Hitt’s the Spot Café at BLS to Close in July

A staple of almost of every sale barn in the country is the local Café. For Billings Livestock, that’s no different especially since Derek Hitt took over management in 2010.

Hitt landed in Montana’s most populated County from the empire state of New York after he and his wife decided it was a good halfway point, as each had parents on opposite coasts of the country. However, after 13 years at the helm of his self titled Hitt’s the spot Café, Derek has announced his retirement. On a busy sale morning, Hitt told Northern Ag Network’s Andy Schwab, the video sales and catering is something he’ll miss the most.

“It’s probably got to be the video sales some of the catered events like the big steak dinner out at vermillion for the CAB,” said Hitt.

Derek does plan to continue being in the area, as he raises jersey milk cows where his commodity is bought by individuals of the community.

“It was a family business back in New York, and we could either work the restaurant or milk cows and I worked both, so when I leave here, I’m going to start milking cows,” added Hitt.

As for what’s next for the café, BLS General Manager Bill Cook said they hope to have it occupied soon with the next proprietor so the locals can enjoy the classic café feel.

“It means we have to find someone else to run it. It’s a good business, it’s a good Café,” said Cook. He added, “Derek and Vikki and their family have done a great job running it but it is not just Billings Livestock customers that supports it. The community of Lockwood, the refinery, you know a lot of those people come over, a lot of people from across the interstate those businesses support. So, it is a good business and if the new proprietors would do as good of a job as Derek and Vikki, I think they’d get along really well.”

Hitt’s the Spot will wrap up their tenure at the end of July.

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Northern Ag Network – 2023