September Spirit: From Desert Dust to Game Day Grit at The Last Best Store

August was a whirlwind month at The Last Best Store. We honored National Nonprofit Day by spotlighting our merchandise-based fundraising partners, celebrated National Park Service Founders Day, and launched our UM Griz Blackout Collection just in time for the 2025 collegiate football season. On top of all that, store owners Brooke and Alex took a much-needed adventure to Burning Man—a reminder of the importance of art, community, and the freedom to imagine new possibilities (values that fuel what we do every day).

Now, as we "burn" through September, our eyes are already on the busy holiday season ahead. The fourth quarter is one of our biggest times of the year, and our team is hard at work planning events, prepping inventory, and curating collections that celebrate Montana makers and the spirit of the season. From Wilderness Watch’s advocacy for the Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act to UM and MSU home games (and our Griz vending booth near the footbridge), The Last Best Store is here to celebrate community, conservation, and Montana pride.

Public Lands: From Parks to Rivers

Our appreciation for public lands didn’t end with National Park Service Founders Day (August 25). This month, we’re carrying that momentum forward with National Public Lands Day (Sept. 27) and World Rivers Day (Sept. 28). Here in Missoula, the convergence of the Clark Fork, Bitterroot, and Blackfeet Rivers reminds us daily how vital clean, healthy watersheds are to both human and non-human communities.

We’re also excited to share that new Wilderness Watch merchandise is coming soon to The Last Best Store. As part of our ongoing partnership, sales from this collection directly support their critical advocacy for keeping wilderness areas truly wild.

Spotlight: The Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act

One of the most promising efforts currently before Congress is the proposed Northern Rockies Ecosystem Protection Act (NREPA). This science-based bill would designate more than 23 million acres of some of the wildest and most ecologically important public lands in the Northern Rockies as Wilderness. Spanning Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Oregon, and Washington, these landscapes form one of the last great expanses of biodiversity in the world. They are home to iconic wildlife like grizzly bears, gray wolves, bull trout, wolverines, Canada lynx, greater sage-grouse, and American bison.

What makes NREPA stand out is that it’s wilderness legislation as it should be—with no carve-outs, loopholes, or special provisions that weaken the Wilderness Act or chip away at the protections wildlife and wild places need to thrive.

If passed, NREPA would:

• Protect more than 24 million acres of premier roadless lands across five states.

• Connect critical wildlife corridors to ensure the survival of native plants and animals.

• Safeguard water supplies for ranchers and farmers downstream.

• Preserve historic uses like hunting, fishing, and firewood gathering.

• Create over 2,300 green jobs tied to restoration and sustainable practices.

• Save taxpayers an estimated $245 million over 10 years by eliminating subsidies for extractive industries on public lands.

👉 Wilderness Watch is urging citizens to act now. Add your voice in support of NREPA by writing your Congressperson and urging them to protect these wild public lands and the species that depend on them. You can take action today by visiting: https://wildernesswatch.salsalabs.org/nrepa-2025/index.html

By supporting NREPA, we can secure the future of some of the most spectacular and ecologically vital wildlands in the country—for today, and for generations to come.

Collegiate Football: Season Kickoff & Upcoming Home Games

Football is back, and Montana came to play. The University of Montana Grizzlies opened their season with a dominant 42–7 win over the Central Washington Wildcats at the annual Blackout Game. Meanwhile, the Montana State University Bobcats put up a hard fight against reigning national champions, the South Dakota State Jackrabbits, but fell just short with a 30–24 loss. Both teams continue to play hard and represent the grit and determination of the Last Best Place.

We’ll be cheering right alongside fans this fall—and for those attending UM games in Missoula, don’t forget to stop by our vending booth near the footbridge on the south side of campus for officially licensed Griz gear and Montana-made fan favorites.

For local fans, here are the remaining home games for September and October:

• Sept. 27: Cats: Homecoming | Griz: Home Game

• Oct. 11: Cats: Parent/Family Weekend | Griz: Homecoming

• Nov. 8: Cats: AG/Military Appreciation | Griz: Hall of Fame/Native American Heritage

• Nov. 15: Cats: Senior Day/Native American Heritage

• Nov. 22: Griz vs. Cats: Brawl of the Wild

No matter which team you’re rooting for, our UM and MSU collections feature officially licensed, Montana-made apparel and accessories that let you show your school pride with authenticity and style. Check out a few new additions to our collection!

Griz Charging Bear Chest & Silver Shimmer Paw Backside - Women's Recycled Full-Zip Hoodie	Performance Colorblocked Cats T-Shirt	Griz Stripe Paw - Cotton Tee

September is a month of transition—summer winding down, fall sports ramping up, and big questions about how we’ll care for our shared lands and waters moving forward. At The Last Best Store, we’re proud to celebrate Montana’s wild places, support important conservation efforts like NREPA, and keep fans outfitted for every Griz or Bobcat home game--a distinctly Montanan combination of priorities that we are proud to champion.

Whether you join us at a UM football game near the footbridge, browse our nonprofit partner collections, or simply take a moment to appreciate the rivers running through Missoula, thank you for being part of this community.