After 24 years of operating in downtown Spokane, the owners of Rock City Grill are moving the restaurant to the South Hill from the River Park Square shopping mall downtown, where it has been a fixture for 13 years. 

Jim Rhoades and his wife, Rose Rhoades, will lease 4,500 square feet of space currently occupied by Famous Ed’s restaurant, a bar and grill specializing in burgers and pizza, at 2911 E. 57th.

Famous Ed’s last day of operation is June 17, and Rock City Grill will begin moving in on June 20. It will open at its new location in about mid-July, Jim Rhoades says.

Rock City Grill has about 35 workers, and Rhoades says he expects to hire at least another five or six workers after moving into the new location.

The couple purchased Famous Ed’s kitchen equipment, fixtures and furniture. Rhoades declines to reveal the purchase price.

Before moving into RPS in 2003, the couple debuted Rock City Grill in 4,200 square feet of space on the main level of the Fernwell Building at 505 W. Riverside in October 1992, Rhoades says. The couple also operated a Rock City Grill restaurant and bar in the Spokane Valley from 1998 to 2001.

Rhoades says he was able to locate a tenant that will assume Rock City Grill’s lease downtown. River Park Square general manager Bryn West declines to identify the new RPS tenant, pending finalization of lease terms.

Famous Ed’s owner Dale Kleist has no plans to reopen his restaurant elsewhere. Famous Ed’s has been operating for more than six years, he says.

Of the Famous Ed’s location, Rhoades says, “We first heard of its availability late last year. We’re South Hill folks to begin with, so we found the idea very intriguing.”

Rhoades says the success of South Perry Pizza, at 1011 S. Perry, served as a motivating factor for moving to the South Hill. He says the couple also wanted to operate a neighborhood business.

“We were intrigued by the idea of a neighborhood restaurant,” Rhoades says. “I think this will be a fantastic opportunity for us to mimic that in our new space.”