Eric Peterson launches ACTIV8 Real Estate, a tech driven, results focused commercial real estate brokage

Local commercial real estate broker, Eric Peterson, has launched ACTIV8 Real Estate, a modern, results driven brokerage serving owners, tenants, and investors who need more than a broker - they need a partner who brings speed, strategy and clarity to every decision. Peterson has nearly two decades of experience, previously with Goodale & Barbieri, Peterson has led high-profile commercial transactions across the Inland Northwest. Notable deals include:

-The Parkade, Spokane, WA - 373,880 SF parking garage with 1,000+ stalls

-Kalispell Center Mall & Red Lion Hotel, Kalispell, MT - 348,908 SF of retail and hospitality

-201 W. Building, Spokane, WA - 100,385 SF office building with a 252-stall garage.

-Riverstone Retail & Theater, Coeur d' Alene,ID 81,832 SF of retail with structured parking.

Activ8 offers full-service brokerage, including sales and acquisitions, leasing, property and asset management, valuation, commercial building tax appeals, corporate real estate strategy, investment and consulting. "Think of ACTIV8 as your in-house commercial real estate team, " said Peterson. "We combine the expertise of a full-service brokerage with the responsiveness of a strategic partner. Whether you're buying, selling, leasing, or repositioning, we simplify the process and maximize your results". Peterson is also the author of Don't Leave Money on the Table : Maximize Your Commerical Property Sale  with complimentary copies available upon request from ACTIV8. Peterson also regularly shares commercial insights and market reports on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@activ8re

For more information on ACTIV8 Real Estate, visit their website at https://www.activ8re.com/

SocraTea's planning to open next door to Plato's Closet in Spokane Valley

 

A new locally owned and operated tea cafe with a clever name is coming soon to 13004 E. Sprague Ave. in Spokane Valley, nearby the Yoke's grocery store. The new cafe's opening date is not official yet but should happen within the next few weeks. The business will be called SocraTea's and will be located next door to the new Plato's Closet store.

The menu at SocraTea's is intended to appeal to a grab & go crowd. It will feature sandwiches, salads, desserts, and tea-based drinks like Lotus energy drinks, bubble tea, and infused teas on tap. They currently don't have an internet presence as of my writing this, but it is assumed that this is coming soon. They also say they hope to add a drive thru the new store possibly this Summer.

Spokane Valley Event Center remodels and rebrands as The Venue by Red Rock Events.

 

Courtesy photos Red Rock/Mediabus

Local business Red Rock Events recently announced the official debut of The Venue by Red Rock Events, following an extensive remodel and rebrand of the longtime Spokane Valley Events Center. Located at 10514 E. Sprague Ave. in the University City complex, the 11,000 square foot facility now seats 600 auditorium style and 400 for seated dinners. New features include enhanced audio-visual technology, programmable lighting, update staging, a dedicated dance floor, and modernized interiors for designed for both social and corporate gatherings. "We wanted to create an exciting, modern event venue in the Spokane Valley, and we've done exactly that" said Bob Adolfson, owner of Red Rock Catering and Red Rock Events.

Red Rock Catering will continue as the exclusive caterer for The Venue. Executive chef Mike Durbin and his team have created an all-new menu showcasing Northwest-inspired cuisine with a blend of familiar flavors and innovative dishes. Red Rock Catering and Events has been in business since 2004 and has operated the facility since 2015. Other venues operated by them include Chateau Rive at the Flour Mill and the Glover Mansion, which was recently sold. Red Rock Catering is also the exclusive caterer for the Riverfront Park venues, including The Pavilion, Skate Ribbon, and the historic Looff Carousel. 

For more information, visit https://www.redrockspokane.com/

Play It Again Sports opening soon in Spokane Valley

 

A new franchise location of the Play It Again Sports chain is coming soon to Spokane Valley. Play It Again Sports is a Minnesota based chain of sporting goods stores that sells a mixture of used and new sports and fitness equipment. The company was founded in the 1980s and today has locations around the United States and Canada and is owned by parent company Winmark Corportation which also operates retail stores under the names Music Go Round, Once Upon a Child, Plato's Closet and Style Encore in addition to Play It Again.

The new Spokane Valley location of Play It Again Sports will be located in the Sullivan Square shopping center at the corner of Sprague and Sullivan (15412 E. Sprague Ave Suite 12). The new store will take a 5000 square foot storefront there next to the Flying Squirrel Trampoline Park. They are hoping to open the store in late June of this year.

