Cda To Get Scaled-Down Bon Marche

Duane Hagadone kept us guessing with his promise to make two big announcements about downtown Coeur d’Alene this morning. Details, promised in a short news release, are to be revealed at Hagadone’s Coeur d’Alene Resort Conference Center.

One announcement is certain: Hagadone will unveil the Bon Marche’s permanent presence in the Resort Plaza Shoppes.

Gary Yiatchos, senior vice president of marketing for the Seattle-based retailer, told S-R reporter Heather Lalley that the 4,600-square-foot boutique will open May 1 in the space currently occupied by the Resort Collection.

The scaled-down Bon Marche will sell men’s Polo clothing, Estee Lauder cosmetics and an undetermined selection of women’s apparel.

Bon Marche executives decided to open the Coeur d’Alene store based on the popularity of the Bon’s holiday perfume sales at the plaza. The store hopes to attract tourists who likely wouldn’t make the trek to the Bon Marche’s department store in the Spokane Valley Mall, Yiatchos said.

This is the first time the Bon Marche has opened a permanent boutique store, he said.

“It is a departure,” he said. “But Coeur d’Alene has been a strong part of our foundation of our business.”

The Resort Collection store evidently will move to the space just vacated by United Colors of Benetton.

We’ll guess that the second announcement will be Hagadone’s purchase of the four-story Johnston Building at Sherman Avenue and Second Street. At about 3,750 square feet per floor, the property includes the parking lot to the north. Hagadone already owns the parking lot to the west.

Hagadone’s plans for the building were not available Tuesday afternoon; neither was confirmation of the purchase.

“I can’t say anything now,” said Bob Johnston, who has owned the building with his brother Don since 1947. The gray structure was built in 1915 as Coeur d’Alene Bank & Trust Co., with its second-level entry off Sherman Avenue. Longtime Coeur d’Alene resident Ace Walden remembers Stiles Taxi Stand in front, an entry to the lower level Rogers’ Barber Shop off Second Street and apartments on the upper floors. The building later became the Interstate Telephone Building. It has been fully leased with several spaces for many years, Bob Johnston said.

Rumors that Hagadone is attempting to buy the entire block are not true, according to owners of other properties within the block.

The third piece of rumored Hagadone news involves property east of downtown. The owner of a time-share condominium development company said he is negotiating with Hagadone to build a 150-unit project on property adjacent to the Coeur d’Alene Resort Golf Course. Prices of the weekly time-share units would be $7,000 to $10,000, which would bring in $510,000 per unit sold for the entire year.

Likely to be located east of the mouth of Fernan Creek, the property connects to Lake Coeur d’Alene Drive through a parcel to be acquired through a trade with the Idaho Transportation Department for a future gravel pit site. The trade has been wrought with controversy. Centennial Bike Trail advocates wanted the parcel for a rest area.

“The motorcycle destination spot for the Pacific Northwest” is the objective of Steve Beaudry, who is building a new Beaudry Motorsports business in Post Falls.

A 15,000-square-foot facility is under construction on more than two acres at the intersection of Edmonton Avenue and Syringa Street across Interstate 90 from Tidyman’s. The building will provide a huge expansion from the 6,000-square-foot site the business will leave on Third Street in Coeur d’Alene.

Owner Steve Beaudry said the new spaces will allow such an expansion of products and services to make the claim that the business will be the Northwest’s motorcycle destination spot. The number of employees should expand from six to 12 to 15.

With an opening planned for the end of May, the new Beaudry Motorsports will sell the motorcycle and dirt bike brands of BMW, Suzuki, Ducati, Moto Guzzi, KTM, Husqvarna and Husaberg. The line of Pace-American trailers will be expanded, and Cannondale motorcycles and mountain bikes will be included.

The building will include a showroom with 18-foot ceiling, a veranda, a parts shop, machine shop, offices and a Dyno-Room service area to allow the back wheel to spin with the motor at full throttle.

Owner Steve Beaudry’s past radiates with wheels. His father, George Beaudry, started Beaudry Motors (then selling Datsuns) in Coeur d’Alene in 1968. Although Beaudry Motors was sold last year, the elder Beaudry can’t completely retire, Steve says, as Dad is a major help with the new business.