Elias Hawatmeh Practices Craft Of Tailoring In Coeur D’Alene

You don’t hear much about tailors anymore.

There aren’t even any listed in the Coeur d’Alene Yellow Pages.

But Elias Hawatmeh is a genuine tailor who has opened Elias’ Tailor Shop at 801 N. Fourth St. in midtown Coeur d’Alene.

Drawing on 18 years of experience, Hawatmeh says his work involves “anything with clothes - any material, including leathers and furs, and any size and shape.”

He heard about Coeur d’Alene from friends, checked with the Chamber of Commerce and visited the area, buying his building four years ago. He opened his shop in November.

Hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays and 10 to 4 Saturdays. Phone 664-3180.

In the space next door at 821 N. Fourth St., Hawatmeh’s first tenant is Groovin’ Garb, a store specializing in vintage and unique clothing and glassware from the 1960s and ‘70s.

Shop owner Melissa Peterson opened in November and is there daily from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. She also buys items and takes consignments. She came to Coeur d’Alene 11 years ago from Missoula.

A full line of quality name-brand bedding at competitive pricing with complete service is the promise of Mattress Outlet, which opened last weekend in Phase II of Ironwood Square at Government Way and Ironwood Drive, Coeur d’Alene.

The inventory includes at least 35 display items in bed frames, mattress sets, futons and frames, covers, bedspreads, sheets and accessories.

Sales manager Mike O’Neill stressed that the business is customer and community-minded, with 60-day price guarantees, home-trial service and a free mattress removal service in which old mattresses are donated to charity in the customer’s name with tax receipts.

The shop is the second for Mattress Outlet, which opened its first shop on North Division in Spokane and hopes to open seven to nine additional stores in Eastern Washington and North and Central Idaho.

The 3,200-square-foot Coeur d’Alene store is open daily. Phone 665-9777.

The Mattress Outlet is the first store to open in the Phase II addition. Crosby Floral & Gift opened this week, and Mongolian Barbecue and Fantastic Sams hair salon should open by Jan. 1. Staples office supplies will open in February. Three Phase II spaces remain available through leasing agent Shawn McMahon of Prudential-Acuff Northwest Realty.

Coeur d’Alene’s Greyhound Bus Depot has moved from Northwest Boulevard to a space in the Cove Bowl building at 23rd Street and Sherman Avenue near the city’s eastern entry to Interstate 90.

Providing three buses daily in each direction, Greyhound has connections to other bus lines in Spokane and Bozeman, Mont. Spokesman Terry Kelly, who shares the duties with Chris Hill, said the most common designations are Seattle and Missoula. Phone 664-3343.

George Abisalih has opened a new Georgio’s Pizza, Pasta & Subs restaurant in Lakeland Square near Lakeland Middle School in Rathdrum.

The 1,500-square-foot store includes seating for 50 people and take-out. The store is open Monday through Saturday for lunch and dinner and Sundays for dinner. A new feature is foccacia bread with garlic sauce.

A six-year North Idaho resident from Malibu, Calif., Abisalih also has restaurants in Post Falls Factory Outlets and at Fourth and Prairie in Hayden. His Lakeland store has four employees. He plans a Mexican restaurant for Phase II of Lakeland Square.

One of 54 honored Master Chefs in the United States, Coeur d’Alene’s Roger Hough (pronounced Ho) has opened Consulting Services Northwest to offer advice on any food operation. Topics include menu, food and labor costs, sanitation, nutrition,, special events planning, on-site training, recipe development and assessment and evaluation.

Hough has been chef at the Beachhouse Restaurant for two years. He came to North Idaho in 1990 from Denver.

Man, was this fellow disappointed!

This week Coeur d’Alene dentist Dick Smart missed his first workday in 24 years because of illness. He still hopes to outlast baseball’s Cal Ripken, who hasn’t missed a game in 14 years.

I didn’t really miss being in his chair at 7 a.m. Monday. The comfort is temporary; I’m rescheduled for Friday.

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