Montana

Billings' new tortilleria brings a fresh taste of Mexico to Montana

Published

7 months ago

May 16, 2025

Billings' new tortilleria brings a fresh taste of Mexico to Montana

BILLINGS — A new tortilla shop is bringing the warmth of Mexico to Billings and holds cultural significance for the owners.

Watch the video below:

New tortilleria rolls out in Billings, brings a fresh taste of Mexico to Montana

Colima Tortilleria, located at 2212 Grant Road, sells fresh corn and flour tortillas by the pound each morning. They are made with a large tortilla-making machine shipped directly from Mexico, which pushes out 2,800 tortillas an hour.

“People say they feel excited when they come here and see the machine and say, like, ‘Wow, that’s a really fresh tortilla,’” said owner Rubi Murillo.

Isabel Spartz/MTN News

Three people total operate the tortilla machine each morning.

The process begins each day at 9 a.m. before the doors open at 11 a.m. to prepare the masa, or dough, and run the oven-like machine. Though they currently rotate between corn and flour tortillas daily, the plan is to eventually offer both all day. Customers can also enjoy tacos and snacks made with the tortillas on-site. Corn tortillas are made in a six-inch and four-inch size for tacos, while flour tortillas come in 6, 10, and 12-inch sizes. Most days, they sell out before closing.

The venture is new for Murillo, who said she did not learn to make tortillas until the equipment arrived.

“We start making the masa and we start making a process (…) to make the quality tortillas,” said Murillo. “It’s hard work because you have to use the machine, you have to check the temperature (to) make the tortillas, because it’s not the same when you make corn or flour.”

tortilla2_2.2.1.jpg — The tortillas are pressed through at the top and then slowly make their way through the oven on a conveyor belt.

The tortilleria, which opened its doors at the end of April, is the latest venture for Murillo and her husband, Miguel, who are known for their other businesses: Fiesta Mexicana, Camachos Tacos, and Colima de Mis Amores, a Mexican store and bakery just next door to the tortilleria. The store sells various snacks, meals, clothing, and other goods not commonly found in the U.S.

“At the beginning, when I started to open the store, is because I (missed) home,” said Murillo.

tortilla4_2.13.1.jpg — The tortilleria is located just a door-down from their Mexican store Colima de Mis Amores at 2212 Grant Road.

Murillo wanted to open the tortilleria to bring an authentic and fresh taste to Billings, and the plan came to fruition sooner than expected.

“I haven’t seen these tortillerias here in Billings, so I was thinking, ‘Why not bring the machine?’” said Murillo. “It’s not the same when you go to the store and buy frozen tortillas.”

The business has also helped fill a gap in their hearts, serving as a reminder of home. Murillo, who moved from Colima, Mexico, to the U.S. 10 years ago, remembers her own childhood trips to the local tortilleria.

tortilla8_2.35.1.jpg — Rubi Murillo collected the tortillas out of the machine after they have finished cooking.

“In Mexico, every day you go to buy tortillas from the tortilleria, come back to home and start eating like the dishes that you have with the fresh tortillas,” said Murillo. “That brings me memories when I was at home and my mom sent me, ‘Go for the tortillas! Bring the tortillas back!’”

Her mother, Natalia Ramirez, moved to the U.S. just last year and now works alongside her daughter in the kitchen.

“In Mexico, there’s a lot of tortillerias, but here is the only one. It’s a novelty here because people can take them warm, freshly made,” Ramirez said in Spanish.

tortilla11_2.39.1.jpg — Rubi Murillo and her mother, Natalia Ramirez, stand next to their tortilla machine.

The tortilleria represents a dream fulfilled that ties two cultures together for Ramirez and her daughter. Helping launch the venture has been deeply emotional for her.

“I’m very proud of her,” said Ramirez. “Because she is a very hard-working person, very smart, has a lot of vision for business. She has always been a fighter.”

For the mother-daughter duo, these tortillas are a connection to home and a way to share the richness of Mexican culture with their Montana community.

tortilla9_2.36.1.jpg — Thousands of tortillas are made fresh each morning.

“Right now, it’s up and down in a lot of businesses, so I’m really appreciative because it’s been good,” said Murillo.

Colima Tortilleria is open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

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Montana

Montana-Montana State’s FCS semifinal get-in ticket prices surpass College Football Playoff games

Published

3 hours ago

December 16, 2025

Press Room

Montana-Montana State’s FCS semifinal get-in ticket prices surpass College Football Playoff games

Montana-Montana State, known as the Brawl of the Wild, is one of the best rivalries in FCS. This year, more than bragging rights are on the line, as the matchup will take place in the FCS semifinals.

The high stakes and relatively smaller seating capacity have made this game the most expensive entry-level ticket in college football this weekend, including the first round of the College Football Playoff.

The cheapest ticket for the game at Bobcat Stadium in Bozeman, Montana, is $675 on Gametime Tickets compared to about $350 for the Miami at Texas A&M game, which is the most expensive of the four first-round College Football Playoff matchups. The most expensive ticket for the FCS semifinal is a sideline seat priced at $1,152. The Miami-Texas A&M game has Founder Club tickets listed at $2,484.