For more information on Play It Again Sports, visit their website at  playitagainsports.com/locations/spokane-valley-wa and give the new local store a follow-on social media via Facebook and Instagram

New restaurant & coffee shop, The Porchlight coming soon to Valleyford

 

Just a short 10 min. drive south of the City of Spokane Valley is the small community of Valleyford, and that community is about to have a new eatery serving customers from around the region. The same people who also own the nearby Crooked Timber Farm are working on renovating the former Palouse Brewhouse at 12212 E. Palouse Hwy. into a new business called The Porchlight. 

The Porchlight is planning to open for business within the next few weeks, with no opening date available as of my writing this. The business will be a small restaurant and coffee shop with a menu of "simple comforting foods" such as wings, fries, nachos, dinner salads, soup, etc. They also plan to have a few local beers and ciders on tap, as well as a few bottles beers and wines. They plan to offer both indoor dining and an outdoor space for the warmer months. 

The Porchlight will also offer retail sales of the owner's goat's milk soap and lotion. A website for the new restaurant is coming soon to https://porchlightson.com and for now give them a follow on social media via Facebook

Plant Gossip, a new vegan eatery opens in Downtown Coeur d' Alene

Courtesy photos- Plant Gossip

There's been a fair amount of gossip surrounding how good one of Coeur d' Alene's newest restaurants is. That place is called Plant Gossip and it opened recently in a newly renovated building at 400 N. 4th St in Downtown Coeur d' Alene. Plant Gossip promises healthy, clean, good food cooking with no seed oils, no high heat cooking, certified organic, gluten free, no lab products, no animal products, all made from scratch in house.

The business is new to Coeur d' Alene but started as OrVeganic in 2013 in Lawndale,CA. where they relocated from. Once fully operational, Plant Gossip will offer everything from espresso and a "sunrise menu" to soups, raw salads, burgers, tacos, bowls and pastas and more. Also, the business has an "island bar" with a niche supply of gluten free, organic and bio-dynamic beers and wines.

The store also offers retail sales of nut butters. For more information on Plant Gossip, visit their website at https://plantgossip.com/

New businesses open in newly renovated Rathdrum shopping center

 Not long ago the small strip mall, by the corner of Hwy 41 and Vera St in Rathdrum (15580 N. Vera St.) and aptly named Rathdrum Plaza was part car wash, with car wash bays filling the southern end of the building next to the Dairy Queen restaurant. But those spaces we're recently renovated to be storefronts of their own and like many North Idaho commercial properties, they didn't last long as new businesses are already starting to open their doors there.

In the most southerly storefront is now 208 Clothing + Gift , this locally owned and operated business might sound somewhat familiar as this is the first brick and mortar type of location for 208 Tees. The business is a custom tee shirt printing operation that has sold locally inspired and other apparel at a variety of events and via their website. 208 Clothing + Gift is now open and sells clothing and an array of gifts from regional artists and other local businesses. For more information, check their website at http://208tees.com

Next door to 208 is a new coffee shop that is also now open for business, called Bean & Bubb Coffee. Bean & Bubb Coffee is a local woman owned establishment. The menu consists of coffee, Red Bull and Lotus energy drinks, a handful of flavors of bubble teas, chai, Revival teas and lemonades. For more information on Bean & Bubb Coffee, give them a follow on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61572677714106

What would you like to see come to Rathdrum next???

Jewel of the North Neighborhood Gastropub coming soon to Browne's Addition

A new addition is coming soon to the dining scene of Spokane's Browne's Addition neighborhood, with the planned opening of Jewel of the North Neighborhood Gastropub. Jewel of the North will be a local black owned business located in the former Browne's Tavern space at 1924 W. Pacific .

Jewel of the North will be an American gastropub style bar and restaurant, offering vegetarian and vegan options, a dog friendly patio and menu and an upstairs bar from customers 21 and over. According to an email exchange with one of the businesses co-owners they plan to have at least flatbread options, burgers, wings, wraps, and more. In addition to premium cocktails from the bar. Both owners have years of experience bartending and serving at a number of local establishments, this time just branching out on their own, like a "love letter" to Spokane.

Jewel of the North is currently under construction as of my writing this, as is it's social media pages. But, they are currently planning to open for business on Bloomsday weekend.

Makiel's Lobster Rolls planning new location in Downtown Spokane

 

Makiel's Lobster Rolls, a locally owned and operated food truck is taking a big step forward, with the recent announcement that they will be opening their first brick and mortar restaurant location later this month. 

