Painted Pony set to debut plaza
You could say they were just horsing around. Neeeeiigh! They actually became brid(l)e and groom as they met at the altar to get hitched.
Through common interests, David and Genny Scheel met in North Idaho, fell in love and married. Together they started the Painted Pony, an equine-related products, gift and art shop in the Country Shoppes at 6055 Government Way.
But it’s grown beyond that. This summer they bought the whole minimall, completely renovated the exterior and renamed it Painted Pony Plaza. You can’t miss it as an 8-foot painted fiberglass pony stands outside on a 2-foot rock platform. The inside has their store and Lake City Shoe Repair and Beau Monde recycled clothes, both of which relocated from the 7-Eleven minimall that burned at Best Avenue and Fourth Street last winter.
Their 2,400-square-foot store has all types of tack, riding clothes, helmets and footgear, gifts, jewelry and artwork. The grand opening Friday and Saturday includes a contest to name the horse outside as well as visits from equine companies and a radio station. Hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays and until 5 p.m. Saturdays.
Both the Scheels moved here about six years ago, he from a ranch near Big Timber, Mont., and she from Wasilla, Alaska, where she ran an equestrian center. He originally was from the Inland Northwest, and she joined a daughter here. A fourth store in the plaza will be Shimmer (next item), and a 1,200-square-foot space remains available. Call (208) 772-7174.
Shimmer nails a location
Anything to do with human nails – finger, toe and artificial – will be available at Shimmer when it opens in Painted Pony Plaza Oct. 2. With six employees, the custom nail shop will be open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday- Saturday. Owners Jennifer Winstead and Britney Grant combine for nine years’ experience in the nail business.
Lucky Monkey imports
Items from around the world attract customers to Lucky Monkey Trading Co., now open at 412 Sherman Ave., Coeur d’Alene. Most items are for home décor, such as wooden candlesticks and vases, although the store also offers exotic silks. Owners Christina and Derek Lucky import from Southeast Asia, Africa and Mexico and are filling the place with goods from the former Journeys store, which closed on South Fourth Street when the owners retired.
They try to find items through fair trade to benefit workers and charity organizations that sponsor them rather than the middlemen. Originally from Austin, Texas, and Kent, Wash., respectively, the Luckys moved this spring from Arizona after visiting a friend here. Store hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 11 to 5 Sundays. Call (208) 664- 9096.
Tidbits
“Many people hope this will be more than a tidbit soon. Coeur d’Alene resident Jan Lanahan has sent Trader Joe’s petitions with more than 4,000 signatures requesting that the store open a location here or in Spokane. The store is known in West Coast locations for its natural, import and exotic foods, vitamins and beverages. Some of us buy cases of its “two-buck chuck” (Charles Shaw wines) for under $3 a bottle when we visit Seattle or Portland. The store responded to Jan that it’s looking into sites in the Spokane area. A spokesman from the company headquarters in Monrovia, Calif., told me they’re also looking into sites in Coeur d’Alene and Hayden.
“Many people whined when Interstate 90 was built on top of portions of Wallace, ruining the town’s ambiance. Two cool uses have resulted, however: the bike path and the Labor Day Weekend Flea Market, in the viaduct’s shelter from rain and sun. I found antique wooden printer’s type and historical newspapers for my classroom.
“The World of Art store will close its Post Falls factory outlet in the middle of October. It has been there 10 years and opened a furniture and art store in Coeur d’Alene two years ago. The Post Falls store also has antiques. The owners are Martin and Shirley Petersen.