Feeling Grumpy? You’ll fit right in
North Idaho people have known these restaurateurs by their previous places – Peabody’s, Friday’s, Sunday’s, Murphy’s Landing, Henry’s and Bambino’s in Coeur d’Alene, and Mansion on the Hill and the Veranda in Kellogg.
Now owners Joe Chapman and Dana Musick have put their expertise together into a new Coeur d’Alene place – Grumpy’s, which opened this past week at 726 Fourth St.
They’ve created a comfortable, simple décor in what had been Bambino’s and the Fourth Street Cafe (and before that a Laundromat). Highlighted by the cylindrical, copper fireplace that formerly was in Henry’s at one end and an exhibition kitchen at the other, Grumpy’s seats 48 customers for lunch and dinner.
The extensive lunch menu offers soups, four salads, five sandwiches, eight one-third-pound burgers (they look fantastic), lasagna, chili, salmon, halibut, Joe’s Special, a light lunch and several snacks. The dinner menu, starting at 5 p.m., will expand from a four-item specialty selection of sirloin and New York steaks, broiled salmon and sautéed chicken breast. Then add gelato or pie. Beverages include several wines and beers.
Calling himself the grumpy namesake, Chapman is a Coeur d’Alene native. Musick came from Dallas and discovered North Idaho “by turning off the freeway.”
Grumpy’s is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Dinner reservations are encouraged; call 667-1717.
North Idaho Physical Therapy expands
Gaining a space twice its former size, North Idaho Physical Therapy moved from Ironwood Athletic Club (now the Peak) a few blocks west to 1917 N. Lakewood Drive. The 5,200-square-foot building previously was offices of State Farm Insurance. (For a while the building was considered for a funeral home, but the neighboring Senior Center made that, uh, awkward.)
With state-of-the-art rehabilitation and exercise equipment, North Idaho Physical Therapy offers programs for spine, joint, hand, occupational and massage therapy.
Lee Shellman started the business in 1968 and recently sold it to Justin Kane. With outlets in Hayden and Post Falls, North Idaho Physical Therapy has 49 employees, with 14 in Coeur d’Alene. Go to www.nipt.us or call 664-8194.
New ranger station for Sandpoint
Construction should begin in March on a new office building for the Sandpoint Ranger District of Idaho Panhandle National Forest. The 13,363-square-foot facility will be at 1602 Ontario St.
Swank Enterprises, of Kalispell, will construct the $4 million building with subcontracting by North Idaho firms. Completion should be in early 2010.
This week’s tidbits
•Finally Home classes for potential house buyers will take place from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 14 in Coeur d’Alene (call 667-0664) and from 5:30 to 9 p.m. March 24-25 in Sandpoint (call 255-1443).
•Thinking about college? Full-time, annual, in-state tuition costs $4,296 for Lewis-Clark State College, $4,632 for the University of Idaho, $27,100 at Whitworth, $27,820 at Gonzaga, $2,723 at Community Colleges of Spokane, $4,632 at Boise State University and $2,266 at North Idaho College.