The seating capacity for Bobcat Stadium is 20,767, compared to more than 102,000 at Texas A&M’s Kyle Field. The other three CFP games this weekend will be hosted by Oklahoma (capacity 80,126), Ole Miss (64,038) and Oregon (60,000).

Next year’s Montana-Montana State matchup starts at $876, with some tickets listed as high as $1,359.

Montana State is the No. 2 seed in the playoffs at 12-2 after defeating Stephen F. Austin 44-28 in the quarterfinals this past weekend. Third-seeded Montana is 13-1 and beat South Dakota 52-22 in its quarterfinal. Montana leads the all-time rivalry 74-44-5.

Montana State has won the last two matchups between the teams, most recently winning 31-28 at Montana on Nov. 22. At least one of the teams has appeared in the FCS championship game in three of the past four years. Montana’s last national championship came in 2001, while Montana State’s came in 1984.

Montana is led by head coach Bobby Hauck, who is the second-winningest active FCS head coach and one of the top 10 winningest active coaches overall in Division I football at 151-42. Montana’s key players are quarterback Keali’i Ah Yat, running back Eli Gillman and wide receiver Michael Wortham.

Montana State is led by head coach Brent Vigen. Key players for Montana State include quarterback Justin Lamson, running back Julius Davis and wide receiver Taco Dowler.

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Montana

Montana-vs.-Montana State semifinal sequel set for 2 p.m. Saturday on ABC

Published

15 hours ago

December 15, 2025

Press Room

Montana-vs.-Montana State semifinal sequel set for 2 p.m. Saturday on ABC

The first playoff meeting between football rivals Montana and Montana State is set for 2 p.m. Mountain time next Saturday at Bobcat Stadium in Bozeman. The game will air nationally on ABC.

The Bobcats and Grizzlies will square off in the semifinal round of the FCS postseason after each team won convincingly in the quarterfinal round. No. 2-seeded Montana State defeated No. 7 Stephen F. Austin 44-28 at home Friday night and No. 3-seeded Montana raced past No. 11 South Dakota 52-22 on Saturday in Missoula.

Next week’s game between the Cats and Griz will be the 125th all-time meeting, and it will be for a berth in the national championship game Jan. 5 at FirstBank Stadium on the campus of Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn.

It will also be the first time the schools have faced each other twice in football in the same season since 1913.

The Bobcats are seeking their fourth all-time trip to the FCS/Division I-AA title game and their third visit in the past five years. MSU claims three national championships — 1956 (NAIA), 1976 (NCAA Division II) and 1984 (I-AA). The Bobcats lost to North Dakota State in the championship game in Frisco, Texas, in both 2021 and last season.

The Grizzlies are looking to make their ninth trip to the championship game and their second in the past three seasons. Montana has won two previous titles — in 1995 and 2001. The Griz suffered title-game losses in 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2009 and 2023.

Montana State beat Montana 31-28 in Missoula on Nov. 22 in the regular-season finale to earn the outright Big Sky Conference title and the No. 2 seed for the playoffs. The Grizzlies lead the all-time series 74-44-5 but MSU owns a 12-10 edge since 2002.

Saturday’s other semifinal game pits unseeded Illinois State against No. 12 seed Villanova. Illinois State went on the road and upset No. 8 seed UC Davis 42-31 in the quarterfinals on Saturday while Villanova held on to beat No. 4 seed Tarleton State 26-21.

Illinois State and Villanova will kick off Saturday at 5:30 p.m. Mountain time on ESPN2.

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Montana

Oregon women earn 11th victory with win over Montana State

Published

1 day ago

December 15, 2025

Press Room

Oregon women earn 11th victory with win over Montana State

Oregon women’s basketball moved to 11-1 following a 69-44 win over Montana State Sunday at Matthew Knight Arena.

Four of Oregon’s starters scored in double figures, led by guard Sofia Bell’s 15 points.

Mia Jacobs added 13 points and 10 rebounds. Katie Fiso and Ari Long each scored 10 points. Fiso added five assists.

Oregon (11-1) struggled shooting, hitting 19 of 58 field goal attempts (32.8%), including 9 of 31 from three-point range (29%). However, those numbers were mainly dragged down in the fourth quarter when the game was well in hand.

Oregon, which led 37-14 at halftime, shot just 22.2% from the field in the final quarter and missed all seven of its three-point attempts. MSU won the quarter 16-11.

Bell went 4 of 8 from long distance, Jacobs went 3 of 8 and Long made both of her three-point attempts. The rest of the team went 0-for-13.

Montana State (6-3) received 14 points and four rebounds from Jamison Philip. The Bobcats shot 1 of 19 from three-point range and committed 23 turnovers that the Ducks converted into 25 points.

Next up: The Ducks host Portland (7-4) at 11 a.m. on Thursday. The Pilots defeated Kent State 88-78 on Sunday.

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