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

Spokane’s Scratch opening CdA restaurant

Readers seem to eat up news about a new restaurant with more interest than other business news. So even though this place won’t open until maybe early June, here are the ingredients.

Scratch, described as “a casual, fine-dining experience” in its Spokane location, will start its second location in downtown Coeur d’Alene. Remodeling is under way for Scratch in what was most recently Le Piastré in the northeast corner of Sherman Avenue at Fifth Street.

Decorating with a red accent, owners Connie Naccarato and Jason Rex’s “new-age cuisine” lunch and dinner menu will be similar to their Spokane offerings, which you can view online at www.scratchspokane.com. The entree list is something you don’t want to review when you’re hungry.

Scratch will include a bar, public and private dining rooms, catering and events. It will have 15 to 20 employees.

Inkwell moves across street

A contract dealer for Kimball office furniture, The Inkwell moved a block north on Fourth Street this past week in Coeur d’Alene.

Owners John McGruder and Jerry Thompson started their office supply business 20 years ago in 5,000 square feet of leased space at 1427 N. Fourth St. Now they sell office furniture only and are downsizing to a 3,000-square-foot building they own at 1503 N. Fourth St. (originally offices for Tom Addis Dodge and most recently for Imagination Graphics, both of which have moved north with the population).

Inkwell’s 20 employees, including those at its Sandpoint store, sell office furniture throughout the nation and internationally. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. Check www.inkwellinc.com. Phone (208) 667-1263.

Kroc Center opens next week

The dedication events are next weekend and the doors open May 11 for member use at the $38 million Ray and Joan Kroc Community Center at 1865 W. Golf Course Road (off Ramsey Road).

Owned by the Salvation Army, the complex includes a huge gym, an indoor cycling area, group fitness room, video game room, recording studio, a worship theater with stage, a fitness area with exercise equipment on the main floor and classes on the second level, party rooms, a climbing wall, a cafe, an outdoor amphitheater with stage, a children’s clubhouse with indoor and outdoor playgrounds, a competition pool with stadium seating, a recreational pool with waterslide and a lazy river, an adult therapy spa, locker room, and a community wing with three meeting rooms, a plaza and an outdoor patio.

The 123,000-square-foot facility on 12 acres will have 80 to 85 employees. Several membership options are available with special offers through May. Salvation Army offices are moving to the new building from the old 10,000-square-foot Coeur d’Alene Library at 201 E. Harrison Ave.

This Tuesday at 6 p.m. the CdA City Council will hear presentations from St. Vincent de Paul, which would use it for a resource center for social services for the homeless, and the CdA School District, which would use it for Kootenai Bridge Academy Charter School, an online credit-retrieval high school for at-risk youths. Tough choice.

This week’s tidbits

•The seasonal farmers market at Highway 95 and Prairie Avenue opens Friday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. And the outdoor market in downtown Coeur d’Alene will be 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesdays starting May 13. With six new produce vendors, the market will offer produce, plants, fruit, beef, lamb, salmon, bread and more. Phone (208) 772-2290.

•Lone Wolf Harley-Davidson celebrates its first year this week at 722 W. Appleway with being named No. 1 in its district for new bike customer satisfaction. Owners Greg and Beth Ernst were pleased that they surpassed their goals “even in one of the worst economic years ever.” Check www.lonewolfharleydavidson.com.

•Orvis moved into its new location at 2171 N. Main St. (across from the pond) in Riverstone this week. Hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Check www.nwoutfitters.com. Phone (208) 667-2707.

•A Reverse Job Fair, in which high school students get clues on the job interviewing process and what employers might want, will be 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday at Real Life Ministries Church at 1866 N. Cecil Road, Post Falls. More than 150 businesses and interviewers will participate in the event sponsored by the Post Falls Chamber of Commerce and Idaho Department of Labor.

Contact Nils Rosdahl at (208) 769-3228 or nhrosdahl@nic.edu.