Gluten-free bakery expands operations

Fusion Flours LLC, a gluten-free baked goods wholesaler, has converted a portion of space at its facility into a retail shop to sell baked goods and take-and-bake items, says owner Tara Wright.

Meanwhile, the business has leased additional kitchen space at another location, Wright says.

The three-year-old business operates out of a 1,600-square-foot building at 120 E. Wellesley, and it converted about 200 square feet of space into the retail store in mid-March. She says it added a dividing wall between the kitchen and retail space and installed new flooring and counters.

Separately, the business recently signed a lease for 500 square feet of kitchen space on the first floor of The Center located at 6425 N. Lidgerwood. Wright says the operation located there will concentrate on products sold wholesale and will have three people working full time.

"We're going to start running a swing and graveyard shift so we can grow our wholesale," Wright says.

Fusion Flours sells products such as family-size, ready-made meals and gluten-free baked goods.

Prior to opening the retail area at its building on Wellesley, the business mostly made flour mixes and pizza crusts that it sold to restaurants and retailers.

On the wholesale distribution side, Fusion Flours sells its products to restaurants and stores, such as Rosauers Supermarkets, Huckleberry's Natural Market, and Pacific Avenue Pizza, at 2001 W. Pacific.

—Jessica Valencia

Great Clips salon opens at Shadle

A new Great Clips salon recently opened in the Shadle Shopping Center, at 2401 W. Wellesley, as the 18th Inland Northwest franchise location of Spokane Valley-based franchisee Red Hill Inc., owned by Peter Aronson.

Karey Romaneschi, general manager of nine of the stores, says the new Great Clips opened near a Safeway supermarket in a retail strip there and has a total of 12 hairstylists, mostly in full-time positions. Lisa Vaughn is the manager of the outlet.

Overall, the Great Clips outlets in the franchise group employ more than 150 people with locations mostly in the Spokane area. Other locations include two in Coeur d'Alene, and one each in Post Falls, Moses Lake, and Sandpoint. Great Clips' website says 3,000 Great Clips salons are operating in the U.S. and Canada.

Romaneschi says customers don't need an appointment and can get haircuts on a walk-in basis, or they can check online to ensure when hairstylists are available. Great Clips' haircuts cost $14 for adults and $11 for seniors and children, she says.

—Treva Lind

Winery tasting room set to open in June

Walla Walla-based Les Deux Cellars LLC, doing business as Patit Creek Cellars winery, has leased space in downtown Spokane and plans to open a tasting room by June, says a company spokeswoman.

Sonya Morrison, director of the winery's hospitality and sales in Spokane, says the new 1,500-square-foot tasting room here will be located at 822 W. Sprague, across from the Davenport Hotel. A remodeling project is expected to start May 6, with Compass Construction Inc., of Spokane, as the general contractor. Edward Carr Architect, of Walla Walla, handled the design work.

The space will include a counter for wine-tasting customers, and for purchase of wine by the glass or bottle, and a small commercial kitchen for appetizers, Morrison says.

It also will have a 24-seat seating area, stage, and dance floor for winery events or for customers to rent for receptions or parties.

The facility's rental rate will be $100 per hour with a three-hour minimum. Morrison says the business can expand its seating to up to 70 people for special events, such as for wedding receptions. For wine tastings, the business will charge a $5 tasting fee, which will be refunded with a bottle purchase.

Morrison says the Spokane location will employ two full-time workers, and she expects that it also will hire about two part-time employees to work during special events and on weekends.

Patit Creek makes 12 different wines at its 6,000-square-foot winery in Walla Walla, at 325 A Street. It also has a tasting room in Woodinville, Wash., near Seattle. In 2007, owner Ed Dudley purchased the winery when it was located in Dayton, Wash., and he moved the winery's operations to Walla Walla in 2008.

—Treva Lind

City West Auto Body under new ownership

David McGillivray and John James have bought the assets of City West Auto Body, in Airway Heights, from longtime owner Dexter Farley.

The business, which repairs and services domestic and foreign vehicles, occupies 11,000 square feet of space at 11425 W. Sunset Highway and employs 10 people, McGillivray says.

McGillivray and James also own City South Auto Body, at 3014 E. 55th, which they bought from Farley in 2009, after having been employees there. While McGillivray and James own the City South and City West business names and other assets, they're leasing the space at both locations from Farley.

With the purchase of the second shop, McGillivray and James are forming a parent company, called City Auto Body of Spokane, under which both shops will operate.

McGillivray says City South has had 300 percent growth in revenues in the last four years, while the number of employees there has grown to 24 from nine during that period. He says he and James hope City West will follow that same growth path.

Farley continues to operate City East Auto Body Center, at 2512 N. Woodruff, in Spokane Valley.

—Mike McLean