Joey’s B-B-Q open for business
Last summer Randy and Akiko Folk were planning a move from San Diego to Coeur d’Alene. They wanted to move their three children to where Randy was raised, but the problem of how to financially survive was unavoidable.
Looking around at Joey’s Smokin’ B-B-Q, one of their favorite restaurants, Akiko (born in Korea and raised in Los Angeles) said, “Why don’t we open one of these?”
Later that summer the honchos from Coeur d’Alene’s Riverstone Development checked out Joey’s B-B-Q and OK’d it as a quality place to be included in the commercial growth on Northwest Boulevard. And this week the place opened to pleased customers.
Located next to Starbucks on the southeast side of Regal Cinema, Joey’s B-B-Q has tables, a U-shaped eating bar, seasonal outdoor seating, take-out, catering and delivery starting in about three weeks. About 20 employees run the place from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
All meats – beef, pork and chicken – are smoked a minimum of 10 hours. Choices include sandwiches, burgers, four types of ribs, three salad meals and a variety of combinations, kids’ plates and family packs. Multiple appetizers, sauces and side dishes are offered. They include sweet potato fries and hush puppies as well as desserts and beverages, including beer. Most meals range from $6 to $13 with (huge) full slabs of ribs at $19.
San Diego will get its third Joey’s soon. And be ready to see many more. The Web site is www.joeyssmokinbbq.com. The CdA phone is 765-5639.
Caterpillar coming to Hayden
The booming growth of North Idaho is enticing Western States Cat to add a product store and service center on a 10-acre site in the southeast corner of the Highway 95-Lacey Avenue intersection in Hayden.
A rental and sales store of Caterpillar products will open in April in the building that formerly housed an RV center. The business will begin with about 10 employees and grow to 30 to 40 in a 26,000-square-foot building as it expands to include a full service center with drive-through bays and a parts center in the next two years.
With its headquarters in Meridian, Western States Cat has 10 stores in the Inland Northwest. Its Web site is www.wseco.com.
Town Center preps for tenants
The stark, cinderblock west wall of the former Montgomery Ward store in what is now Coeur d’Alene Town Center on Appleway is being chipped away to make openings for as many as 10 tenants in the space.
Located on the west side of the Big Lots store, the 1,600-square-foot spaces should be ready for occupants at the end of April. These tenants, who may combine multiple spaces, will then finish their own stores and face west to Government Way. Parking and landscaping will make that side of the place more appealing.
Standard Insurance owns the huge complex, which runs east to Hastings. A few of us from the early 1980s remember when the complex was a mall running from Wards to Buttrey’s with many businesses between. Leasing is handled through Kiemle & Hagood Realty of Spokane at (509) 838-6541.
Neider-Government corners investors
With the rebuilding of the Government Way and Neider Avenue thoroughfares, that intersection is very popular commercially. Of course, the emergence of Costco and the major remodeling of Safeway there really help.
Just west of the southwest corner, Sandpoint investor David Jensen purchased a major parcel and is building a two-story, 7,200-square-foot office facility. It will comprise offices from 800 to 1,500 square feet.
One will house dentist Don Johnson, who will move from the existing building on the corner. Jensen plans to raze it and replace it with another commercial structure. Kris Contor of 311.5 Architecture in Sandpoint is designing the buildings, and Gino Construction of Coeur d’Alene is the contractor.