Spangle residents John and Shari Bartels plan to build a feed store and mercantile in their south Spokane County town.

Pathways Feed Store and Pathway Mercantile, as they’ll be named, will be nestled between U.S. 195 and Old State Route 195, just south of Watt Road. They’ll occupy two buildings separated by a parking lot on a 3-acre portion of the 54-acre parcel of land the Bartels own.

“There’s a lot of small communities around here that are lacking one common gathering place,” says Shari Bartels, who owns Pathways Enterprises LLC with her husband. “We’re hoping to be able to bring these small communities together.”

The feed store will carry large volumes of hay and agriculture-related items, while the mercantile will include a coffee shop, a bake shop, and a gift shop, as well as a space for events, Bartels says.

The mercantile will be equipped with indoor and outdoor seating. The parking lot will have enough space for large trucks to load hay.

The Bartelses, who have submitted a State Environmental Policy Act application, hope to have the feed store open by the third quarter of 2025 and the mercantile open in 2026, she says.

The couple plan to handle much of the construction themselves. They haven't yet determined a cost estimate for the project.

In addition to the feed store and mercantile, Bartels says they are also considering a small animal farm on the site.

“We hope to be able to have some animals out there,” she says. “People can gain some perspective on agriculture.”

They’ve also floated the idea of a dog park on the property, which would likely be built around the same time as the mercantile.

The structures will have a homestead look to them, giving the site a small-town feel, Bartels adds.

“We want you to feel like you’re at home and you’re going back in time a little bit to when maybe things were a little better as far as community,” she says.