Loyalty Is The Key
While most of the Big Boys are putting their showy stores along Highway 95 to grab travelers, a few aspiring new business owners are aiming their products and services toward the home folks. For these businesses, the key sites are those located between the residential areas and wherever the customers may be going, such as to work, shop or school.
The objective is to use quality, reliability and friendliness to build a clientele that remains loyal all year long.
In Rathdrum, Darin Payton and Tammi Payton, his sister-in-law, have opened the duo businesses of Peaville, a produce store, and Beantown, an espresso drive-through, at 758 Highway 53, just across from Burger Heaven.
The Paytons use their new 3,300-square-foot building to their customers’ best advantage, offering their products (including staples such as milk) via drive-through or walk-in options.
The store features produce and crafts with as much local influence as possible. A second focus is on seasonal items, such as bedding plants in the spring and pumpkins in the fall.
The Paytons offer a combined 29 years of experience of work in Coeur d’Alene Albertson’s stores, Darin for 17 years and Tammi 12.
“We’re trying to offer as many local products as possible,” Darin said. “We’re taking local consignments.” Jams and jellies are among the local items.
Hours are 5 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekends. Phone 687-5471.
Two new Hayden businesses have renovated 50-year-old houses along Government Way into attractive stores.
The Yellow House Cake & Pie Co., 11068 Government Way, offers two emphases: lunches and desserts, including special order pies, cakes, muffins and cookies.
Lunches include a variety of sandwiches (made from nonprocessed meats such as turkey, ham and roast beef cooked at the store), homemade soups, chili, several lunch salads and side orders, including baked beans and corn bread.
Pie is offered by the slice or the entire pie, with about 12 being available daily and others seasonally. The most popular pie is eclair. The Yellow House sold more than 80 special-order pies for Thanksgiving.
Seven “flavors” of all-occasion bundt cakes in three sizes are topped with ribbon and theme decorations for holidays, birthdays, thank-yous and other special events.
Owners Bernie and Kathy Hornung came to North Idaho five years ago from Long Beach, Calif., after searching Utah and Idaho for relocation probabilities. They had been in the residential health care business, including cooking for multiple clients, for about 30 years.
Winter hours at The Yellow House are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays. Phone 762-1040. Orders also may be faxed and picked up.
Lunches, teas and special parties in a distinctive setting and gifts are offered at Camille’s Tea Shoppe & Gifts, 9375 Government Way.
Owner Johanne Haymond and her daughter-in-law, Melissa Haymond, completely renovated their 1935 house, with curious nooks and crannies and leaded-glass windows, into a warm setting with a dining room, reading room, private party room, gift shop and spotless kitchen.
They offer lunches with specialty teas and coffees, scones, fruit, soups, salads, cookies, pies and other desserts and feature (by reservation) Country Teas, High Teas and tea pot cakes.
The dining room is decorated with antique china teacups and saucers and warmed by a fireplace. The gift shop abounds with tea-related items, maple syrup products and containers, candles and bisque night lights. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
A theme of the store is a portrait of Camille, drawn many years ago by Johanne’s grandmother, Delia Chabot-Lacroix, when she was 12 years old in Quebec, Canada. Johanne was born in Sherbrooke, Quebec, and raised in Connecticut. She came to North Idaho from California in 1989. She also is a buyers’ agent for Re/Max real estate.
Phone 762-4472.
One reason to shop in Spokane is because that’s the nearest some fragrance products are available. This inconvenience was temporarily halted over the holidays.
A fragrance counter from the Bon Marche was installed in the front of the Logo Shop at the Coeur d’Alene Resort Plaza Shoppes. Clerk Karen Armstrong served a steady line of customers.
Unfortunately, the service was short-lived and probably won’t be resumed because customers aren’t exposed to the entire Bon Marche department store.
This simple possibility of a name-brand fragrance counter could help downtown Coeur d’Alene thrive. Of course, another prospect would be landing an entire quality store, such as the Bon or Nordstrom.