Handle on Business: Franklin’s Hoagies will carry on after longtime owners retire
After 42 years in the restaurant business, including nearly 23 in Coeur d’Alene, Larry and Pauline Anderson have retired. The pair recently sold Franklin’s Hoagies at 501 N. Fourth St.
New owners Evelyn Bevacqua and Lynn Alexander took over this past week and offer basically the same menu with standard breakfast fare, hoagies and soups for lunch and homemade desserts. The place is open 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays, although those hours and days may be extended. With décor including classic autos, Franklin’s Hoagies seats about 60 customers at tables, booths, the counter and outdoors.
The Andersons came to North Idaho from San Mateo, Calif., in 1978 after visiting former employees here.
“We really want to thank our loyal customers,” Larry emphasized. “They made us successful, and we will miss them.”
Originally from Albuquerque, Alexander came to North Idaho from Anchorage in 1995 after being attracted by the golf courses. Bevacqua, the restaurant manager, came from Switzerland in 1991 to visit relatives and stayed. The cook is Clint Howe.
Call Franklin’s Hoagies at (208) 664-3998.
Illumination Caffé opens in Hayden
Breakfast and lunch items also are the featured food at Illumination Caffé (with the French spelling), which opened in August at 9551 N. Government Way between Mountainview Cycles and 7-Eleven in Hayden.
Fresh pastries, bagels and organic coffees, espressos and teas provide the morning fare while sandwiches, soups, salads, bakery items (including the popular huckleberry scones and made with organic sugar) and smoothies are available for lunch.
With their parents from Russia, owners and sisters Irina and Katya Kuzmin came to North Idaho in 2004 from Silverton, Ore. They previously had Desofinas Coffee Garden in Athol.
The Illumination Caffé seats 18 customers at tables, outdoors and on a couch by the fireplace. Hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Call (208) 772-7577.
Two Dogs Leather, M&M Shoe Repair reopen
After a few months of looking for a new space, Two Dogs Leather Co. and M&M Boot and Shoe Repair has reopened at 1113 Sherman Ave. The 25-year-old business previously was at 512 Sherman, now the home of Coeur d’Alene Paddleboard.
Owner Jeff Puyleart does repairs and alterations on almost anything leather (boots, shoes, purses, luggage) and sells custom leather products (holsters, chaps, vests, saddlebags, purses, belts, cycle seats). Originally from Green Bay, Wis., Puyleart came to North Idaho in 1978 to visit his brother and stayed.
The grand reopening celebration begins at 9 a.m. Saturday with special discounts, hot dogs from Costco, bike detailing by Ron and music by Lectric Junq. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5:50 p.m. weekdays and Saturdays by appointment. Call (208) 664-5213.
This week’s tidbits
• Watch this space next week for a new Italian restaurant in Coeur d’Alene. Also, a Coeur d’Alene business will expand to 100,000 square feet in one of its three facilities and add to its 1,200 employees.
• Sherman Junction Restaurant opened last week at Eighth and Sherman with an open house to train employees. Instead of being charged for their food, guests donated to the food bank.
• A furniture and décor business is closing. More on this next week.
• The Workforce Training and Community Education Center of North Idaho College is presenting “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” seminars with Realtor Marshall Mend from 6 to 9 p.m. Sept. 29 and Oct. 20. Go to www.workforce training.nic.edu or call (208) 769-3333.