Texas True Barbecue opens on S. Monroe

Texas True Barbecue restaurant has opened in a space downtown that the Brooklyn Deli formerly occupied. 

Owner Pete Grundhauser says he’s leasing the 1,200-square-foot space at 122 S. Monroe from Spokane-based RenCorp Realty.

Originally from Tacoma, Grundhauser says he spent the past few years living and working in Texas, before moving back to Spokane in 2015 to be closer to family.

“It started with a few successful catering jobs for weddings and other events,” he says. “I decided on barbecue because that’s what I like, and there just didn’t seem to be many good barbecue places here yet.”

Grundhauser says the restaurant space underwent a $40,000 remodel, which included new plumbing and flooring, before it was ready to open. 

While Texas True currently has six employees, Grundhauser says as the restaurant becomes more established, he is planning for a full staff of up to 22 employees. 

The restaurant’s menu enables diners to choose their meals in either regular size—one meat, one side, and a drink—or Texas size—two meats, two sides, and a beverage. Meats include brisket, smoked chicken, German sausage, and ribs prepared Texas-style, or with no sauce. 

The restaurant’s sides include red beans and rice, herb roasted potatoes, Texas-ranch style beans, cornbread, and coleslaw. 

Texas True is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 a.m., and also offers catering and lunch delivery.

Although Texas True serves only fountain drinks and Texas sweet tea, Grundhauser says Whistle Punk Brewery soon will open in an adjoining space, formerly occupied by Brooklyn Nights bar.  Whistle Punk, a new brewery created by father-son team Craig and Matt Hanson, is set to open a taproom there later this month. 

—LeAnn Bjerken

Therapy clinic moves its North Side office

Spokane Occupational & Hand Therapy plans to move its North Spokane office from 111 E. Central to a newly construction space just across the street at 5905 N. Mayfair.

The two-story, 12,300-square-foot building on Mayfair was completed in February by Spokane-based McCloskey Construction Inc. and is managed by NAI Black.

Spokane Occupational & Hand Therapy, along with a sister company, Inspire Physical Therapy, will occupy nearly 6,000 square feet on the new building’s first floor. The building’s second floor space is still available for lease. 

Owner and operator Sean Sipe says the new space will be the third location to combine Spokane Occupational & Hand Therapy with Inspire Physical Therapy.

“Each of these Spokane Occupational & Hand Therapy locations have now moved into newer spaces nearby their existing locations,” says Sipe. “As part of those moves we added Inspire Physical Therapy, to be able to offer both hand and physical therapy services in one place.” 

The other clinics he owns here are at 601 W. Fifth, on the lower South Hill, and at 12410 E. Sinto, in Spokane Valley. The North Side facility has eight employees, and the downtown and Valley offices each have 10 staff members, Sipe says. 

In addition to his Spokane clinics, Sipe owns three clinics in Western Washington. They include Yelm Physical Therapy, in Yelm; DuPont Physical Therapy, in DuPont; and another Inspire Physical Therapy office in Lacey.

Sipe says the latest relocation here represents the culmination of a year’s worth of aggressive growth for both therapy practices.

“We’ve been very busy these past months, and now I think we’ll be content to settle in and focus on marketing and branding,” he says.

—LeAnn Bjerken

Law firm relocates to Flour Mill space

Steven Schneider Attorney at Law PS, of Spokane, has moved into 600 square feet of space on the fifth level of the Flour Mill, at 621 W. Mallon.

“Being in a historic building, you do get a fair share of people just walking around, which at first catches you a little off guard, but it’s great being here. We like it a lot,” Steve Schneider says of the three-employee firm, including him.

Schneider moved to the Flour Mill at the beginning of the year after having spent three years leasing space in the Liberty Building, above Auntie’s Bookstore at 402 W. Main downtown.

“It’s a beautiful brick office directly above Clinkerdagger,” he says of the firm’s new location.

Before starting his own practice, Schneider worked at the law firm of Murphy, Bantz & Bury PLLC, located in the Lincoln Building, at 818 W. Riverside downtown.

Schneider, who’s been practicing law since 1993, says his practice is concentrated in the areas of landlord and tenant disputes, business law, and probate matters. He doesn’t handle criminal, family, or personal injury cases.

—Kevin Blocker

Bouldering gym setto open this month

Adam Healy, co-owner of the soon-to-open Bloc Yard Bouldering Gym at 233 E. Lyons, says he and his business partners think there’s a strong market in Spokane for the style of climbing their North Spokane fitness club will offer.

“It’s a good introduction into climbing. There’s much more of a social component to it, and you don’t have to have a partner,” says Healy. 

Healy, Sean Olcott, and Darren Stone hope to open Bloc Yard Bouldering on March 10 in a 9,800-square-foot building that has been vacant for several years and that last housed a gymnastics studio.

Healy says the three have invested approximately $350,000 to convert the facility into a gym.

 “The opening is going to be dependent on construction, but I think we can get there,” says Healy, who adds that gym will have a total climbing surface of 4,500 square feet.

A pre-opening monthly pass currently costs $49 and will sell for $59 on opening day, Healy says.

The difference between bouldering and climbing is that bouldering doesn’t require equipment because participants aren’t climbing vertically, Healy says. Thick, cushioned padding on the floor will be installed to absorb the brunt of any fall.

 Olcott and Stone recently opened a bouldering gym in Whitefish, Mont., Healy says.

—Kevin Blocker