New dental practice opens on South Hill

A new dental practice, 8 Days a Week Dental LLC, has opened at 2607 S. Southeast Blvd., on Spokane's South Hill. The practice offers general dental services for adults and children.

Dr. Shanci Wagner owns and operates the practice, which occupies about 1,800 square feet of leased space. Dr. Todd Rogers' dentist office previously occupied the space, Wagner says, and no remodeling was required.

Wagner is a Spokane native and a recent graduate of the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry.

"I love to work with children and the elderly," she says.

The practice will offer 50 percent off for all seniors and accepts all forms of payments, she says. Wagner also works part time at Kool Smiles, in Spokane, which is part of a network of practices established to provide care to underserved communities.

Wagner currently has two employees, and says she plans to add at least four more within the next year.

—Audrey Danals

Event planner starts home-based business

Amanda Day, of Spokane Valley, has opened a home-based event planning business here named Amanda Day Events.

The business specializes in taking care of details such as coordination and contract negotiations with vendors, budgeting, creating a timeline, and ensuring that the contracts are being met, Day says. She says she provides services for many types of events, ranging from corporate and nonprofit gatherings to weddings, and that her business can offer anything from a single day of coordination to a complete wedding package.

Day, the business' sole employee, says she decided to start the business after being involved with planning many different types of events.

"I have an excellent temperament for event planning, and a lot of people do not enjoy planning. My goal is to make any event more enjoyable and more organized so the people planning and attending can enjoy it," she says.

Day previously worked planning events for the Amway Corp., in Grand Rapids, Minn., and Buena Park, Calif. She says she has 4 1/2 years of event planning experience.

—Audrey Danals

New Belgian brewery to open on Columbus

Ramblin' Road Brewery LLC, of Spokane, plans to open a craft brewery and tasting room featuring Belgian-inspired beer and ales.

The company, owned by Brian and Danielle Guthrie, of Spokane, and Will Spear, of Ballard, Wash., has leased a 5,000-square-foot warehouse at 730 N. Columbus and expects to begin brewing there as soon as regulatory inspections and licensing are complete.

The owners expect to spend between $100,000 and $150,000 to remodel the old warehouse, located east of the Gonzaga University campus, Danielle Guthrie says. The tasting room will occupy about 1,000 square feet, and the brewing room will be visible behind a large glass wall, Guthrie says, adding, "We would like to let the tasters see what is going on."

The owners haven't chosen an architect or contractor for the project.

"Our goal is to be on tap around town in four or five places while we are in the construction phase, and we hope to have the construction done by March 30," says Guthrie. "Something we really want to do is to create a beer culture in Spokane and get on the map of the beer community."

During construction, the brewery will use a nano brewer, a half-barrel system that brews about one keg at a time. The brewery is shopping for a 15-barrel brewer that will brew about 30 kegs in one session, she says.

The brewery will focus on beer and ale brewed with Belgian yeast. There will be different levels of alcohol content and varying flavors, including some seasonal flavors.

The Guthries, who are Spokane natives, returned here from Seattle in early July and will run the brewery and tasting room. Spear will handle some sales and construction management.

Brian Guthrie is an attorney for Lukins & Annis PS, and Danielle Guthrie is a substitute music teacher. They plan to hire at least three people during the first year of operation.

—Audrey Danals

Sandwich shop opens in Airway Heights site

Hooshang and Maryam Afghani, owners of West Plains Conoco, in Airway Heights, have opened a sandwich shop called Mama Mary's Sandwiches & More next to the gas station.

Hooshang Afghani says his wife, Maryam, oversees the new restaurant, located at 11980 W. Sunset Highway. The eatery, which features freshly baked bread for sandwiches, opened in August and now employs six people, including Maryam. Hooshang Afghani oversees the Conoco station.

He says the couple got the idea for the 2,800-square-foot restaurant after a Burger King outlet that had occupied the space closed in mid-April. He asked Conoco customers to fill out surveys indicating whether they wanted another fast-food restaurant to lease the space, or a specialty sandwich shop instead.

"Most customers who came in requested a good sandwich shop," he says. "We don't have a good one in this area."

Mama Mary's Sandwiches & More's breads include white, wheat, and a marble rye. In addition to sandwiches, it offers soups, salads, chicken, fish, and fries.

—Treva Lind

News anchor to open 'brow bar' downtown


Brow & Braid Bar plans to open in a kiosk on the main floor of River Park Square, at 808 W. Main downtown, next month, says owner and local KHQ-TV news anchor Stephanie Vigil.

The new salon will offer eyebrow waxing and tinting and some quick hair braiding, she says. Services will be provided by contracted estheticians from salons in town, and she plans to have six to eight chairs at the kiosk.

The salon will open on the day that Santa arrives at the mall and stay open until the first of next year. She says it is a trial run to gauge demand.

"It's a great concept for convenience. A lot of men don't worry about getting their eyebrows waxed, but when their wives are with them, it is a great opportunity for them," says Vigil.

—Audrey Danals