Two neat ideas ‘popping up’ in Spokane

A couple of new undertakings jumped onto my radar screen this week—the kinds of things that make me love Spokane and the creative people who live here even more than I already do.

First, Pop Up Spokane Restaurant . It’s part experiment, part eatery. Can you open a restaurant for only $100? Yes, according to Pop Up’s Web site, “but you have to start small—very small.”

Pop Up will operate this summer at random locations and the money from each session will go toward buying more equipment and food, and then, eventually, “the menu, location and concept will grow and evolve.”

The menu will start with a simple grass-fed local heritage beef burger served on a bun made from Shepherd’s Grain flour. A vegeterian option will be available. Both will be served with a side salad for $5.

The first session will run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 3 somewhere close to downtown Spokane.  You have to stay tuned to Pop Up’s Twitter feed to find out exactly where. I apologize to my children in advance for fleeing from their Easter egg hunt without warning to go get myself a Pop Up burger.

Spokane Food Blog says that Chef David Blaine, of Latah Bistro , is behind Pop-Up Spokane. If that’s true, it can only mean one thing: That’s going to be one yummy burger.

Second, the announcement of a new store called Sun People Dry Goods Co . has me all giddy. Then again, photos of chickens, clothes hanging on the line and the beautiful artwork of Jana Bouc (see above and on the Sun People site) will do that to a girl like me.

Sun People “aims to become the go-to place in Spokane for information on green living, creating activists out of consumers.” The business plans to sell items that will help people live more simple, less energy-intensive lives. Some of those products might be innovative and new; others might be traditional tools that have withstood the test of time.

Sun People also plans to host workshops in the fall on topics such as saving seeds, canning food, making wine and preparing garden beds for spring.

The shop is expected to open in late summer/early fall “in the central Spokane area.”

Juliet Sinisterra , of Community Minded Enterprises, is listed as the contact for Sun People, so again—another project that appears to be in highly capable hands.

I’m trying to get more information about how Pop Up and Sun People came about and who all is working to put them together. I’ll post that here once I learn more.