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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Skippers reopening near Silver Lake Mall

Nils Rosdahl Staff writer

The items for this week all have a common theme: They’re new but they’re not new.

Let’s start with Skipper’s Fish & Chowder House. The Rosdahls have a relative who comes to Coeur d’Alene more to eat at Skippers than to visit us. (Hey, no wise comments now). Really. She loves Skippers and was disappointed last summer when it had closed.

Well, Trish will want to visit again. Skippers near Silver Lake Mall should open this week. The menu will be as everyone remembers, with the additions of steak, shrimp and some specialty salads for the more health conscious. The interior of the place also has been revamped.

“We’ll focus on customer service, high quality food and an exceptionally clean operation,” said Pat Fuller, who with his wife Marion also own two Skippers in Spokane. Both were raised in the Inland Northwest and owned restaurants in Spokane before buying and selling the Rodeway Inn in Spokane. They now live in Coeur d’Alene and will have 10 to 15 employees here.

Manager Terry Smith said many people have stopped by the place, hoping it will reopen after seeing “life” inside. Hours will be 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

Blondie’s reopens on Northwest Blvd.

Another recent reopening is Blondie’s Deli & Espresso at 1527 Northwest Boulevard. With seating for 30 customers inside and 20 outside and a drive-through window, Blondie’s offers sandwiches, soups, chili, ice cream, pastries and several beverages.

Raised in the Spokane-Coeur d’Alene area, new owner Dana Paris has six employees. Hours are 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays and 8 to 4 Saturdays. Phone 664-DELI.

KMC adding Support Services building

Construction has begun on a three-level, 48,000-square-foot Support Services building for Kootenai Medical Center. Also with a three-quarters basement, the $13 million facility should be complete between KMC and Interstate 90 next July.

More than 250 employees will move from current spaces in the former Verizon building (originally built for Empire Airlines) on Government Way and within the hospital. Departments will include social services, business offices, human resources, communications, marketing, security, purchasing and medical transcription.

Employees will park in the expanded parking garage. KMC is the county’s largest employer with more than 1,700 employees.

This week’s tidbits

•As Gale Nye’s Avant-Garde hair salon gets older, so do her customers. And so does she. “I’m from the Ice Age,” she laughs. So in August she’s moving her 21-year-old business from upstairs at 1117 Sherman Ave. to downstairs in the back at 1120 Lakeside Ave. Everything there will be handicap accessible. Hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays and by appointment. Phone 765-5508. Hey. I knew Gale when she was at Headmasters 28 years ago. I had hair then. Nice blond hair.

•The Education Corridor controversy continues. This will add 17 acres of public waterfront property and connect North Idaho College to the University of Idaho/Lewis-Clark State College facilities. All our public waterfront is a prime reason people live here and new businesses come here. With the $100,000 homeowner’s exemption, it’s worth $34 tax a year on a house valued at $300,000 or $17 on one valued at $200,000.

•Too many restaurants have menus that are too small to read or the font (style of type) is hard to read. Some of us forget our glasses. Or our wallet. keys. phone. hat. zipper….

Contact Nils Rosdahl at 769-3228 or nils_rosdahl@nic.edu.