Town Abuzz About Coldwater Sale

Take a deep breath and let it out slowly. Good. Now practice a few 50-yard sprints from the depths of your closet to simulate a crowd start, then a few defensive elbow jabs followed by sincere apologies.

Now you’re ready for the Coldwater Creek three-day super-sale that starts at 8 a.m. today in Coeur d’Alene’s former Ernst store.

Forget about being the first shopper. Dave Wood, who must be important because he wears Coldwater Creek tastefully emblazoned across his chest, gently turned away 15 shoppers Tuesday as employees began to sort the 63,000 sale items.

“There was a guy who said he had out-of-state relatives coming just for this,” Dave said, a little amused and a little proud.

That guy isn’t alone. The catalogue sales clerks in Sandpoint expect Ruth and Naomi from Chicago and Rhoda from New Jersey to appear this weekend. These women supposedly plan their vacations around Coldwater Creek’s big sales.

Last fall, 10,000 shoppers hit the Coldwater warehouse sale in Portland. It was the catalog store’s first adventure beyond Sandpoint.

Dave is prepared for similar crowds in Coeur d’Alene.

He fully expects overflow crowds that will keep some shoppers waiting outside until crowds thin.

He also expects a cavalcade of campers in the parking lot and with them maybe a few tailgate parties.

“I was in the (Kootenai County) recorder’s office and someone heard I worked at Coldwater Creek,” said Linda Henderson as she tucked plastic-protected blouses into display boxes.

“They said, ‘Is it true about the sale in Coeur d’Alene?”’

Why all the excitement? Big bargains.

Merchandise stretches from wall to wall in the cavernous Ernst building. Magnetic curtain liners, candles, baskets of pinecone fire starters. Embroidered denim shirts, mauve shirt dresses, black velvet trousers. Wool clogs, leather briefcases with brass locks, V-neck sweaters.

Everything’s new and discounted up to 80 percent because there’s too much of it. By the sale’s end Sunday, 60 percent of it probably will be gone.

So, some last-minute advice for those of you who can’t ignore a bargain.

Wear comfortable shoes and pay attention. The hands holding the sweater you plan to snatch just might belong to your boss.

The sale starts at 8 a.m. today and Saturday and 10 a.m. Sunday.

The price of pain

Shoshone County’s health care struggles are legendary and usually beyond the general public. But Silverton’s Silver Valley Medical Center has a project that needs everyone’s support.

The Volunteer Auxiliary is raising money for a new trauma stretcher for the emergency services department. Anyone traveling Interstate 90 in the valley could end up needing that stretcher.

The auxiliary found a good deal - a new gurney for $2,775 if it’s paid for by April 13. It’s a demonstration model, but after that date, the deal’s off and the price is $6,000. Go figure.

A few bucks now could save you extra pain next winter when your car hits the ice on the freeway. Send donations to P.O. Box 87, Silverton, ID, 83867.

Bunch of lemons

So many people liked the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations’ decision to counteract the planned Aryan march in downtown Coeur d’Alene with a pledge drive that $107.26 per minute already has been pledged.

That amount is from the 31 pledge sheets collected. But 2,500 were distributed. Tony Stewart, one of the organizers, was most impressed by a pledge from a professor of Harvard University’s law school. Tony would like all pledges turned in by April 13.

Whenever the Aryans march, the pledges will count.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo

MEMO: What awkward situations have brought out the best in your community? Recall them for Cynthia Taggart, “Close to Home,” 608 Northwest Blvd., Suite 200, Coeur d’Alene, ID, 83814; fax to 765-7149; call 765-7128; or e-mail to cynthiat@spokesman.com.