Suntree Inns Will Shift To Howard Johnson’s Motor Inns

Motel news in the winter isn’t common in North Idaho. Except for near the ski areas, it is the low season for the accommodations folks. But the industry news here is almost in wedding form - something old, something new, something borrowed and, yes, something blue.

For “borrowed and blue,” we have the Suntree Inns in Post Falls and Spokane. They will become Howard Johnson Motor Inns, which traditionally have featured blue accent tones. However, the 100-room Post Falls facility near the Flying J Truck Stop will remain tan and brown when it changes names later this month.

The interior is being completely renovated. The old furnishings were sold at auction, and the 9-year-old building has been completely refurbished. Amenities still include an indoor pool, hot tub and meeting room, and the prices will remain moderate at $60 per room for two people with a deluxe continental breakfast.

For the owners, Tanya and Hubertus Guenther of Spokane, the primary amenity will be the name change, which will be widely recognized by travelers. The Post Falls Howard Johnson will become part of one of the nation’s largest motel chains. Jayme MacKenzie manages the Post Falls staff of 10-25 employees (depending on seasonal trade).

The Guenther’s Suntree at Second and Division in Spokane also will become a Howard Johnson’s, while their Suntree on Post Street in Spokane will become a Ramada Limited motel. They also own the Super 8 near the Spokane Airport and the Ramada at the Newport Y.

The something “new,” if approved by Coeur d’Alene city offices, will be a 60-room Mr. Sandman Motel at Third Street and Hattie Avenue (just southwest of the Exxon Jiffy Stop and I-90).

The $2 million, three-story, 24,000-square-foot building would be on 1.4 landscaped acres. Designed by a Boise company, the motel would have six suites with kitchenettes and wet bars and three with hot tubs. If schedules proceed as planned, Mr. Sandman could be open here next summer.

Developer is Russell Hunemiller, who also has motels in Meridian, Idaho, and LaGrande, Ore., and plans a fourth in Dillon, Mont.

Something “old” could be Coeur d’Alene’s existing Sandman Motel, not related to the planned newcomer. The existing 11-room Sandman was built in 1957. Manager Dave Boerner said he thinks Hunemiller might have used outdated figures that showed the area needed more motel rooms.

“The last thing we need is another motel,” Boerner said. “In 1991 we might have. Now we’re at 47 percent occupancy in the winter and 87 percent in the summer.”

Meanwhile, a story that Templin’s Resort in Post Falls was to become a Cavanaugh’s Hotel is “just a rumor,” according to owner Bob Templin.

“We’re friends with the Cavanaugh’s people, and maybe somebody saw us together,” he said. “Cavanaugh’s is in the expansion process (having just purchased the Ridpath Hotel in Spokane). That’s how rumors get started.”

Also in Post Falls, a new Al’s Auto Supply is planned for next spring on East Seltice Way (near the new McDonald’s).

The 6,600-square-foot store will have nine employees and feature the company’s new floor plan, which has customer service counters near the entry. The 17,000-item inventory includes an expanded line of truck accessories.

Owned by Paccar Automotive of Renton, Wash., the company has about 150 Al’s Auto Supply and Grand Auto Supply stores in western states.

Two new, neighboring stores have opened at Silver Lake Mall in Coeur d’Alene.

The Goody Bag, featuring more than 200 kinds of bulk candy, opened Thanksgiving weekend in the J.C. Penney court. The 500-square-foot shop offers chocolates, caramels, taffy, and 40 flavors of Jelly Bellies. Owners are Jeanne and Jerry Quinn, who have had a store in downtown Spokane for two years. They came to the Inland Northwest in 1990.

Pretzelmaker opened its 550-square-foot store last month. The franchise offers six flavors of pretzels cooked on site with a choice of 12 hot and cold toppings.

Owners are Mark and Kandi Dunning and Linda and Greg Stephan, all of Ventura, Calif. Heidi Anderson of Hayden manages the seven Coeur d’Alene employees. Pretzelmaker, with headquarters in Denver, has about 220 stores nationwide. , DataTimes The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Nils Rosdahl The Spokesman-Review