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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Mckay’s Pub & Eatery Creates A Comfortable Atmosphere

Nils Rosdahl The Spokesman-Revi

Every now and then, you discover a place that simply feels right. It’s clean, warm, decorated attractively, has an inviting menu and affordable prices, and the folks are friendly. It just feels right.

Such is McKay’s Pub & Eatery, located in an old store site at 816 N. Fourth in Coeur d’ Alene.

The renovated building, which most recently was The Office Tavern and earlier was the first home of Jimmy D’s Restaurant, is handsomely decked in natural wood with deep green trim and photos of historic Coeur d’Alene.

The lunch, dinner and late-night menu offers a variety of specialty appetizers (including shish kebabs), soups, salads, traditional sandwiches (even meatloaf) and burgers, chicken potpie, fish and chips, vegetarian lasagna, shepherd pie, bratwurst and sauerkraut, fettucine and apple crisp. Thursday night is steak night with an 8-ounce sirloin, baked potato and Caesar salad for $4.95.

Live entertainment is offered Saturday nights with a variety of musicians and singers. Sunday often is dinner-comedy night with a show by two comedians and a choice of prime rib, salmon or fettucine for $16.

Hailing from different areas of the country, owners are Phil McKay and Steve Chapman. McKay, from western Massachusetts, previously was a manager with Silver Mountain and Templin’s Resort. Chapman, an employee with NBC Sports in Seattle, brings a knowledge of fine sound equipment.

“Our basic concept is to offer great, reasonably priced home-cooked food in a comfortable pub atmosphere,” McKay said. “We’re fine for families, and we offer a nice atmosphere for people who just want to relax.”

McKay’s is open from 11 a.m. until early morning. Phone 665-9996.

Original work by regional arists is featured in Art Spirit Gallery, which opened last week at 908 Sherman (two houses east of the Blackwell House), Coeur d’Alene.

The current display includes oil paintings by Don Ealy of Spirit Lake, Betty Billups of Sandpoint, Clancie Pleasants of Blanchard, John Phamm of Coeur d’Alene and Herman Keyes of Spokane and pottery by Greg Jahn of Billings, Mont.

Owners of the three-room gallery are Phamm and his wife Kathy, and manager is Steve Gibbs, a graphic designer and art director via Montana State University and Irvine, Calif. Art Spirit Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays. Phone 765-6006.

Coeur d’Alene Summer Theatre opens for its 30th season this week. That news is business-related for some.

For its eight-week, 28-performance run in Boswell Hall at North Idaho College, some numbers perk many a mind. The operating budget is $348,000 with four full-time, year-round employees and 85 seasonal performers and technicians.

About 93 percent of the revenue is earned from ticket sales and advertising, merchandising and rentals. Of that, 86 percent is from ticket sales. About 7 percent of the revenue comes from grants, sponsorships and donations.

Last year the Carrousel Players attracted a total season audience of 21,630 for an average of 773 per performance, an increase of 200 percent in three years. The projected season audience count for this year is 25,000.

Here’s the key economic note: The average audience member spends $21.17 when attending a performance, according to a survey. This doesn’t include the price of the tickets, which are $20 for adults and $14 for students; season discount tickets also are available.

Using the standard multiplier effect (determined by the National Endowment of the Arts), the theater’s economic impact on the community is $2.1 million.

How is the $21.17 divided? Many folks combine a performance with a meal before, drinks afterward; they need gas or a convenience store stop, stay at a hotel or motel, whatever.

Spokane County contributes heavily, supplying 55 percent of the total audience. About 36 percent is from Kootenai County, 5 percent from elsewhere in North Idaho and 4 percent from elsewhere elsewhere.

The Summer Theatre also donates more than $5,000 in gift certificates to several charities for fund-raising activities. It buys local products, and its employees spend money on food, lodging and other items.

The musical season starts this week with “Annie Get Your Gun. The other shows are “Jesus Christ Super Star,” “Best Little Whorehouse in Texas” and “South Pacific.”” Each show runs for two weekends.

Phone 1-800-4-CDA-TIX.

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