson created, by hand, a rendition of that 150 Case, a feat that earned him a place in the Guinness World Records.
But beyond steam engines Kory’s love for American history rings true in other forms, most importantly now by inspiring younger generations to invest in the classic trades that make the United States the manufacturing force it once was.
Now a Lakeside resident and owner of Iron Warrior — a company that helps get youth involved in the trades — Kory uses his knowledge and passion to expand that passion to other people.
Kory, who grew up in South Dakota, was surrounded by the trades as a child. His father was a farmer and his mother a nurse, but they were both hobbyists when it came to old tractors. It’s an interest that quickly transferred to Kory himself.
Steam engines garnered his attention for many reasons, specifically for the way they revolutionized the world. They changed everything, Kory said. When he learned about the 150 Case, he was hooked. None of the engines survived into the future, until he recreated it from scratch in 2018.
“As a nine-year-old boy, being around steam engines my whole life and hearing that there was one even bigger that existed that doesn’t exist anymore drove my curiosity,” Kory says. “It became a dream of mine to see that tractor.”
Kory soon knew that in order to see the tractor, he was going to have to build it himself, which meant taking 75,000 pounds of iron and steel and turning it into history reincarnated. No one else was taking on that project, he said, so it was up to him.
He studied mechanical engineering at North Dakota State University for three years before leaving to do an apprenticeship. Kory knew he learned better with his hands.
After an apprenticeship in Germany, he came back and started welding out of his garage, starting Anderson Industries in 2006 at age 22. Kory started making castings, bought a CNC machine, also called a computer numerical control machine, and grew his business.
Kory became the tradesman he is thanks to incredible mentors, he said, and by 2017 he decided it was time to take on his lifetime dream of building the 150 Case steam engine. He wanted his mentors to see it come to fruition.
“I wanted it to be a tribute to their passion of preserving history,” he says.
He went to Racine, Wisconsin to get the original blueprints for the machine and built the tractor for a year and a half. Upon its completion, the feat garnered national attention.
“The coolest thing about it was proving to myself that if you put in the work and surround yourself with the right mentors, if you develop enough skill and put in the work, nothing is impossible,” Kory says.
It was an experience that led him to incite inspiration in younger generations to pursue their own dreams, in particular those geared for the trades, hopefully encouraging and inspiring them to start their own careers and businesses one day.
That is where the Iron Warrior program began, helping younger generations develop the character qualities to become successful tradesmen. The program began in 2019 with immersive classes. It developed to have two missions: preserve American manufacturing and acquire factories to breathe new life into them.
After traveling to Montana throughout his life, Kory and his wife decided to move to Lakeside in 2021. It’s a place he is confident to build his business and interact with younger generations in an effort to grow trades locally and across the country.
“That is one thing that I really love about Montana. There is a huge demand for the trades, both with the development that is going on and the culture of this place; it’s still interested in the trades,” Kory says.
The Flathead is a very skilled trades foundational community, he said. Since moving here, he has been able to partner with high schools across the area to offer work opportunities for high school credits.
Outside of local work, Kory is shifting to grow his online presence, hoping to influence more people to get invested.
“The biggest thing is surrounding yourself with the right people,” Kory says. “It will be the best investment that you make.”
If you are interested in supporting the mission, the Iron Warrior Academy has a nonprofit where people and organizations can get involved. For more information, visit MadeByAnderson.com
“I WANTED
PEPTIDES You want them
We’ve got them!
Radiant Skin and Anti-Aging: Peptides boost collagen and elastin production, making skin firmer and reducing fine lines. They help restore the skin barrier, improving hydration and elasticity.
Accelerated Muscle Recovery: Certain peptides improve body composition by promoting lean muscle growth and repairing tissue damaged by intense activity. They are used to accelerate rehabilitation from injuries, including joint pain and connective tissue repair.
Metabolic and Weight Support: Peptides, such as GLP-1's, improve fat metabolism, helping to support healthier weight management.
Enhanced Immunity and Energy: Immune-boosting peptides can strengthen the body's natural defenses, leading to increased energy, better sleep, and improved cognitive focus.
Our Medical Professionals at the Elysian Institute will guide you through Peptide use –and ensure you are getting results! Call today to find out how we can help YOU!
