, Coeur D’Alene, It Is A Red Lobster Of Your Very Own

The Silver Valley’s Magnuson family is continuing to make economic waves in the Coeur d’Alene area. Building permits in recent weeks have been highlighted by Magnuson projects.

The project attracting the most public interest is the Red Lobster on Neider Avenue near Highway 95. It’s almost comical the way the I-told-you-so folks have been discussing whether the building project was the Reb Lobster or a Village Inn restaurant.

Visits with the building permit office and Red Lobster officials have confirmed that the new project indeed is a Red Lobster.

The 5,500-square-foot restaurant should be completed in late January, according to spokeswoman Kim Payne at the company headquarters in Orlando, Fla. Red Lobster is owned by General Mills, which also owns the Olive Garden chain, among other restaurants.

Most people are curious about the Red Lobster, which has been advertising on Inland Northwest television for years.

I’ve heard good and not-so-good reviews. Some say the specials are decent deals, but that the general menu is a bit pricey. The one time I started to try a Red Lobster, in the Washington, D.C., area, we decided not to go in because the place seemed somewhat run down. On the other hand, I have friends in Arkansas who dine out only at their Red Lobster.

Meanwhile, the Village Inn still is planned for next door. Owner Stan Pine of Kalispell said the family restaurant could open in February or April, depending on hurdles to be crossed. The owner of several Sizzler restaurants in Montana, he also plans a Village Inn for next door to the new Burger King off Pleasantview in Post Falls. It also would have a spring opening.

The Magnusons also own the Park Place Apartments under construction at the intersection of Ramsey Road and Kathleen Avenue, Coeur d’Alene.

The $6 million project includes 150 two- and three-bedroom units on 12 acres. Amenities include carports and a $147,000 clubhouse with a laundry room and activities room with fireplace.

Contractor Steve Wensel of Boise said 300 to 450 people will reside in the facility, which boasts landscaping that allowed the existing trees to remain. Most of the sub-contractors are from North Idaho. Some units will be complete in late summer and the rest in a year.

Cutting expenses by constructing and occupying its own facility, rather than leasing two, Farm Bureau Insurance is building a new place at 6912 Government Way. The new location, across from Ernst Hardware, is a merging of the existing Coeur d’Alene and Hayden offices from Lincoln Way and 9424 Government Way respectively.

Wayne Humpherys will manage the 10-office facility and its 12 employees when it opens Friday.

Traveling back from Portland Sunday night, I was forced to “station-surf” from one end of my radio dial to the other to find the Mariners’ game as the miles and frequencies melted away.

As I hit Ritzville, I decided I could leave the car to pump gas as the Yankees took a disheartening 5-4 11th-inning lead. Five minutes later, as I headed into the Texaco to pay, I noticed the pumps were packed with empty cars, but the store was bulging with people.

Edging my way in, I saw about 25 customers glued to a small TV and screaming as Joey Cora snaked into first base. Then everyone went nuts as Ken Griffey singled to center and Edgar Martinez doubled them in to win the playoff.

The fun was being part of 25 individuals, none of whom had never seen each other two minutes before, high-fiving and chanting as if they’d known each other since eighth grade.

A few tidbits:

While I’m on sports, long ago I listed the economic reasons why the University of Idaho shouldn’t leave the Big Sky with Boise State and join 1-A teams. Now it’s quite a twist that in their last year these two teams are at the bottom of the Big Sky standings.

Hagadone Directories guru Jim Hail explained that his phone book has Templins Resort number under the Post Falls Building Department listing because that’s how GTE sold it to them. Oops.

That’s their booboo. Mine last week was misspelling the name of attorney Paul Daugharty.

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The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Nils Rosdahl The Spokesman-Review