Costco Plan Surfaces In Report

An international construction report has added fuel to the rumors about a Costco store to serve North Idaho.

However, most sources in a position to know said either the report is premature or they had not heard of the project.

Stories have surfaced for years about potential sites for the popular price club chain.

A project described as “Idaho Price-Costco Retail Store” was outlined in a schematic planning report dated Jan. 14 from Dodge Report, a construction prospectus information company publication. Described as a “new potential site pending approval by owner,” the report said only that the store would be on Lancaster Road in Kootenai County.

Because of availability, the most likely site might be the southwest corner of Highway 95 and Lancaster Road, which is owned by Alan Golub of Hayden Lake and co-listed by Clark Pacific Real Estate of Spokane and Marshall Mend Realty of Hayden. The potential Costco site is part of a 160-acre development plan called New Frontiers.

The Dodge Report describes the planned Costco building as a two-level, 100,000-square-foot structure, with planning through Mulvanny Partnership Architects of Bellevue, Wash. The project is targeted to start in the summer, the report says.

“Costco really doesn’t have a standard store plan,” said Julian Prossor of Mulvanny Architects. He did not confirm work on this particular plan. “We do a lot of Costco projects, but we may be way ahead of planning on this one,” Prossor said, adding, “The size of the store depends on the size of the market and the site conditions.”

Officials at Costco headquarters in Kirkland, Wash., also expressed concern that the Dodge Report was too preliminary.

“This isn’t on my list,” said Tom Walker of Costco’s operations and construction department. “I find it unlikely that we’re going to start in 2000.”

Realtor Marshall Mend said he is not aware of the Costco building possibility, and Golub is out of the area. Despite “For Sale” signs on the property, Mend said he thought the parcel was now “off the market.”

Produced by the McGraw-Hill Co., the Dodge Report circulates to paid subscribers. Information comes from architects, construction companies, developers and public agencies. No contractor was listed for the Costco building, and Hayden officials said they have not heard about the project.

The 13,000-square-foot Midway Nissan automobile dealership building under construction north of Interstate 90 in Post Falls will offer more than cars and trucks. The project will be expanded to a second building in the future to offer boats and recreational vehicles.

The Midway Nissan business is scheduled to open in April in a development off Mullan Road between the Highway 41 and Seltice Way freeway exits. It will include Midway RV & Marine. The inventory will include Smoker Craft and Sylvan boats (pontoon, fishing, sports and ski boats), Mercury and Yamaha motors and a line of RVs still to be determined.

Owner Joe Arrotta, who also has Spokane Chrysler-Plymouth and a dealership in Grandview, Wash., will employ at least 20 people. A Montana native, Arrotta came to Spokane in 1979. The Nissan dealership is being purchased from Coeur d’Alene Nissan-Subaru (formerly Beaudry Motors), which will retain its Subaru dealership.

North Idaho’s first Blimpie outlet will celebrate its grand opening in Ponderay (north of Sandpoint) from 5-8 p.m. Friday. The store is in the former Subway space next to Perfection Tire on Highway 95.

With the Blimpie Best sandwich its most popular product, Blimpie offers a variety of sandwiches, soups, snacks, beverages and ice cream. Darliss Thomas is the manager, and the staff will grow from four to seven. Hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 10 to 8 Fridays and Saturdays and 11 to 6 Sundays. Phone 255-7332.

The business is owned by Grant Nixon of Hayden Lake and Rick Philbrook of Bonners Ferry. Nixon owns the franchise rights from McCall to Bonners Ferry and hopes to add more Blimpies in the region.

The Atlanta-based chain, with about 2,400 stores nationally, began in 1964 in Hoboken, N.J.

With a closeout sale and thanks to their customers, Jack and Ethel Iverson are retiring and closing Iverson’s Furniture at 1410 E. Best Ave. in Coeur d’Alene. They began the store in 1970 in the 6,400-square-foot store where Jack helped his parents, Cliff and Thelma Iverson, with their auction business for 19 years after they came to North Idaho from South Dakota.