South Perry blog: Market opens at Temple gym
Posted on Dec. 2: The South Perry Farmers Market opened again today inside a gym at Spokane Buddhist Temple at 923 S. Perry St. It will be there every Thursday from 3-6 p.m. through December, after working out a special events permit with the city of Spokane. Brian Estes, market director, was quietly optimistic that this could turn into a permanent indoor location. “This is a great location and a great old building.” said Estes. “We just hope people find us again – it happened kind of last-minute, but here we are and we are open again.”
Posted on Dec. 2: There was that one time they ran out of dough – or maybe it was twice? There was lots of worry and troubleshooting and endless hours of work – and then suddenly, a year has gone by. “I tell people it must be like having your first baby,” said Krista Kautzman, owner of South Perry Pizza. “First you are so worried about every little thing, then you relax more, then you learn you can leave it with a sitter and it’s going to be OK.” The neighborhood pizza place is often full to the brim and it’s developed a loyal following over summer. “We are just so grateful to the people in the neighborhood,” said Kautzman. What’s her best advice to new business owners? “Worry about the things you can control, and try to not worry about everything else,” she said. “And stay true to what you are. We don’t do delivery. We have one-size pizza. And that’s just what we are.” They do have takeout and judging by the lines to get a table on most nights, South Perry Pizza must be doing something right. “Clearly, if it wasn’t for the support of the people in Spokane, we wouldn’t be that successful,” said chef Chris Dietz. “We’d never have been anywhere near where we are by now.”
Posted on Dec. 1: It’s happening: the South Perry Business and Neighborhood Association and TEAM Grant is sponsoring a sock, boot, mitten and hat drive for the students at Grant Elementary School – and what better time to get going than in the middle of the first big snow? Look for big collection bins at South Perry businesses – or drop your donation at Grant Elementary. Around 90 percent of the students at Grant qualify for free or reduced lunch – a measure often used to determine the number of low-income students – and many come to school without boots, socks, tights and hats. The Parent Teacher Organization at Grant is also sponsoring the Perry Sock Drive (for short). Please donate new or lightly used boots, socks, mittens, scarves and hats for the students – sizes needed are kindergarten and older. If you are part of a knitting or sewing group and would like to donate homemade socks, hats and scarves, please e-mail the blog at piah@spokesman.com