Comcast call center confirmed for Liberty Lake

It's been known for a few weeks that Comcast has chosen Spokane for a new customer service call center. Our region was chosen along with Albuquerque,NM and Tucson,AZ for new call centers to improve the Comcast customer service image which has been tarnished several times lately.

But, despite the poor image of the cable TV / Internet / media company, it's still huge news for Spokane, mostly because of it's large job creation. In fact, since it was announced the number of jobs for the center has actually increased. The new call center will now employ 750 people, not 675 as it was originally reported.

The call center will open soon, in a temporary location in Spokane Valley, before relocating to a permanent new building in Liberty Lake. Until now however, the exact location was under wraps. And, as it would turn out what I had previously speculated was correct... The new Comcast call center will be a part of the Meadowwood Technology Campus at 24001 E. Mission. Comcast will join a roster of already big name tenants at Meadowwood including Providence and Safeco Insurance.

Comcast will move into a newly constructed building on the campus, site development is already underway for the project. And, we hear actual building construction could start as early as next week. The site is on the eastern side of Meadowwood and is seen in the picture below...

Comcast hopes to open for business in Liberty Lake sometime during the Summer of 2016, although hiring is underway now. In fact, some are already employed by Comcast locally for this call center, because of their temporary location in Spokane Valley. Customer service phone calls are expected to begin being taken at that site as early as September.

The Spokane Valley Comcast call center is located in a 50,000 square foot space at 2818 N. Sullivan Rd. . For more information on how to get a job at the local call center , visit this website-

http://cmcsa.jobs/SpokaneWa

Naturally, The City of Liberty Lake is very excited to have this big employer in their city. Here is a quote from Liberty Lake Mayor Steve Peterson -

“The city welcomes Comcast and its new employees. Liberty Lake is a connected, high tech, innovative community with a talented workforce. Liberty Lake is a place for Comcast to truly call home as it builds its business and customer base that reflects the changing nature of communication in phone, video, Internet and those future undiscovered information and entertainment platforms.  Comcast and its employees will be able to live, work and play in our friendly community with access to affordable housing, multiple transportation alternatives, educational and recreational opportunities.”

Spokane area resturant openings & closings - July 30th 2015

Here are few of the new restaurants the can be found in and around Spokane, and sadly some restaurant closures as well-

Underground 15

Underground 15 operated in Downtown Spokane at the corner of First and Howard for a little over a year. However the bar has gone out business and from what we here is in the process of being sold. As of writing the there are no new bar / restaurant plans for this location as of yet.

Garland Drinkery relocates, becomes The Foxhole

The Garland Drinkery, a bar that had been in the heart of the Garland District has been revamped and relocated. The small business is now called The Foxhole and can be found over in the Logan Neighborhood at 829 E. Boone ( By the corner of Boone & Hamilton )

The Foxhole still has a full bar but now also has an extended food menu that includes pizza's.

Quality Inn - Downtown's new restaurant / bar

The Quality Inn Hotel Downtown on 4th Ave is not going without a bar and restaurant long. After the closure of the Library Lounge a few months ago it was only a matter of time before that side of the hotel's business would be replaced.

It currently has no official name, but remodeling / redecorating is wrapping up on a small " pub & grill " . A food menu of American dishes will be available as will beer and wine with 4 beers on tap.

Williams Seafood Market & Wines adds restaurant

The locally owned and operated Williams Seafood Market & Wines has operated in Spokane for awhile now. Moving not too long ago to the anchor spot of the strip mall at 2118 N. Ruby, a short drive north of Downtown.

But, in an effort to diversify the business, Williams Seafood has now branched out beyond just the retail sales of seafood and wine. The business recently made to addition of a small fast casual seafood restaurant.

The menu at the new Williams Seafood restaurant space consists of mainly lunch items, like wraps, hot sandwiches, flatbreads and more...

Post Falls a hub a chain restaurant activity

Lots of restaurants are changing on the east side of Post Falls on and around Hwy 41, including...

Quizno's Subs has closed their location at the Highland Crossings Shopping Center

Jack in the Box is on track to open for business in a couple months at the corner Mullan and Hwy 41

Burger King, by the Post Falls Wal Mart is undergoing a remodel and adding a playland. The location was closed for a time but is now back in business.

Starbucks is also working on a remodel of their Post Falls store on Hwy 41

A new Northtown area Burger King

If you've been wondering ( like some of my readers have, thanks for the questions ! ) what's going in on the former Eatza Pizza site on N. Division, just south of Northtown Mall here is your answer...

