North Idaho Specialty Shops Gearing Up For Holiday Shopping Blitz

North Idaho shopping specialty areas are taking advantage of every available commercial square foot for the holidays.

In some cases, Christmas paraphernalia will fill spaces that have been empty, then will quickly disappear after the holidays.

At the Post Falls’ Factory Outlets, new or expanded stores include Factory Sports, Famous Footwear, Sports Outlet, Steve’s Golf Shop, and Bears, Bunnies & Baskets.

Factory Sports moved from a smaller space across the street to 5,800 square feet next to the Corning Revere store. Expanding its merchandise inventory with the move, the store offers famous brands of Coleman, Outbound, Safesport, Woolrich Clothing, Fox River and Sorel. Manager is Sharon Everette. Phone 777-1911.

Famous Footwear is meeting the holiday rush with a second store, a clearance center three stores down (next to Famous Brand Housewares) from the original store (next to Levis). Manager Mike Moore features famous brand shoes from 99 cents a pair to half-price Doc Martens. Phone 773-6578.

Snowboards, skis, in-line skates and hiking boots are among featured items at Sports Outlet, which opened Nov. 13 next to Fuzziwigs Candy Factory. Famous brands at the holiday store, an expansion from its permanent shop in Spokane Valley, include Elan, Ride, Airwalks, Marker, Atomic, Dynastar and Cappell. Owner is Jeff Young. Phone 773-6747.

Collectibles, miniatures and holiday craft supplies are mainstays at Bears, Bunnies & Baskets, which opened Nov. 11 next to the Welcome Home store. The inventory includes hand-crafted gifts, laces, wreaths, wired ribbons, beads and wooden craft boxes. Owner is Debbie Gambrell. Phone 777-2065.

Opening its doors today, Steve’s Golf Shop offers name brands of Ping, Callaway, Titleist, Footjoy and Nike along with custom-fit clubs and lessons with videos. Owner is Steve Nelke, head pro at Hangman Valley Golf Course.

Fast food and a chance to sit and relax will be an option at Vonda’s Espresso, which opens Friday in the former dining area. The menu will include espressos and soft drinks, bagels, cookies, muffins and some hot foods such as hot dogs, chili and nachos. Owners are Michael and Vonda Harding. Hours will be 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays.

Regular Factory Outlet hours are 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays. This weekend evening closing is at 9 p.m.

Visits with Santa Claus and free gift wrapping are available on weekends through Christmas. Special events are a 20-percent-off sale Dec. 6 and a free gift day Dec. 13. Mall spokesperson Kay Riplinger said the outlet spaces will be 95 percent occupied on Dec. 1.

Doubling its inventory by doubling its space and taking advantage of pedestrian traffic, Red Rooster Trading Post moved from 308 Sherman Ave. into 3,000 square feet in the southeast corner of the Coeur d’Alene Resort Plaza Shoppes.

The gourmet kitchen and home store is in spaces formerly occupied by the Castaway fly-fishing store, which merged into the Bass Western Wear building on Highway 95, and Key to Dreams, which dissolved when the owners moved to Canada.

Red Rooster owners Kim and Kevin Arnot offer everything from quality cookware to European bedding. They use experience earned from the years they were employed by the Bon Marche.

“They taught us well,” Kim said. She was raised in the Tri-Cities, and he is from Whitefish, Mont. The Arnots also have two stores in Missoula and last week published their first catalog. Free cooking classes will be offered every Saturday through Christmas. Phone 667-7799.

Meanwhile, Lotions and Potions moved from the center of the plaza to the larger space formerly occupied by Worn Out West at the plaza’s northeast entry. The bath shop offers an expanded inventory of lotions, shampoos and men’s and children’s products. Custom blending is a store specialty.

Manager Barbara Edgerton said the store has nearly doubled its inventory. Owner Lara Hollingshead started the business six years ago in Coeur d’Alene and has two other stores in Spokane.

Providing furniture stripping and refinishing, Mark Potter purchased and combined Hayden’s former Strip Joint business with his Cedar Meadows Furniture Refinishing business in Spirit Lake. Former Strip Joint owners Dean and Bonnie Blincoe moved to Anaconda, Mont.

A Wisconsin native, Potter came to North Idaho 15 years ago and specializes in working on antiques and kitchen cabinets. Phone 772-9317 or 623-3067.

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