Home on the Range helps you rustle up grub
Some of us who chose to live in North Idaho for all its amenities, which include quality of life without jammed freeways, may lament our rapid growth rate. However, something positive that accompanies growth are the options of, well, plenty of options.
We can find nearly anything we want. It’s getting so we even have choices among our types of choices. We have several dollar, discount and thrift stores, and we have many stores of quality items.
We honestly hardly need to go to Spokane for anything except the airport. (The only thing I’d like to see here that Spokane doesn’t have is a Trader Joe’s market.) Here’s a trio of new options.
Home on the Range
The name might describe it best since it’s not a cooking school or a catering business. It’s somewhat in between.
At Home on the Range, located at 245 W. Sunset Ave. (between Home Depot and Highway 95 and next to Weldon Barbershop), the customers cook their own “bulk” recipes with seven or 14 packaged meals for four to six people. The business offers two cooking sessions daily with options of 16 different dishes. Each of the 16 stations is set up with the ingredients and cookware necessary.
Customers can cook items to store in the refrigerator or freezer, and they can do it individually or they can enroll together in pairs or groups. The choices include several chicken dishes, ribs, fish, pork chops, steak, meatloaf, pastas, soups and chili. A “full” session to create 84 servings starts at $188.
Originally from Albuquerque, N.M., owner Lynn Alexander came to North Idaho 10 years ago from Alaska. She came here for the beauty and the abundance of golf courses and previously owned Schlotsky’s Deli. Home on the Range sessions are at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. weekdays and 10 and 2 Saturdays. Signups should be 48 hours in advance. Phone 664-9140 or check udoitdinner.com on the Internet.
Scoops Ice Cream & Chocolates
If the name isn’t enticing enough, the sights, smells and tastes certainly are. This new Coeur d’Alene store at 215 W. Canfield Ave. (between Valentino’s Pizza and Phones Plus) opens Monday.
The inventory includes 28 flavors of hard ice cream and vanilla, chocolate and swirled soft-serve and all the wonderful specialties made with ice cream, such as sundaes and cakes. Now add 15 to 20 types of fudge (wait ‘til you see these) made in the shop, Hallett’s chocolates, Huckleberry People products, a kids’ area, gift baskets and bulk and sugar-free options. The store also will offer seasonal and combination items, such as caramel apples.
Owners Valerie and Hank Hoover came from Riverside, Calif., and Concrete, Wash., respectively. They met and married here. Service will be takeout with seasonal outside tables. They’ll have five to 10 employees. Winter hours will be 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays, opening at 11 on weekends. Phone 762-9312.
Making Room Furniture & Décor
Unlike Scoops, the inventory in this store is not going to melt. The furniture and accessories in Making Room, which opened last weekend at 254 W. Hanley Ave. (across from Silver Lake Mall), is of impressive quality.
Making Room is an 8,000-square-foot store of several rooms of upscale furniture in an eclectic array, ranging from an obvious Northwest style to formal and European and Asian tastes. It’s for every room in the house.
Most seating options are in leather and quality fabrics. Tables and cabinets are of sturdy woods and stone. Accessories include lamps, rugs, artwork and pottery. Customers may also order from catalogs and a future online site.
Owners Ron and Tami Thompson came to North Idaho from Twin Falls, where he was in the furniture business for many years. With design as his specialty, he said the store’s inventory is selected creatively.
“We strive to complement rather than match,” he explained. “Our emphasis is on design and placement.”
A wine center with 400 choices and an espresso bar are planned for the store. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sundays. Phone 762-9180.