Fred Meyer Off To Smooth Start With Opening Of Coeur D’Alene Store

The opening of the new 157,000-square-foot Fred Meyer store in Coeur d’Alene hardly went without notice. A week ago today the morning segment of an army of nearly 300 employees greeted 450 customers at 6:45 a.m., 15 minutes before the doors were scheduled to open.

The people on both sides of the doors were so eager that they applauded each other as they met.

“I’ve been to the opening of seven Fred Meyer stores, and this was the smoothest of all,” said store director Greg Sandeno. “Everything went fine; the (building) contractors and sub-contractors did a great job.”

I sneaked into the parking lot by bicycle in the evening. Impressions couldn’t help be positive by the friendly, helpful attitude of the employees. For a few minutes, I stumped personnel regarding the location of the item I wanted, fence staples, but I was soon accommodated.

One thing interesting has been the reaction of competing stores. In this first week I visited several other grocery markets and have never found retail atmosphere’s more friendly. I’ve never noted grumpiness locally, but this week clerks have been ultra pleasant.

While the attention went to the superstore, little notice has gone to Fred Meyer’s accompanying spaces. Two attached businesses already are open, a third will in August, and three spaces remain available.

With 500 branches and a 108-year history, Washington Mutual opened its first Idaho outlet, located across from Fred Meyer’s produce department.

Manager Carol Goodman is moving from Spokane to oversee six employees for the full-service bank. Consumer banking and home lending are the bank’s strongholds.

The bank offers checking and savings accounts, time deposits, residential mortgages and consumer lending products.

The grand opening is May 8-10. Phone 664-5585.

Retail beauty supplies and hair and nail salon services are offered by N.W. Beauty Salon & Superstore, located between Fred Meyer’s front entrances on Kathleen Avenue.

The 2,300-square-foot business employs 11 people, with three more to be added. Its inventory includes products for hair, skin and nails.

Manager is Lori Wendt, a Lewiston native who formerly managed the company’s Moscow store. With its headquarters in Spokane, the 8-year-old company has 10 outlets. Phone 765-0271.

Hollywood Video, which plans an August opening, will have a Hollywood atmosphere.

Employees of the Oregon-based company are costumed in bowties and cummberbunds to offer the Tinseltown feel. The entire 7,000-square-foot store will be decorated like a new creation of Hollywood.

Facing Kathleen Avenue, between spaces that remain available for lease, Hollywood Video will feature 12,000 titles.

Although just 9 years old, the company has 605 stores in 30 states and is opening more than 300 stores this year.

More than doubling its space, Ovie’s Appliance will open in its new 2,400-square-foot store at 1130 N. Fourth St., Coeur d’Alene, on May 5. It is moving from the Best Avenue location it occupied since 1993, when owner David Overton moved from Florida. He is a native of Kingslynn, England.

“A customer of my wife Annabelle told her about Coeur d’Alene,” he said. “We sent for material from the Chamber of Commerce, came for a visit and moved here for the quality of life.”

Overton offers service, repair and sales of all major, domestic appliances. He sells reconditioned appliances. Phone 765-8794.

May 5 also is the Cinco de Mayo grand opening for Coeur d’Alene Travel, which has a new owner and new location.

Kelly Dionne moved the 6-year-old business from 6055 Government Way to the first floor of the clock tower building at 101 Ironwood Drive. Originally from Maine, Dionne came from the San Franciso Bay area four years ago to be district manager with Blue Shield Insurance.

Pat Bening manages three full-time employees who specialize in arranging upscale, exotic trips. The new phone number is 664-0660.

Former owner Sally Delgado and her husband Steve moved to Colorado Springs, where he was transferred by Century Communications.

, DataTimes The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Nils Rosdahl The Spokesman-Review