The Elysian Institute – Montana’s only full-service wellness, recovery and longevity Center.
Fisherfolk
ARTICLE BY MARKO CAPOFERRI PHOTOGRAPHY BY NICK HAAS
Lakestream: Where the passion of fishing meets the love of people
Even when times are tight, we Montanans are wealthy, for we are rich in land and water. And it’s a richness that we can go right up to and touch.
“The beautiful thing about Montana is this access,” says Justin Lawrence, owner of Lakestream Fly Shop in Whitefish. “We are leaps and bounds above other states. Anywhere water touches is public property. In a place where it’s almost impossible to buy a house anymore, and it’s really hard to work hard enough to live and survive here, you can still take a walk on a river and not get questioned about it. And that is a gift.”
Lakestream Fly Shop has been a community pillar in Whitefish since the mid-1980s. Justin began working for the original owner in 2002, and in 2014 he and his wife purchased the business and moved to their current location on Spokane Avenue, right across the road from a bend in the Whitefish River.
In addition to 40-plus years of supplying the community with fishing gear and knowledge, Lakestream Fly Shop is also an expert guide service, getting folks out on the water, from the Missouri River to the Lower Clark Fork, and getting their hands on some trout. They’ve been helping people far and wide encounter Montana’s natural riches.
Justin has been guiding all across the West since the 1990s, and in Western Montana since 1998, and this is really where his heart lies.
“It’s being outside. It’s making your office out-of-doors, right?” Justin says. “Listening to oar strokes quietly moving through the water, observing everything around you. I mean, of course I love catching trout and steelhead and salmon, but the thing I gain the most is the sense of being outside and in the world.”
“Birds, trees, rivers, all that stuff that’s ever-changing,” he continues. “That is the coolest part of it. You know, your office changes all the time. It’s certainly not the same paint color, the same wallpaper, or whatever.”
As much as Justin gets out of guiding personally, there’s also a lot of joy for him in providing a genuine experience for others.
“I’m probably more excited about wanting to put you onto a fish than you are about catching a fish,” Justin says. “Someone who’s never been to Montana, to put them on a river in the middle of Montana and teach them how to fly fish for a second and to put them onto a wild native trout in the middle of a very beautiful place is a pretty gratifying thing.”
"EVERY
DAY IS SOMEWHAT LIFE CHANGING. YOU TAKE A VETERAN WHO HAS GOT PTSD OUT ON THE WATER, AND YOU WATCH THAT HUMAN SMILE AND ENJOY BEING OUTSIDE. THAT’S GOOD FOR THEM, AND GOOD FOR ME TOO."
If Justin doesn’t have a specific story from his many years of guiding that stands out as emblematic of the transformative capacities of his work, that’s because it’s perpetual: every minute out on a river is a chance to expand, to inhabit life more fully. That goes for the client and for Justin himself.
“Every day is somewhat life changing,” he says. “You take a veteran who has got PTSD out on the water, and you watch that human smile and enjoy being outside. That’s good for them, and good for me too. Or maybe a kid who’s not a great student, maybe a kid who’s a bit of an introvert. To watch a kid like that light up is pretty life changing.”
Lakestream Fly Shop has been working in the community to turn kids on to fly fishing for many years now, extending a love for waters and outdoor pursuits to the next generation of Montanans.
When asked what might set Lakestream apart from other, similar shops in the area, Justin points to two things: their year-round operation, whereas some may function only on a seasonal basis; and their educational efforts in local schools, getting kids interested in tying flies.
And Lakestream Fly Shop has been doing this work in the schools for so long that it has really come back around, in the form of their current shop manager, Nick Haas.
“Chris Shriner was a teacher at Elrod Elementary School who worked for Lakestream Fly Shop, and he started a fly-tying program in the elementary school,” Justin says. “From that class, Nick bought his first fly-tying vise from Lakestream when he was
thirteen which led him to coming to sports shows, seeing us, learning to cast, begging for a job when he was too young, and finally getting on and growing up with the business. He is a born and raised Kalispell guy, and he is as good as it gets. He’s the reason we’re still going, and he’s going to be the next chapter.”