The site will be a new location of the Burger King chain. No word on an opening date as of yet.

Flaming Joe's closes on the South Hill, may re-open

Flaming Joe's wing restaurants has closed down there location on the South Hill at 2620 E. 29th Ave. From what we have heard this closure is actually because the restaurant's owners have another place where they can own the building as opposed to leasing and hope to re-open there in the near future. No news about where this new location may be yet, however.

The former Flaming Joe's on the South Hill won't stay empty long as the Orangetheory Fitness chain is already working on remodeling the building for a new fitness center.

Flaming Joe's also does still remain in business at 7015 N. Division and 11618 E. Sprague Ave.


What else is coming...

Although we don't know where they are in the process currently, Coeur Coffee House on N. Monroe is in the development phases of new coffee house in the 900 block of E. Sprague Ave.

A non-profit group is developing / remodeling the former Flippers Ice Cream building into a soul food restaurant called Fresh Soul. The site is in the East Central Neighborhood on E. 5th Ave. Watch for more on this exciting new project.

Plus, we're always taking your tips on new restaurants, markets, food trucks, etc...
E-Mail me, Matt Behringer, personally anytime at inlandbusiness@yahoo.com

Vineyard Cafe & Coffee opens in SoDo Spokane

There is a new place by Downtown Spokane to get coffee, breakfast and lunch. And, while it is owned and operated by the religious organization, Healing Rooms Ministries it is open to the public.

This new business is called Vineyard Café & Coffee and it opened recently in a warehouse style building at 115 E. Pacific, corner of Pacific and Pine. And, while it is located a bit of the beaten path, it's still and easy distance away from the Creative Alley neighborhood and the University District.

Vineyard Café & Coffee offers a full coffee / espresso menu and a breakfast menu of primarily bagel and muffin sandwiches. Customers coming in a little bit later in the day can also enjoy a lunch menu of sandwiches, wraps, salads and others.

Vineyard Café & Coffee is fully decorated to look like a European style street café with a relatively small space. Vineyard is open six days a week, open Monday-Friday 7:30am - 3:00pm and Saturday 8:00am - 3:00pm

For more information on Vineyard Café and Coffee find them on Facebook at-

www.facebook.com/vineyardcafespokane

Apollo Spas to open in formerly vacant building along I-90

Apollo Spa's is a chain, with stores around the Northwestern US and Southwestern Canada , but it's here in Spokane where they are choosing to invest right now. With a new store planned in Spokane Valley, that will occupy a building that's been sitting as an empty shell for some time now.

 "Future home of Apollo Spas" signs have already been put up on the building at 11604 E. Indiana, just west of Pines Rd. This new location will be a relocation as the chain has outgrown it's other area location, plus the new store will mean more space and more visibility for the business.

The building faces I-90 nearby the Waste Management plant, seen by thousands upon thousands of commuters each day. The company will remodel the building for their own use with the business opening first in the northern half of the building first, then expanding to the rest of the building as construction allows. In all the new Apollo Spas building has 38,000 square feet.

Apollo Spas has been in business since 1981 , with a focus on hot tub sales and service. But, even though spas is in their name, it's not all that they sell. Apollo Spas also carries saunas , steam showers , jetted bath tubs, walk in safety tubs, massage chairs, pool tables, chemicals and filters.

No word on an exact opening date for the new Apollo Spas on E. Indiana.

For more information on Apollo Spas, visit their website at-

www.apollospas.com

Bulldog Lounge opening in Silver Lake Mall

Bulldog Pipe & Cigar has been selling retail cigars, hookah and other tobacco products from a storefront inside Coeur d' Alene's Silver Lake Mall for awhile now. And while they are still planning on being in business as a retail store, " The Bulldog " is expanding and bringing something new to the mall.

The locally owned and operated business recently leased to adjacent former Gamestop storefront and is now in the process of building out the space as a new smoke lounge. The new space will be called The Bulldog Lounge and it is currently scheduled to open for business in early August.

The Bulldog Lounge will allow cigar aficionados' a place to relax and enjoy their cigars and tobacco products . The space will offer top of the line air filtration, tables and chairs , relaxing couches and a high back chairs and a bar.

The new Bulldog Lounge will maintain it's focus of being a smoking lounge, but will also be part regular bar with a few beers on tap, TV's , wifi and billiards all included.