The business, owned by Makiel Duncan will host a grand opening at the new restaurant site on Friday, April 18th, at 115 N. Washington, the space that was last occupied by Wiley's Downtown Bistro. Makiel's Lobster Rolls grand opening will be from 3-9pm that day. They will also be adding to their menu, now also offering a buttery shrimp roll, lobster mac & cheese and loaded lobster tots. For fans of chowder they will also offer Ivar's clam chowder and a crab & corn chowder. In addition to chips and drinks.

For more information on Makiel's Lobster Rolls, give them a follow on social media via Facebook or Instagram

Tay Tay's Cafe opens near Downtown Spokane

 

The Meeting House's Downtown cafe space might be closed for good, but people can still very much meet in the same storefront as it is now the home of Tay Tay's Cafe. Tay Tay's, opened in March at 507 N. Howard, nearby Lewis & Clark High School and is currently planning to host an official grand opening celebration on Tues, Apr 22nd.

Tay Tay's Cafe is a locally owned and operated coffee shop, they describe the business as an inclusive space with a focus on coffee and easy bites. Coffee drinks are created using beans roasted here in Spokane by Anvil Coffee. All their fresh baked goods, and bread is baked in their scratch kitchen, including their dressings and sauces. 

For more information on Tay Tay Cafe's, including a look at their menu check out their website at https://www.taytays.cafe/ or give them a follow-on Instagram

BIPOC Health Equality & Community Wellness Development Center Finds New Home at Northtown Mall

 

Shades of Motherhood Network recently announced the upcoming Grand Opening of their new space, Diverse Roots, which is set to open on Friday, April 11th in the Northtown Mall. The official grand opening will take place that night from 5pm to 7pm, with a ribbon cutting with community members at 6pm. The community is invited to attend and explore the new space and take part in the Black Maternal Health Week art exhibit. "The mission of this space is to provide community connections that will lead people to wellness, mentally, physically, and spiritually" explains Stephaine Courtney, Executive Director of Shades of Motherhood Network.

Diverse Roots is a six-month project, with the goal of fostering community engagement as a versatile center focusing on social and mental health, hosting vendor spaces for BIPOC-owned local businesses, educational classes and special events. Aligned with Shades of Motherhood's mission, Diverse Roots will also be an art gallery and communal space for clients and local doulas, there will also be space for health and beauty classes.

"All of our related programs will have a space and truly, a home here at Diverse Roots." says Kathy Trabitas, Wellness and Nutrition lead at Shades of Motherhood Network. Kathy serves as full-spectrum doula and owner of Wild Roots Wellness, A local tea business. "Community members can have a space to sell their stuff" says Samyra Jefferson, Family Navigator and Doula lead at Shades of Motherhood Network. " There will also be a spot called "Ask a Doula" where community member can ask doulas their difficult questions related to pregnancy and motherhood". Samyra is also a full-spectrum doula of two years.

Diverse Roots is located on the first floor of Northtown Mall, beside Famous Footwear and across from Torrid. For more information or to get involved, check out their website at http://shadesofmotherhoodnetwork.com

The Boiler Room now serving Smacky's on Broadway sandwiches

 A local hotspot has joined forces with forces with a North Spokane hotspot, as The Boiler Room (6501 N. Cedar St, Bldg #3 Suite A Spokane) has begun serving a menu of sandwiches from Smacky's on Broadway (6415 E. Broadway, Spokane Valley). Bringing their beloved, hand crafted sandwiches, known for their fresh ingredients and unbeatable flavor to North Spokane.

"This is a perfect pairing" says Codi Quick, owner of The Boiler Room. "Smacky's on Broadway has been a staple in Spokane for years, and we're thrilled to bring their legendary sandwiches to our guests. Whether you're stopping in for a casual lunch or pairing one with a cold drink on a laid-back evening, these sandwiches are sure to impress". The Boiler Room, a locally owned and operated bar and restaurant, known for their hand tossed pizzas, craft cocktails, and welcoming atmosphere, all of which remain in addition to the new sandwiches.

This is just one of the many exciting changes coming to The Boiler Room under its new owners. Codi and Billy Quick, along with Matt Heilman (Smacky's on Broadway owner) recently took over The Boiler Room and its sister establishment, Birdy's Sports Bar (12908 N. US 395 Suite 5, Spokane), with a vision to revitalize these North Spokane favorites. The new ownership team is dedicated to enhancing the dining and social experience, creating a welcoming neighborhood hub, and strengthening community connections through local partnerships, events and a commitment to quality food and service.

For more information on The Boiler Room, including a look at the menu including the Smacky's sandwiches, check out their website at https://boilerroompizza.com/