Up In The Air: Sky Shed at the Armory Hotel

Katie Thomas  |   Saturday Feb. 1st, 2025


Like it or not, downtown Bozeman now boasts many tall buildings. By “tall,” I mean higher than two stories. The old Armory building at 24 West Mendenhall is now one of these. Originally built in 1941 to house the 163rd Infantry Regiment of the Montana National Guard, the concrete Armory stood two stories high for 79 years and held a variety of businesses over the decades. Then, in 2020, it joined the ranks of downtown Bozeman’s new and tall structures as the nine-story Kimpton Armory Hotel (aka, the “Etha,” for Etha Story, Nelson Story’s daughter-in-law, who spearheaded fundraising for the land purchase on which the building sits).

This remarkable combination of Bozeman history and the new downtown is topped by a rooftop bar and restaurant called the Sky Shed, which features a wrap-around patio from which to admire our views. During the winter months, a small glass structure with its own heat and sound system sits on this patio, in case you have a private party and wish to enjoy the Snow Shed. I sat down with manager Dana Ochner, Chef Shane Graybeal, and publicist Blythe Beaubien the other day to learn more about how this ethereal restaurant came to be.

Katie Thomas:  How was the Sky Shed conceptualized?

Shane Graybeal: Well, I definitely think it was an afterthought. It wasn’t in the original plans. In fact, I’ve got a feeling that someone was standing up here, probably looking at HVAC units, and said; ‘Wow, we should put a restaurant up here.’

Dana Ocher: That’s exactly what happened. I don’t know what stage this was at either, but I know that our local owners and the construction team came up here, and exactly that – they saw the view and just thought, what a missed opportunity if we don’t put something up here.

KT: And how did this restaurant get its name?

Blythe Beaubien: It’s two-fold: one, the restaurant is in the sky. And two, we love our sheds in Montana! So it’s an ode to the local culture.

KT: What would you like people to experience when they walk through your doors?

SG: Like any restaurant, we want warm hospitality. A warm, inviting space, with friendly, smiling staff. Just a sense of being comfortable.



KT: What would you say makes the Sky Shed unique in the Bozeman food scene?

SG: I mean, the view! You know, as I move through the community here and talk to people, everyone is familiar with Sky Shed. Everyone comes for the view. And, hopefully, the excellent culinary offerings are a close second.

KT: What menu item do regulars keep coming back for?

SG: This summer we switched to a kind of small-plate concept, and a couple of the popular ones have been the Wickens Ranch steak kebabs, and the bacon-wrapped jalapeno poppers, which are roasted with huckleberry barbecue sauce. We’ve got these blue crab hushpuppies that are amazing too. Doing the small plates makes the Sky Shed experience more sociable – sharing is sort of the goal there, and it’s really worked. I wanted to have something that fit the space, because when you first walk in, you see the view, and that’s kind of the main event. And then, after you sit down and start settling in, you can take in the energy of the place. There are no walls or partitions breaking off separate area dining spaces; it’s all kind of one thing.

KT: Do you have a favorite menu item? 

SG: My favorite dish is the bison meatball. We switch back and forth between bison and elk, depending, but it’s a giant, half-pound meatball.

DO: The KFC tacos, Korean-fried chicken tacos, with the scallion pancake. That’s always my favorite. I would eat it every day if I could.

KT: Shane, when you’re designing the menu, what kinds of things inform your choices? What inspires you?

SG: Good question. You know, Fieldings (the Armory’s main-level restaurant) is very much Montana, and seasonally driven. Everything comes from within one hundred miles, as much as possible. Up here in the Sky Shed, we kind of let our hair down a little bit and try different things—I’d say it’s internationally focused and locally inspired. For example, with the meatball, you’ve got your tomato sauce, mozzarella, and Parmesan, but the bison is coming from Big Timber. So it’s kind of in that realm, but it’s not as strict. We want the menu to be very playful, fun, and shareable.

KT: What do you enjoy about being part of the Bozeman community?

SG: The sense of community here is just phenomenal. Bozeman’s got the right mix of everything. You’ve got all the amenities, you’ve got the culture, you’ve got good people, good food. You’ve got good ingredients! And yet you can get out of town to recreate in just a few minutes.

KT: Do you have any special events coming up?

DO: We have Valentine’s Day coming up next. Last year was really successful, so we’re looking at a similar event this year. And we always have something fun for the Super Bowl. The Snow Shed gets a lot of attention because it’s a fun place to go in the winter. 

SG: And then in the summertime, we’ll do what we call our Summer Soiree. Every Thursday, out on the patio where the Snow Shed currently is, that actually becomes the dance floor with a local DJ, from 8 to 10 every Thursday. So sort of like an after-party to Music on Main.

DO: You can stay up-to-date with these events by following the Armory Hotel on Instagram. The Sky Shed also has its own Instagram, but you’ll get the most information from the Armory account. And we also have an email newsletter you can sign up for.

KT: Is there anything else you’d like readers to know about the Sky Shed?

DO: Please check our website to find out about the menu, bookings, and the Snow Shed. The Snow Shed will be available through the end of the season, which could mean April—it’s somewhat based on what the weather decides to do.

BB: And, we offer a discount for locals. That’s any Montana local, not just Bozeman [residents]. We want visitors and locals alike to feel welcome to visit any of the establishments in the Armory; you can have a progressive dining experience within the building. You could start up here and have a cocktail and a snack. You can go downstairs to Fieldings for a very nice, sit-down formal dinner. And then you can go downstairs to Tune Up (the basement bar) and have a cocktail and hear live music.


What a great way to entertain a foodie—a progressive food-and-beverage excursion in a beautiful building with great service, which starts the moment you walk in the main doors, where a genial doorman or woman opens the door for you. But if you’re a one-stop kind of diner or cocktail-er, give the Sky Shed a try—it’s open seven days a week, 3 to 10 pm (11 pm in the summer). 

About the Author(s)

Katie Thomas

Born and raised in Bozeman, Katie lives with her husband and their collection of beloved pets, and can usually be found writing, cruising farmer’s markets, building campfires, and critiquing restaurants with her friends.

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