I-90 info booth a popular place
Most of us probably have never heard of Gateway Northwest because we live here. It’s the visitors who know about this place, because it’s often their first stop in Idaho.
Gateway Northwest is the Interstate 90 eastbound (Huetter) rest stop between Coeur d’Alene and Post Falls.
The number of visitors stopping at this place is an eye-opener. During the summer, it’s 250 to 300 people a day, most of whom want information about North Idaho and Western Montana.
“Many of the tourists are actually headed to Glacier and Yellowstone parks, but they’re stopping here and want information about our area,” said Dick Kuck, who runs the rest stop information booth with his wife, Skip Kuck. “They say, ‘This is a beautiful area. What is there to do?’ ”
The Kucks give them area maps and information from the Forest Service. They have some information on tourist activities and places to stay, such as bed-and-breakfasts and RV parks, but they don’t have fliers on everything.
“We could really use fliers about Tubbs Hill,” Kuck said.
“We show them where it is, but we don’t have anything for them to read.”
The bottom line, he said, is that this is the one chance to get them off I-90 before they head to Montana. We need to take advantage of it.
Speaking of attractions, Coeur d’Alene’s No Moose Left Behind public art project is really big! The visitors continually shoot (photos of) the moose sculptures. Great idea!
Outdoor market at Skate Plaza
Residents and visitors alike can peruse the Coeur d’Alene Outdoor Marketplace in the Skate Plaza parking lot at Highway 95 and Dalton Avenue. New this year, the market includes antiques, collectibles, crafts and food from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays.
“We have 15 vendors now, but we have space for 80,” said Michelle Miller, who runs the market with her husband, Major. The Miller family owns Skate Plaza. Spaces rent for $15 or $20. Phone 762-2257. And don’t forget the Farmers Market at Highway 95 and Prairie Avenue, also every Saturday morning.
Scrapbook store opens July 5
All types of paper craft supplies and lessons will be available at Scrappin’ on the Boulevard when it opens July 5 in the Gibbs mini-mall at 1520 Northwest Blvd., Coeur d’Alene.
The 3,000-square-foot space housed the Women’s Center Thrift Store before it moved to Fourth Street from Post Falls where it was River City Paper Co. The inventory will include all types of scrapbook and paper craft supplies, albums and specialty papers for card makers.
Lessons and work sessions, called crops, will be offered.
A special option will be working with die-cut moose replicas of the moose sculptures around downtown. “We love the moose,” said manager Lisa Schorzman. “We drive all over town looking at the moose. It’s a great cause (raising money for Excel Foundation), and we want to help.”
Owner Becky Lewis has four employees. Hours will be 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays, 9 to 5 Saturdays and 11 to 4 Sundays.
All-Wood Furniture to move
July 1 will be the opening day for the new location of All-Wood Furniture.
The store will move from Prairie Shopping Center, where it’s been for four years, to the 14,400-square-foot building Great Floors is leaving near Showboat Theatre east of the Highway 95 and Dalton Avenue intersection.
All-Wood offers office, bedroom, dining room, occasional and entertainment furniture in solid wood and real wood veneers. Most is factory assembled and ready for staining.
The company also sells 28 stain colors and 18 pigmented stains. The All-Wood Kids division has bunk beds, cribs, dressers, changing tables, desks and accessories.
Owners Bruce and Tina Eckhardt have five employees. He graduated from Eastern Washington University and worked at J.C. Penney when it was in downtown Coeur d’Alene. She came west from Columbus, Ohio.
Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 5 Sundays. Phone 762-8483.