Big Dipper Ice Cream at 58 N. Last Chance Gulch has accumulated 762 Google reviews and a 4.7 out of 5 rating — numbers that, for a small-dollar ice cream shop in a mid-sized Montana city, put it in a category occupied by very few local businesses.
The shop has been a fixture on the Walking Mall for years, drawing a loyal local customer base alongside visitors making their way through downtown Helena. Its dollar-sign price rating reflects an accessible price point that likely contributes to the volume and consistency of positive reviews.
For a business on Last Chance Gulch, sustained high ratings across hundreds of reviews represent something real: return customers who bother to write about it. In a retail corridor that has seen its share of turnover, Big Dipper's foothold says something about what works on the Walking Mall.