Week in review

Monday

A California company is getting ready to test a prototype of a robotic dirigible in hopes of developing a network of airships that could be used to relay wireless communications.

Tuesday

The owner of a Christian-supply store in Spokane said demand is up for statues of St. Joseph, which some homeowners and Realtors believe help sell houses faster. Kits that include a statue and a prayer have become one of the top-selling items at The Kaufer Co. Christian Supplies here.

“Koret, an apparel brand targeted toward 55-and-older women, is opening a retail store at NorthTown Mall. Koret’s owner, Kellwood Co., said the region’s demographics drew the company to Spokane for one of its first five retail stores. Previously, the Koret brand has been available only through department stores and outlet stores.

Wednesday

Consumer confidence hit a nine-month low, the Conference Board said, due to worries about the job market, high fuel costs, a lagging real estate market in many parts of the country and unrest in the Middle East.

“Terry Hughes, a Spokane-based home designer, joined what appears to be an industry trend, launching online sales of stock home plans. The Internet allows designers and architects to market their stock plans efficiently and keep 100 percent of their revenue, rather than splitting proceeds with home-plan book publishers, industry experts say of the practice.

Thursday

Safeway announced it will close a 50-year-old store at Third Avenue and Maple Street in downtown Spokane. The store didn’t have enough space to accommodate the new “lifestyle” renovations Safeway is making to many of its existing stores, officials of the company said.

Friday

Greenstone Corp. and Centennial Properties announced plans for a 900-acre residential and commercial development on the north side of Liberty Lake. To be called The River District, plans call for the development to have 2,000 to 3,000 homes when it’s finished.