Tidyman’s to close struggling store in CdA

Tidyman’s will close its Coeur d’Alene store on Tuesday, a decision company officials attributed to declining profits in a hard-to-reach location.

The store is located at 410 W. Neider Ave., along one of the busiest stretches of U.S. Highway 95. When Tidyman’s opened the store there 15 years ago, the spot was ideal for a grocery outlet, said Patty Kilcup, company spokeswoman. But traffic growth and congestion changed that.

Picking up a gallon of milk, or stopping on the way home from work to buy groceries for dinner takes longer and involves more traffic negotiation.

“It put us in an inferior position for providing easy and convenient access for our customers,” Kilcup said.

Tidyman’s officials were mulling a store move when an investor made an offer on the 55,000-square-foot building. Neider & 95 LLC purchased the building last month.

“After 33 years of business in the Coeur d’Alene community, this has been a very difficult decision to make …” Mike Davis, Tidyman’s president and CEO said a prepared statement. “However, with the changes in the retail market, we have not seen the profitability we needed to continue operating the store. Because of this, we feel it is in the best long-term interest of our company to close the Coeur d’Alene Tidyman’s store.”

Tidyman’s first Coeur d’Alene store opened on Best Avenue in the 1970s.

The Spokane-based grocer may open another Coeur d’Alene store in the future but has no immediate plans, Kilcup said. Forty people work at the store.

Some will transfer to other stores in the chain, and the rest will receive severance packages, she said.

Tidyman’s was founded in Spokane in 1968 as a food warehouse. The employee-owned company operates 16 stores in three states, including one in Post Falls.

Kilcup said the chain’s grocery niche is a focus on high quality produce, meats, and other perishables.

Tidyman’s will finish vacating the premises by June 30. Kilcup said she doesn’t know what the future plans for the building are. An agent for Neider & 95 could not be reached for comment Wednesday.