“I’m 55 and I’ll keep going and going and going,” says Justin, “but at some point, I’d like to give the next generation the opportunity so that Lakestream doesn’t disappear in the Flathead Valley.”
With a passion that runs this wide and deep, Lakestream Fly Shop is not likely to cease doling out adventure anytime soon. From Justin to Nick and whoever steps in next, the shop’s legacy of outdoor stewardship and investment in the community is built to endure.
GUARDIANS OF THE FLATHEAD
A conversation with Lincoln Chute of Firesafe Flathead
ARTICLE BY SUMMER ZALESKY
In the rugged beauty of the Mountain West, fire is an inevitable neighbor. For those who have built legacies and luxury retreats among the pines, understanding the distinction between fighting a flame and preventing one is the first step in stewardship.
We sat down with Lincoln Chute, Flathead County Fire Service Area Manager and a leading voice at FireSafe Flathead, to discuss why “resource management” is the new gold standard in protection and how the geography of the Northern Rockies dictates the safety of your estate.
MOST PEOPLE EQUATE FIRE SAFETY WITH THE IMMEDIATE ADRENALINE OF THE FIRE LINE. HOW DO YOUR DAILY RESPONSIBILITIES IN PREVENTION DIFFER FROM THE TACTICAL WORK OF FIREFIGHTING?
It’s a vital distinction. Firefighting is the reactive act of lowering a fire’s intensity. Prevention, however, is where the lasting value lies. My role is centered on education and mitigation. It’s about providing citizens with the “why” and “how” behind wildfire starts so we can stop them before they ever reach a structure. It’s the difference between managing a crisis and preventing one from ever occurring.
THE INDUSTRY NARRATIVE HAS SHIFTED FROM “PUTTING OUT EVERY SPARK” TO “MANAGING FIRE.” HOW DOES THAT PHILOSOPHY CHANGE THE APPROACH FOR ORGANIZATIONS LIKE FIRESAFE FLATHEAD?
I actually prefer the term resource management over managing fire. Fire can do a great deal of ecological good. If a fire breaks out in a remote area where there are no “values at risk” and it’s headed toward a natural barrier like a rock cliff, we have to be strategic.
There is only a certain amount of wildfire resources available. We don’t want to exhaust those assets in unpopulated areas where the fire is serving a natural purpose. We concentrate our personnel and equipment on the areas where the values at risk are highest.
YOU’VE NOTED THAT THERE WILL NEVER BE “A FIRE TRUCK AT EVERY HOUSE.” GIVEN OUR LOCATION IN THE NORTHERN ROCKIES, WHAT ARE THE SPECIFIC CHALLENGES OF PROTECTING PROPERTIES HERE?
Our fire season typically peaks toward the end of the national cycle. By the time the Northern Rockies are at their driest, much of the rest of the country— California, Oregon, Washington, and the Great Basin—is already on fire.
We are often competing for a finite pool of national resources. Whether it’s an average year or a catastrophic one, we are managing against a shortage. You cannot assume a truck will be idling in your driveway; the “right outcome” depends entirely on how we manage the resources we have and how well homeowners have prepared their land in advance.
YOU USE THE PHRASE “VALUES AT RISK” TO DETERMINE WHERE TO SEND HELP. FOR A HOMEOWNER IN THE FLATHEAD VALLEY, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE?
From a management standpoint, a “value” isn’t just a structure; it’s the ability to protect it safely. If a fire is moving toward a cliff or a natural firebreak with nothing but rock in its path, that is a low-value risk. We save our strength for the wildland-urban interface. We have to be honest with the public: we cannot be
"WE PRIORITIZE THE GROUND WHERE WE CAN SAVE THE MOST LIFE AND PROPERTY."
everywhere at once, so we prioritize the ground where we can save the most life and property.
YOU’VE MENTIONED THAT FIRE PREVENTION CAN ACTUALLY BE “QUICK AND EASY” FOR A HOMEOWNER. WHAT ARE THE LOW-HANGING FRUITS THAT MAKE THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE?
