Downtown Billings isn't known for its crazy nightlife.

"Most people know that it kind of shuts down in the evening," explains owner of Bottega: The Clothing Gallery, Katie Cline.

But with a new pilot program starting downtown, after hours in Billings is about to change.

"We need to start getting the word out about things like First Friday and extended hours during the holiday season in general," Cline states.

On the first Friday of every month boutiques, art galleries, and other downtown attractions will keep their doors open until 9:00 p.m. But it wasn't just the businesses who pushed for this idea.

"Customers are actually asking for extended hours.  So that's a really neat thing for us to hear in downtown Billings, is that we're getting this critical mass of people that want to shop," Downtown Billings Executive Director, Lisa Harmon, explains. "These great eclectic shops that we have."

Among those shops is Cline's store, Bottega, a clothing boutique/art gallery that definitely offers something unique.

"It's interesting to see a mix of people, like the art buyers who wouldn't necessarily come into a clothing store that are coming though and maybe shopping a little and my shoppers want to check something different out, a little bit of artwork," Cline says.

Cline's reason for opening her six week old shop downtown is simple.

"The downtown area's just really fun," Cline states.  "We have a lot of new stuff coming in, and just a great place for people to spend some time."

"It's becoming more of a 24/7 downtown," Harmon says.  "There's so much going on, all the time."

For the next six months later hours will only happen on the First Friday of every month.  What happens after that depends on the consumer.