Company formed to produce videos

Aki and Connie Peterson have launched a Spokane Valley video and television production company, named The Squirrel Box LLC. The Petersons will specialize in creating short video segments that businesses can put on their websites.

The couple has a small studio inside their home at 13318 E. 23rd, but more often travel with equipment to production locations at a business or another venue. They are the company's only two employees.

Aki Peterson, who has more than 25 years of television production experience, says he occasionally hires contract production assistants, depending on a job's size. His wife handles business development and marketing.

He says the business began gearing up in May and will focus on helping create short video segments for company websites. He says the website videos are typically around 90 seconds to 3 minutes in length and are intended to help a business reach clients.

Peterson worked as a producer at KXLY-TV and KHQ-TV, primarily creating commercials. He was the original producer of KXLY's "Explorer" television show, a 30-minute Inland Northwest travel log. Currently, he's producing "America's Guardians," in coordination with federal law enforcement agencies on crime-prevention topics. He also has produced segments for "America's Most Wanted" and "The Maury Povich Show," as well as documentaries and training videos.

—Treva Lind

Box-rental company launches its website

Conservabox LLC, a Spokane-based online reusable-box rental company, launched last month at www.conservabox.com.

Owners Andria and Robert Hollen currently run the business at their home, where they have a 10,000-square-foot shop.

Conservabox offers for rent multiple sizes of reusable, durable, hard-sided, plastic boxes that have lids that flip open and closed, making adding or removing items easy. The company also rents wheeled dollies that the boxes can be stacked on and easily moved. "It makes it easier to move for seniors; you don't have to lift," Andria Hollen says. The boxes are rented in one-week increments, and can be coded for moves to multiple rooms or locations.

Andria Hollen has been involved in antique sales and got the idea for the company while packing fragile antiques in cardboard boxes. "A big problem transporting antiques is getting them there in one piece," she says. The boxes protect valuable contents, she says.

The company delivers the boxes, dollies, and packing materials to the initial location, and after the move, picks them up from the new location.

Andria Hollen and her husband also own Hollen Construction. She says she hopes to eventually franchise Conservabox.

—Audrey Danals

Florist takes space in shop on Monroe

Destiny Floral & Gift, a North Spokane florist shop, has moved to a new location inside The Heart of Spokane, a business located at 2907 N. Monroe.

The full-service floral shop had been located for six years in a small leased space at 905 W. Garland, says owner Susan Davis, who co-owns the business with her husband, Lacy Davis. She says she now is subleasing 600 square feet inside The Heart of Spokane, which sells locally-made artisan wares and has a total of around 3,500 square feet of space. The Heart of Spokane is owned by Cecile Charles, of Spokane, and formerly had been called the Gallery of THUM.

Since reopening at its new spot on May 1, Davis estimates that Destiny Floral's sales have increased by 25 percent, and she adds that she now sees more walk-in clients there.

Fabulous Finds, an antique and vintage boutique, also is subleasing inside Heart of Spokane, Davis says.

She says she and her husband have been in the floral business here for 18 years. Davis says she's the sole employee of the business, which is open Monday through Saturday.

In addition to offering floral services, the shop sells select gift items, including jewelry, purses, and accessories.

—Chey Scott

Physical therapy clinic moves to Valley space



Summit Rehab Valley Corp., owned by physical therapist Chris Nixon-Kleweno, has moved to a new permanent location after it was displaced by an explosion and fire.

The clinic's original location in the Valley Mission Professional Building, at 12509 E. Mission, was damaged last Sept. 19 by a fire that started in the neighboring office of oral surgeons Drs. Kenji Higuchi and Daniel Skinner.

The clinic moved to a temporary office at 15413 E. Valleyway Avenue, until landing at its current location at 1101 N. Argonne. Its 4,400-square-foot leased space there has a better floor plan than the previous locations and more usable space, says Nixon-Kleweno.

Nixon-Kleweno has been in private practice for 25 years and started Summit Rehab Valley in 2000. The clinic employs eight people, including Nixon-Kleweno, and offers physical therapy, occupational therapy, hand therapy, vision therapy, work injury programs, functional capacity evaluations, and work hardening, he says.

Cotter Ranch Properties owns the building.

—Audrey Danals

Couple buys ballet school on Pacific



Spokane Valley business executive Matthew Ewers, and his wife Mimi, have bought the assets of Ballet Arts Spokane, which does business as Ballet Arts Academy. Located in a 6,000-square-foot building at 109 W. Pacific, the school has been in business for about 25 years.

Mimi Ewers is serving as artistic director for the school, and Matthew is handling the business-related tasks. He also is vice president of business development for Inland Empire Distribution Systems Inc., a Spokane Valley-based warehousing and distribution company.

Other than the Ewers, the school will employ eight contract teachers throughout the year, including artistic associate Jefferson Baum, who is a professional dancer and teacher.

The school currently offers classes in creative movement and multiple levels of ballet. The classes vary in size and cost, depending on age and ability. "We have some 60- and 70-year-olds taking classes," says Mimi Ewers, "and the school has produced professional ballet dancers working all over the world."

Mimi Ewers is originally from Honduras and started dancing in 1980. She started taking classes at the school in 2003 soon after she moved to Spokane, and became an instructor shortly thereafter.

The space will be getting a $20,000 remodel as soon as the year-end recital at the Bing Crosby Theater is concluded this week, says Matthew Ewers.

Daniel Spalding owns the building and handled the lease.

—Audrey Danals

Coffee shop, cafe in Valley acquired


Husband-and-wife team Olivia and Jeff Goss have bought the assets of Galaxy Grind, an espresso shop and cafe in Spokane Valley.

Olivia Goss says the sale was completed earlier this year. She declines to disclose the terms of the transaction.

The Galaxy Grind, located at 12402 E. Saltese, had been owned by Veradale couple Steve and Kathy Mather, who operated it for about six years.

The restaurant space has indoor seating for almost 20 people and an additional 20 seats on its patio. The business currently employs eight people in addition to the owners. Goss says all of the former employees were retained.

The couple have kept the atmosphere the same, she says. The menu features coffee, breakfast, lunch, and ice cream, and Goss says the shop delivers from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday with a minimum $10 order.

Olivia Goss has nine years of coffee business experience, most recently as a manager for Dutch Bros. Coffee.

—Audrey Danals