Growth Drives Expansion
As the area grows, so do businesses associated with cars and trucks.
And as Coeur d’Alene expands northward, so do the auto businesses.
Ground was broken last week for a 6,500-square-foot building for GP Motorsports, an import performance repair shop that will be expanding with a parts and accessories store at the front of the new building in the northeast corner of Government Way and Miles Avenue in Hayden.
“Performance” is the emphasis of GP Motorsports, said Jason Cobb, who owns the business with his father, Steve, and another son-father team of Rocky and Robert Dorame.
The Cobbs came to North Idaho about 10 years ago from Grass Valley, Calif., and the Dorames originally are from Hawaii.
They hope to move the business in early June from their 2,800-square-foot store at 10328 Government Way, where it has been for 10 years. They have five employees. Phone 762-0888.
An emphasis on wholesale distribution of auto parts and some retail sales provides is planned by Motion Auto Installers Warehouse, which opened Monday at 1303 Best Ave. in Coeur d’Alene.
The 4,000-square-foot space is four times larger than the store’s previous location on Fourth Street. The business is owned by its six employees. Principal owners are Ray Theander and Robin Davis. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. weekdays. The store opens Saturdays at 9 a.m. Phone 664-4343.
Silver is sold by weight at Super Silver Jewelry Store, which celebrated its grand opening last weekend in the Prime Outlets of the Post Falls factory outlet mall.
The 1,700-square-foot store is in the space formerly occupied by Diamonds Direct and next to the Maidenform store. Super Silver also offers real, fresh-water pearls, toe rings, earrings and 14-karat gold overlay items.
Originally from Kennewick, Sally Ealy owns this store and sister stores in Santa Cruz and Capitola, Calif. The Post Falls store is managed by her son, David Morris, of Rathdrum.
“Our silver is sold by weight,” Morris said. “We weigh a customer’s jewelry selection, and the cost is two times that gram weight plus $1 for rings and chains and three times the gram weight for pendants and earrings.”
Hours are 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 11 to 6 Sundays. Phone 457-8292.
Full service and sales for insurance policies of about 75 companies is offered by Big Bend Insurance, which now has its 11th office at 2600 E. Seltice Way (next to UPS Scale Mail) in Post Falls.
Agents John Young and his son, Mike Young, and underwriter Kim Howard run the office from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays. With its headquarters in Davenport, Wash., Big Bend Insurance has 10 offices in Eastern Washington communities. Originally from North Spokane, the Youngs have been in Post Falls since 1993. Phone 457-1777.
The Village Inn Restaurant, 300 Neider Ave. (next to Red Lobster), Coeur d’Alene, has been purchased by Michael and Debe Saccone. He has managed the business’ 25 employees for more than two years. Michael Saccone previously was a manager at Panhandler Pies in Sandpoint and Kootenai River Inn in Bonners Ferry.
Spokane Railway Credit Union, with one branch in Coeur d’Alene and five in Spokane, will change its name to Numerica Credit Union on May 1.
Credit union officials said in a statement the new name was chosen “to reflect the greater diversity and broader geographic reach of its expanded membership base.” Phone (800) 433-1837.