California Transplant Buys Post Falls Strip Mall, Plans New Venture

Saying that he traded his bulletproof vest for snowshoes, Dan Karabedian is one happy man because he moved to North Idaho.

“I moved here because several of my customers moved here,” said Karabedian, who came to North Idaho from Napa, Calif., where he owned several businesses. “I sold everything and came up here in a 48-foot van. I’ve met more nice people here in two weeks than I met in 30 years down there.”

Karabedian bought a 9,000-square-foot strip mall at 205 E. Seltice Way in Post Falls. The 15-year-old building is fully leased, with tenants including R Place Drive-Thru, Schwartz Chiropractic, Meadows Nutritional Counseling, Blossom Mountain Sporting Goods, Premier Properties, ASA Management, TransPacific Financial and Lenmark Personnel and Real Estate Services.

The happy California emigrant said his major plans include a large combination family video and music store in the Hayden area; “bigger than Hastings,” he said. He said his California store had 12,000 movies and 2,700 video games. The music portion would include instruments and lessons.

Meadows Nutritional Counseling joined Karabedian’s mall last month. Owner Shirlee Meadows offers professional nutritional counseling with the help of computer software that utilizes a variety of alternative approaches, she said.

Her business opened last week in Suite B, with hours of 9 to 5 Tuesday through Friday and by appointment. A native of Western Washington, Meadows came to North Idaho from San Angela, Texas, where she was a nutritionist and had a health food store. She also is a registered nurse.

Specialty and namebrand fabrics and access to a mail-order fabrics are offered by Sewing Studio, a new business in 2,200 square feet of Charlotte’s Web building, 206 Indiana, Coeur d’Alene.

Owners Lou Ann Sohns and Angela Auer, who have had similar businesses in Spokane for 12 years, will have a grand opening Feb. 3-10.

Here are a few tidbits:

Plum Creek Lumber is moving its offices to the Old City Hall at 211 Sherman Ave., Coeur d’Alene. Shelter Associates’ remodeling on the 1,500-square-foot office includes trim that maintains the architectural integrity of the revamped turn-of-the-century building.

Moving in late February, Plum Creek is leaving its spaces at Lincoln Way into which neighbor Dr. John Ukich is expanding. About six employees are in the Plum Creek offices.

One of Coeur d’Alene’s first fast-food places, Taco John’s, is “putting on a new face” with a major remodeling, according to manager Bev Snyder. The business began with building portions brought in on little trailers in 1972. It became company-owned in 1992 and has about 15 employees.

Although recent publicity maintained that American Express Financial Advisors had returned to Coeur d’Alene after a five-year absence, another American Express business has been in CdA for several years. Bob McIlvenna operates the office, which had been known as IDS Financial Services. Before that it was Investors Syndicate, which Kelly Kurdy operated for nearly 40 years.

Sandpoint and Hayden are the most likely locations as Pennaluna & Co. brokerage firm expands its North Idaho roots. The company began in 1925 in its headquarters city of Wallace and includes offices in Coeur d’Alene and Spokane.

New employee Tom Wobker, director of business development, said one new office, probably in Sandpoint, should open within 90 days with two or three employees. Pennaluna trades all varieties of U.S. and Canadian stocks and is active in U.S. and international mining concerns.

Joe Kamps is mulling the possibility of an ice-skating rink at his new GoKart Family Fun location just west of Coeur d’Alene. He said the addition may happen for next winter. Possibilities may include using ice on his bumper boat arena or rafting river or a separate pond.

, DataTimes