The most critical work happens in what we call the “Home Ignition Zone”—the first five feet around your home. Look at your gutters. If they are filled with dry pine needles and leaves, they become a fuse leading directly to your roofline. Cleaning your gutters and roof valleys is a fast task that removes a primary ignition source. The more work you do to mitigate starts on your own property, the more you help us manage those limited resources for the entire community.
Beyond the gutters, it’s about eliminating the “fuel” that leads fire to the house. Replace flammable mulch or vegetation within five feet of the home with non-combustible materials like crushed
stone or decorative gravel. For the trees on your manicured lawn, “limb them up” by removing branches 6 to 10 feet from the ground. This prevents a surface fire from climbing into the canopy.
FOR OUR READERS WITH EXPANSIVE ACREAGE OR PROFESSIONAL LANDSCAPING, HOW DO THEY BALANCE AESTHETIC BEAUTY WITH FIRE SAFETY?
You don’t have to clear-cut your property to be safe; you just have to be strategic. We recommend creating “fuel breaks” using your hardscaping—driveways, stone walkways, and even well-watered green lawns act as natural barriers. In the Home Ignition Zone, space out your shrubs and trees. This breaks the “crown fire” path. Also, move the firewood stack.
One of the most rewarding “side effects” of fire prevention is when we thin out overcrowded underbrush and remove low-hanging dead branches and thickets of stunted trees, we are essentially opening up the forest floor. In a dense, overgrown forest, sunlight never hits the ground. By thinning it out to be fire-resilient, you allow sunlight to reach the soil, which triggers the growth of native grasses, wildflowers, and shrubs.
SO, BY MANAGING FOR FIRE, YOU’RE EFFECTIVELY CREATING A MORE DIVERSE HABITAT?
Exactly. That new growth is high-quality forage. You’ll find that deer, elk, and various bird species are far more attracted to a managed, open forest than a stagnant, choked one. You aren’t just protecting your home; you are restoring a healthier ecosystem. It’s a win-win: the property is easier for us to defend, and it’s more vibrant for the family living there.
AN EXCERPT FROM EPISODE 6 OF SHARE THE LIFESTYLE, A CITY LIFESTYLE PODCAST
Photographer: Brittany Dawn Short
Creative Director: Jen Birn
Stylist: Stephanie Coultress O’Neill
Location: Hotel Saint Cecilia, Austin, TX
MIKE JOHNSON HAS BUILT HIS LIFE AROUND ONE QUIETLY RADICAL IDEA: THE STANDARD YOU SET PRIVATELY IS THE ONLY ONE THAT MATTERS.
After eight years in the Air Force, a celebrated run on national television, and a health crisis abroad that sent him deep into supply chains and ingredient certifications most founders never touch, the result is Oshun — a luxury ritual brand built on provenance you can trace and integrity you can verify. In an exclusive conversation for the Share the Lifestyle podcast, Mike shares what it actually takes to build something worth putting your name on. Read the highlights below, then scan the QR code for the full episode.
Q: YOU BECAME A FAN FAVORITE ON THE BACHELORETTE AND THEN LEFT THE SPOTLIGHT. YOU MOVED TO MEXICO, LEARNED SPANISH, THEN COSTA RICA, AND BUILT A COMPANY. WHAT DID THAT EXPERIENCE TEACH YOU ABOUT HUMAN BEHAVIOR?
A: “If you’re a good person going in, that shows. If you’re not, that shows too. I also learned that people form this parasocial relationship with you — they assume things about you. When all actuality, different circumstances bring out different parts of who you are. I was on TV trying to find love. The kindness people were showing after felt a bit fake, because they wanted to be a part of something that isn’t who I am individually, but a part of what they saw on TV. And so I had to get away from everybody and everything and the noise.”
THE QUIET STANDARD:
MIKE JOHNSON
“Too many people have prayed for me. So I’ve got to get up and do the walking.”
— Mike Johnson
Q: YOU JOINED THE AIR FORCE RIGHT OUT OF COMMUNITY COLLEGE. WHAT WERE YOU ACTUALLY RUNNING TOWARD?
A: “There was something in me that was saying: I’m not living up to my full potential. I was being a follower. My uncle said, ‘What’s going to make you become an adult the fastest?’ I said, obviously, the military. The Air Force broadened my thought process more than anything. We’re so caught up in our own perception — when you learn to understand different people’s perspectives, it adds to you in so many ways.”