For more information on Bulldog Pipe & Cigar, plus to watch the progress of this new business, visit their website at-

http://bulldogpipeandcigar.com

Or, find them on Facebook at-

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bulldog-Pipe-Cigar-Co/129011163811696

The Union / Method Juice opening locations in North Spokane

Tyler Lafferty and Nick Murto are already some of the busiest business people in Spokane. They own and operate Seven2, a digital advertising business in addition to The Union and Method Juice, which are both located in Downtown Spokane locations.

But, now The Union and Method Juice are growing with the recent lease of 7704 N. Division in North Spokane for a joint second location to serve the North side. The building is the former Spokane Exercise Equipment store and in the same small strip mall as the new Sip n' Paint art studio.

The building's lease was handled by Chris Bell of NAI Black and Vic Overholser of SDS Realty,Inc. . The space is about 5,000 square feet with The Union using the majority of the space, and Method Juice using the remaining space with a newly built expanded kitchen.

The Union is a yoga and spin class fitness center with only a couple of years of operation locally. Method Juice is a popular Downtown juice bar with some food options. Both businesses will also maintain their original locations once this new location opens. Method Juice is located at 718 W. Riverside and The Union is located at 121 W. Pacific Suite 400.

The new North Spokane The Union / Method Juice is currently scheduled to open this fall after a remodel of the building.

For more information on The Union, visit their website at-

http://www.thisistheunion.com

And, for more information on Method Juice Café, visit their website at-

http://methodjuicecafe.com

Market Street Grill opens in Hillyard

Over the last few weeks people have asked me ( thanks for the questions, by the way ! ) about the construction and now hiring signs at the former Whiskey Dick's on Market St. in Hillyard.

Now, not only can we confirm that this is for a new restaurant, we can confirm it is now open for business. The building, which is actually 3027 E. Liberty, because of it being at the corner Market & Liberty is a new business called Market Street Grill.

Market Street Grill is different then Whiskey Dick's with the new business going for more of a restaurant style establishment. The new business has a new full food menu served in a casual , pleasant atmosphere. The menu sandwiches / wraps , several burgers , entrees like blackened chicken penne and country fried chicken .

A kids menu, ice cream / shake menu and limited beer selection are also available. They are open from 11 - 8 , and for more information about their new restaurant find them on Facebook at-

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Market-Street-Grill/1423830794613726

Garageland opening soon in Downtown Spokane

Garageland is coming soon to Downtown Spokane, remodeling a vacant former nightclub and restaurant and kind of cooling up the eastern edge of Downtown just a bit more.

Garageland will primarily be a record shop, being the second new record store to open in Spokane recently with Groove Merchants now open up in the Garland District. The new Garageland store will carry both new and used vinyl from a verity of artists / genres.

But, records aren't the only thing this new business will have. Garageland is also planning to have a small bar / kitchen for food, beer and wine. The kitchen/bar will also eventually double as an live music venue on occasion. Vintage goods will also be sold in the store portion, but it's untold exactly how much.

On top of providing Downtown with a exciting new retail store, Garageland is also renovating part of building that's been vacant for a while and hopped around between tenants for a time before that. Garageland will occupy the ground floor of 230 W. Riverside, seen above with a CBGB style logo sign.

Garageland will occupy about 3,300 square feet of the building which was leased to the new business by Dallas Lightner of Black Commercial. The other side of the building, which is also empty although it has a large "Paradise Restaurant" sign still on it remains available for lease.

Garageland is in the process of their remodel now and they hope to be open for business later this Summer. For more information about Garageland visit their Facebook page at-

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Garageland/836597859722966

STCU to move Downtown branch, be neighbors of Urban Outfitters

Demolition work is already underway on the Saad Building, attached to River Park Square at the corner of Main and Wall in Downtown Spokane. The building will be quickly replaced by a new, more updated, building that will primarily house Spokane's Urban Outfitters location. That store and building construction are to wrap up around the Summer of 2016. ( More info- http://www.inlandnwbusiness.com/2015/03/urban-outfitters-coming-to-spokane.html )

Urban Outfitters will be the largest tenant of the new building and will face Main, but it turns out the clothing chain won't be the only business joining River Park Square in that new space. Facing Wall St. and directly behind the Urban Outfitters store is more new space. And, we're now hearing who will occupy that area....

