Where Functionality & Dreams Meet 

Article by Stephanie Hobby | Photos by Megan Fetters Creative

Homebuilding is in Cree Minkoff’s blood, and although he knew he would someday pursue it with his dad, Scott Minkoff, Cree’s life first took a detour through pro rodeo.  

After growing up in the heart of Billings, Cree graduated from Senior High School in 2012. Sports were a major part of his life; he played baseball and football, with an emphasis on wrestling, and planned to wrestle in college. But by senior year, he experienced burnout and knew he had to take a different path. “Being a cowboy was always kind of something I was interested in,” he said. “So, I chose to go ride saddle bronc horses in college.”  

LESSONS LEARNED IN THE ARENA

For three years, Minkoff studied at Northwest College in Powell, Wyoming, where he was mentored by six-time world champion saddle bronc rider and fellow Billings native Dan Mortensen. “It was kind of like learning to shoot baskets with Michael Jordan,” Minkoff said.  

 For his final year in college rodeo, Minkoff went to the University of Montana Western, where he met his wife, Lorrie Ann, who was a breakaway roper, barrel racer, and had gone to the college finals a few times for goat tying. By 2018, he went pro and was living a very busy life on the circuit. For four years, his professional life was tied to rodeo, but by 2022, after injuries and with a baby girl on the way, he knew the time was right to leave and pursue another dream.  

BUILDING A FAMILY BUSINESS

After college, he took on construction jobs and learned the ins and outs of the business. His dad was well-versed in construction, having worked as a plumber and home inspector for years. By 2021, they launched Gold Buckle Homes, and it has been nonstop since then. 

 After a successful Parade of Homes build in the Stone Creek subdivision on the corner of 64th and Neibauer, which won the People’s Choice Best Kitchen award, Minkoff completed another spectacular home at 2235 Smooth Rock Lane in the same subdivision. The home features a unique staircase with glassed-in railings, soaring 20-foot ceilings, and a glass-paneled bridge connecting the upper living room to the upstairs office.  

 Drawing on expert opinions from colleagues at Kitchens Plus, Minkoff said what really sets their kitchens apart is attention to detail. For this build, the kitchen is a stunning blend of Shade Grown Green cabinets, Glacier Quartz countertops, and a large butler’s pantry with ample shelving and additional countertop space for small appliances, including a coffee maker and a toaster.  

 “What I have found to be the more luxurious portion of this house is the master suite, and the way that the bedroom, closet, and bathroom flow together,” Minkoff said. Housed in the master suite is a reading nook with a built-in bench in the corner, and a closet with a washer and dryer set, separate from a dedicated laundry room on the second floor. In the center of the closet is an island that makes it easy to fold and store clothing. The master bathroom is a work of art, with coordinating tile for both the backsplash and shower, and splashes of timeless gold to pull the look together.  

 “We’re pretty fond of it, I like it a lot,” Minkoff said. “I think that this house is extremely unique. I don’t think that there’s another one similar to it in Billings, and that’s what we set out to do: different things, andtry to spice up the building game in Billings. I think we succeeded on this one.” 

 With the recent build at 2235 Smooth Rock Lane, the team has completed six homes in the Stone Creek subdivision, four houses in the Absarokee area, and another in Park City. This spring, they expect to finish a home on Molt Road, will start building houses in Roberts and Acton, and are currently building a house on River Road, along with their next Parade Home in The Nines subdivision.  

BUILT ON RELATIONSHIPS

No matter how big or busy Gold Buckle Homes becomes, Cree and Scott remain dedicated to what drew them to the business in the first place: people. The business is built on successful collaborations with family members (Scott’s brother is their plumber) and longtime friends who are experts in their fields. 

 “It's a team effort. That's super important to me. Our wives are a big part of it, as are my little brother and sister; they’re out there cleaning up job sites. Our subcontractors are top-notch guys, and they make a lot of this stuff go for us. That's a big deal,” Minkoff said.  

 “We're just really hungry to produce something different, whether that's in design or whether that's in customer service. That’s really the biggest thing, just the hunger to be different and to produce something that not only the homeowners are proud of, but we are as well,” Minkoff said. “There’s a level of caring that we’re committed to. We care a lot about our projects and about who we’re working with. A customer isn’t just a number or a paycheck for us. It’s something we’re going to put our all into and produce exactly what they want, exactly how they want it, and in a timely manner.”