Q: WITH OSHUN, YOU OWN YOUR MANUFACTURING, YOU EMPLOY A CHEMIST, EVERY PRODUCT HAS A BATCH NUMBER TRACEABLE TO ITS ORIGIN DATE. WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO GO THAT DEEP WITH THE BRAND?
A: “The EU bans 1,100 ingredients in personal care products. The U.S. bans nine. That’s my starting point. Oftentimes, it might be the same ingredient, but it comes from a place where it doesn’t have the highest purity. And 60% of what we put on our skin is absorbed. Every product Oshun makes carries a batch number that goes back to the exact day it was created — I can show you every single supplier, the date, the origin. I own more than one part of the supply chain because that’s the only way I can stand behind what’s in the bottle.”
This conversation is just the beginning. Mike goes deeper into why he’s buying land up north, the family in the Philippines who prayed over his factory floor, and what he’d tell every person ready to stop performing and start building. Scan the QR code for the full, exclusive City Lifestyle interview on the Share the Lifestyle podcast.
MIKE JOHNSON
A SELECTION OF UPCOMING LOCAL EVENTS
JUNE 8TH - 13TH
Montana State High School Rodeo Finals
Majestic Valley Arena | 8:00 AM
Get ready for a full week of Montana tradition at the Montana High School Rodeo Association State Finals, returning to Kalispell June 8th to 13th, 2026. This action-packed event brings together the state’s top high school rodeo athletes as they compete for championship titles and a shot at advancing to the national stage. For more information, visit Mhsra.org.
JUNE 13TH
Paws in Paradise
100 Adopt A Pet Way, Kalispell | 10:00 AM
The Humane Society of Northwest Montana is hosting their second annual summer shindig featuring live music, bouncy houses and facepainting for kids, and food trucks. Enter your pet in a variety of fun contests including one for “best dog costume” all while supporting our furry friends of the Flathead.
JUNE 13TH
Somers & Lakeside Fire Department Car Show
784 Somers Road, Somers | 11:00 AM
Kick off summer vacation by supporting a good cause. Benefitting the Somers and Lakeside Volunteer Fire Department, their first annual car show will feature classic cars, raffles, and grilled hot dogs and burgers, all part of a quintessential summer experience!
GET INSPIRED EAT & DRINK SHOP LOCAL
CONTINUED
JUNE 19TH-20TH
Flathead Food Truck Festival
Flathead County Fairgrounds | 3:00 PM & 12:00 PM
Take your taste buds to flavor-town! For the first time, Flathead Food Truck’s Festival’s 7th annual event is free admission! Sample over 30 different food trucks from BBQ to Brazilian to the sweet stuff. Foodies, you won’t want to miss this!
JUNE 20TH
Whitefish Songwriter Festival Preview
1 Central Avenue, Whitefish | 7:00 PM
Experience the show before the show at the O’Shaughnessy Center. Join acclaimed songwriters Aaron Raitiere, Jim Collins, and Susan Gibson for an intimate showcase of the craft behind the music. Tickets are available at events. eventgroove.com/event/Preview-White fish-Songwriter-Festival-122492
JUNE 24TH
Farmers Market at the Rancher’s Daughter
135 East Idaho Street, Kalispell 5:00 PM
Once a month, the Rancher’s Daughter will host a farmers market with games, music, vendors, food trucks, and in store sales. This will be their first of the summer, so expect a lively kickoff filled with fresh local produce, handmade goods, and a strong sense of community.
LIVE LIKE A PRO
2026 ACADIA DENALI ULTIMATE
The power to reach the summit of premium and capable.
INCLUDES DENALI KEY STANDARD FEATURES
• Super Cruise hands-free driver assistance technology with 3-year OnStar® One plan
• Exclusive Denali Ultimate interior design
• Heated and ventilated Woodland Mahogany full-leather massaging front seats with plaited contrast stitching
• Vader Chrome grille and GMC emblems
• Bose 16-Speaker Performance Series sound system
• Panoramic sunroof
2565 Hwy 93 N Kalispell Call 406-755-5555