Spokane Teachers Credit Union aka STCU will take 2,900 square feet of space on both ground floor and the skywalk level. This will be a relocation of their branch in the Crescent Court Building, in the 700 block of W. Main. The relocation to the new branch will happen sometime in Late 2016 after construction ,etc. is completed. Employees from the branch in Crescent Court will be transferred over to the new location also.

This project mark's STCU's second major investment in Downtown Spokane as the growing credit union acquired the Hutton Building at 9 S. Washington in 2013. Today, they operate a branch and many offices at that building in addition to displaying a large STCU purple billboard on the roof, visible to much of Downtown.

STCU will also sublease a small 400 square foot portion of the new building by River Park Square to another business. The tenant for that space has not been selected as of yet, but STCU assures us it will "compliment surrounding businesses and fit with the Credit Union philosophy of serving the community "

No word on what, if anything, might replace STCU in the Crescent Court Building.

For more information on STCU , visit their website at-

www.stcu.org

Blaze Pizza coming to Spokane

It's been confirmed, another fast casual pizza chain is planning to enter the Spokane market. A competitor of MOD Pizza who also just opened their first Spokane location just last year, Blaze Pizza,has a location in the works in the University District just north of Downtown Spokane.

 

Blaze Pizza's corporate office will only confirm that they are opening a location here. They do say they hope to be open sometime before the end of fall, but won't elaborate on a more exact opening date. When they do open, the Spokane Blaze Pizza will be at 918 Division St, which looks to be the same strip mall as the lone Spokane Chipotle Mexican Grill.

 

We will continue to keep an eye out for more information about this new pizza place. Blaze Pizza is a chain of pizza restaurants that allows customers to pick their toppings from an assembly line style set up. The pizza's are then " fast fire'd" in 180 seconds in their ovens and served fresh.

 

For more information about Blaze Pizza including a look at the menu, and job information, visit their web site at-

www.blazepizza.com

 

Or, watch this Youtube video for more about their concept and how they came to be-

 

Orangetheory Fitness coming to Spokane

If you drove around Spokane last week you may have noticed several bicycles painted Orange strapped to poles,etc. in high traffic areas. Turns out this was actually a market campaign to announce the coming of a new fitness chain to the area.

The bikes have since been removed, due to some people taking offence to their similarity to the all white bikes that mark fatal bike accidents. But, the chain itself is still planning on opening with a projected opening date of sometime in October.

That chain is Orangetheory Fitness , a rapidly growing chain of franchised fitness centers. They are a Florida based company who has a unique approach to fitness by making your heart rate over 85% for 12-20 min. of the work out, something they call the Orange Zone. Customers heart rates are even displayed on monitors for easy reference and goal setting.

Orangetheory Fitness is planning two location in the Spokane area, joining a major rush of new gyms to hit the area recently. They will open first on the South Hill nearby Rosauer's Supermarket at 2620 E. 29th Ave. . Additionally they plan to open another location in North Spokane but are still seeking a site for that location.

The Spokane Orangetheory Fitness locations will each employ between 12-15. For more information about their plans locally find them on Facebook at-

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Orangetheory-Fitness-Spokane-South/990507470962091

Or, watch this Youtube video for more on their concept-

Nick's Homemade Boots moving to former Display House store

A long running local business is moving on up to a bigger space, one that's been vacant for sometime. Nick's Custom Boots which recently changed their name slightly to Nick's Homemade Boots has purchased the former Display House store at 6510 E. Sprague Ave in Spokane Valley.

Nick's, who has been in business locally since the 1960's will move their boot manufacturing and retail boot sales operations to the building from at 3805 N. Market St in Spokane. Not only will this move redevelop the formerly vacant building, it will mark a huge expansion for Nick's Homemade Boots as the new building is more then three times as large as their current home on N. Market.

Currently Nick's Homemade Boots employs about 30, but will likely create new jobs with the new larger facility. They plan to move into the new location sometime in late Summer this year after a full remodel of the building, which is now underway.

The new location is about 20,000 square feet with a prime location nearby the Spokane County Interstate Fairgrounds and many shopping areas. The new location, as mentioned will also include a retail store for their boots.

Nicks Homemade Boots also repairs their boots in their store and sells their many different styles of boots in a networks of dealers and on their ecommerce website.

For more information on Nick's Homemade Boots , or to shop for boots from Nick's visit their website at-

http://nicksboots.com

Or, find them on Facebook at-

www.facebook.com/nickscustombootsusa