Counseling office opens on South Hill


Cheryl Osler, a clinical nurse specialist, licensed mental health counselor, and child mental health specialist, has opened South Hill Counseling in 350 square feet of leased space in the Undercliff Mansion, at 703 W. Seventh, in Spokane.

Osler shares the space with another therapist. Her office hours are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Saturdays. She sees individual clients and couples and holds group therapy sessions.

She says she specializes in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, antipartum and postpartum depression, eating disorders, and anxiety.

The business has no employees. Osler contracts out for medical insurance billing and is a preferred provider for 20 different insurance companies, but also sees patients without insurance on a sliding-fee scale.

"As I grow and add more clients, I will have my own office six days a week," she says.

Industrial supplier adds green product
A-L Compressed Gases Inc., a Spokane-based company that sells gases, welding equipment, and metal finishing products, is expanding its offerings to include a line of environmentally-friendly cleaning products.

"This gives us another stream of revenue and spreads out our customer base," says operations manager Brady Bush. "It gives us a fresh intro to companies we haven't been servicing. It's a great door-opener for us."

The cleaning products are manufactured by Charlotte, N.C.-based Clift Industries Inc., through its Infinite Green Solutions division.

Kevin Santillie, a salesman hired by A-L Compressed Gases to handle the new product line, says the cleaners contain enzymes that break up oil, and bacteria that eat it. He says there is no hazardous waste—the only by-products are water and carbon dioxide.

The food-service industry, janitorial services, and automotive and manufacturing facilities use the products, says Infinite Green's Web site.

A-L Compressed Gases has 40 employees, with stores in Spokane and Coeur d'Alene, as well as Moses Lake, Pasco, and Clarkston, Wash.

Liberty Lake boutique moves downtown
A Liberty Lake clothing store that had done business as The Lake Shack has changed its name to Serendipity Boutique and has moved to downtown Spokane.

The business, formerly located at 21651 E. Country Vista Drive, moved to an 1,100-square-foot leased space at 303 W. Second, in downtown Spokane, at the end of December, says owner Jodi Hoffman.

The move was necessary, Hoffman says, because the shop needed more foot traffic. She says it had been open in Liberty Lake for 2 1/2 years, but "with the economy, businesses were closing rather than opening, and it was hard to draw customers from other areas." She says she changed the shop's name because "The Lake Shack was not very fitting on Second Avenue downtown."

Serendipity Boutique sells junior- and misses-sized clothing items, ranging in price from $29 to $299, Hoffman says. It also sells accessories, bath and body products, and home dcor items. It features six local artisans' products.

The shop has one part-time employee who moved with the business from Liberty Lake.

An esthetician has recently leased a small portion of the shop for a mini spa, offering eyelash extensions, pedicures, and manicures.

Hoffman says Serendipity Boutique plans to host "shop and spa" parties. She says the shop also holds private evening events for customers on its mailing list.

Strata Salon changes owners and location
Strata Salon has moved from its former location on north Monroe Street to 827 W. First in downtown Spokane, and its former owner, Chere Perrigo, is back at the helm.

Perrigo says she sold the salon to Jen Brubaker and Brian Hartman, then spent the past two years designing and helping to furnish Current Spa & Salon at Northern Quest Casino. She says she left Northern Quest to "revive Strata."

"We have a completely different look, a different business model, and a new staff," Perrigo says.

The newly remodeled, 1,200-square-foot salon on First Avenue is located in the Courtyard Office Center, across from the Davenport Hotel. Its four full-time employees offer $36 and $45 haircuts, $50 and up hair coloring, electrolysis, and waxing.

Perrigo says that she's implemented "team-based incentive pay" for her employees, through which they receive bonuses for meeting quarterly and annual sales goals.

Owners of restaurant at Hauser Lake to rebuild after fire
The owners of the Chef in the Forest restaurant, near Hauser Lake in Hauser, Idaho, say they have received approval from their insurance company to rebuild the popular gourmet restaurant, which was destroyed by fire in December.

Debbie Mustered, who owns the restaurant with a partner, Jo Davis, says their company, Debbie Jo LLC, has received a permit from the city of Hauser to construct a 2,700-square-foot building, which will be about the same size as the previous structure and should seat about 80 people. The restaurant will be built at the site of the former structure, at 12008 N. Woodland Beach Drive, overlooking Hauser Lake.

Mustered says she hopes to rebuild it for no more than $316,000, so she and Davis won't have to take out an additional loan.

Mustered says she hopes to begin construction on the structure soon. Big Sky Development Inc., of Hayden, Idaho, is helping to wrap up building plans and will serve as the general contractor. Subcontractors for the work haven't been selected yet. She says she hopes to reopen the restaurant this summer.

Chef in the Forest has a menu of gourmet steak and seafood dishes.