Nils Rosdahl

Well, this is it – my last work for The Spokesman-Review. Although the exact date isn’t available, this business column first was published in 1985, the same year I became the journalism instructor at North Idaho College. So, if I scribble a little math (not often easy for a words person), that’s 25 years. Take that times about 50 columns a year for about 1,200 total. Since each column contains four-plus items, and I’ve written about nearly 5,000 businesses.

Oh. How does a person write something for the day after Christmas without it being anti-climactic? To avoid that, I’ll try to keep this dull today. However, Star Belcher won’t. She’ll used finely sharpened, high-tech tools for Star’s Pet Grooming opening this week in Unit H of Northgate Mall at 3650 Government Way.

A five-story addition and renovations to the existing structure of Benewah Community Hospital will bring major changes to the St. Maries area. The addition to the hospital at 229 S. Seventh St. will include departments of medical surgery, a family birth center, rural health clinic, a specialty clinic, physical therapy, administration and billing, the kitchen and cafe and the information technology department. Renovations will be to the emergency department, pharmacy, admitting and medical records, with the whole project about 75,000 square feet. New equipment will aid medical surgery, radiology, physical therapy, and the kitchen and waiting area. More parking spaces also will be added.

The Ponderay area just north of Sandpoint this spring will become the home of Big R’s largest store. With the “R” standing for “ranch,” Big R has six stores in Montana and Washington. The 86,000-square-foot former Black Sheep Warehouse and original Kmart store at 477181 U.S. 95 will be Big R’s first store in Idaho. “This is a substantial project for our company,” said Wayne Wike, owner of Big R stores. “We are relying on the teamwork of dozens of people working very hard to stay on schedule for our anticipated opening.”

The commercial and office space in the Parkside condominium complex at Front Avenue and Sixth Street in Coeur d’Alene is 100 percent leased. Atchley Financial Group moved onto the second floor earlier this fall (more on that later) and The Grille From Ipanema should open New Year’s Eve. The restaurant’s menu will be Brazilian barbecue. The tropical décor will match the theme from its name, which is a beach near Rio de Janeiro. With views of Lake Coeur d’Alene and seating for 115 customers inside and 75 on the outdoor plaza, the food will include that of an all-you-can-eat steakhouse with seafood, a hotplate bar, a salad bar, grilled pineapple and Brazilian beverages. The servers will slice portions of meat from skewers onto the plates. Hours will be 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; 10 p.m. on weekends. Nearby is a 200-seat event center for private parties. Other options will be catering, private room service in the complex and valet parking.

We’ve gotten some clues for interesting big business news for the near future, but they aren’t absolutely confirmed – so we’ll just hint at them within the tidbits down below. Meanwhile Keller Williams Realty Coeur d’Alene Market Center has moved, with about 100 associates, into a 6,600-square-foot location at 1450 Northwest Blvd.

The name of the place is Tequila Joe’s, and it has plenty of standard Mexican foods and beverages. However, it also has pastas, burgers, steaks, sizzling skillet-plates, lunch specials, a kids’ menu and more. It opened in late October at 9510 Government Way (on the east side of the street almost to Hayden Avenue) in the building that housed Toro Viejo before it moved elsewhere in Hayden. In two large, nicely decorated rooms, the restaurant seats 80 customers in booths and at tables and a counter. It also has a full bar and a 3 to 6 p.m. happy hour daily.

Some long empty, weedy acreage north of Dairy Queen in Coeur d’Alene will become a women’s and children’s shelter and recovery center through the Union Gospel Mission. The Spokane-based group will build a 26,500-square-foot facility on 2.7 acres with an official address of 196 E. Haycraft Ave. The announcement came last week at a kickoff dinner at the Coeur d’Alene Resort. Construction should start this spring or summer with completion in late 2011 or early 2012.