Montana Knife Company Expands to New Facility in Missoula

The custom knife maker celebrates grand opening of its 50,000-square-foot manufacturing plant and retail space.

Apr. 9, 2026 at 3:13am

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A stylized 3D illustration depicting a miniature knife manufacturing facility surrounded by a coffee shop, retail space, and people, all rendered in a clean, modern aesthetic with bold colors and soft lighting to convey the community-focused nature of Montana Knife Company's expansion.Montana Knife Company's new state-of-the-art facility in Missoula will serve as a hub for custom knife manufacturing, retail, and community engagement.Missoula Today

Montana Knife Company, a successful custom knife maker founded in 2020, is celebrating the grand opening of its new 50,000-square-foot manufacturing facility and retail space in Missoula, Montana this weekend. The company, which started in founder Josh Smith's garage, has grown to 115 employees and is continuing to hire. The new facility includes a Black Rifle Coffee shop where customers can browse the knives and MKC-branded merchandise.

Why it matters

Montana Knife Company's expansion represents a success story of a local business that thrived during the pandemic and is now contributing to the community through job creation and a new retail destination. The grand opening event is an opportunity for the company to showcase its growth and connect with the local Missoula community.

The details

Montana Knife Company was founded in 2020 by Josh Smith, who started making knives as a hobby at age 11. When the pandemic hit, Smith quit his job and grew the company out of his own garage, eventually hiring the company's first employees. Smith later connected with marketing expert Brandon Horoho, and the company has rapidly expanded, now employing 115 people with 25 additional job openings. The new 50,000-square-foot facility includes not just manufacturing space, but also a Black Rifle Coffee shop where customers can enjoy a coffee and browse the knives and MKC merchandise.

  • Montana Knife Company was founded in 2020.
  • Smith quit his job at Northwestern Energy on January 1, 2021 to focus on the company.
  • The new 50,000-square-foot facility is opening this weekend with a grand opening celebration.

The players

Josh Smith

The founder and master bladesmith of Montana Knife Company, who started making knives as a hobby at age 11 and grew the business out of his own garage during the pandemic.

Brandon Horoho

A marketing expert who connected with Josh Smith and helped drive the rapid growth of Montana Knife Company.

Montana Knife Company

A custom knife maker founded in 2020 that has grown to 115 employees and is opening a new 50,000-square-foot manufacturing facility and retail space in Missoula, Montana.

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What they’re saying

“This is a really cool community, and we're proud to be on this hill. It's the first business you see when you come into the Missoula Valley. I hope, even if you're not a customer of ours, that you're at least proud of what we've built here in the fact that we do contribute to the community in so many different ways, plus the payroll and everything, the careers we're building.”

— Josh Smith, Founder and Master Bladesmith, Montana Knife Company

“It was just my wife and kids and I in my garage, and, and, you know, it started to pick up a little steam. I quit my Northwestern Energy job January 1st of '21, hired our first couple of employees, and still, all those people reported to work at my house in Frenchtown down that dead-end road.”

— Josh Smith, Founder and Master Bladesmith, Montana Knife Company

What’s next

The new Black Rifle Coffee shop inside the Montana Knife Company facility will open at 6 am on Saturday, with the official grand opening celebration scheduled to begin at 10 am.

The takeaway

Montana Knife Company's expansion represents the success of a local, community-focused business that was able to thrive during the pandemic and is now contributing to the Missoula economy through job creation and a new retail destination. The grand opening event is an opportunity for the company to celebrate its growth and connect with the local community.