Chocolate Myracles moves to larger space



Chocolate Myracles' Chocolate Shop & Chocolate Factory has moved to a 1,000-square-foot leased space at 11616 E. Montgomery, in Spokane Valley.

The European-style confections company, which has been in business since 2005, previously was located in a 450-square-foot facility on owner Julia Balassa-Myracle's personal property in Spokane Valley. Its manufacturing operation, located in the newly leased space, employs three people, including Balassa-Myracle.

The company says the larger facility enables it to increase production with additional chocolate-making equipment, a separate truffle decorating station, and a climate-controlled chocolate cool room.

Chocolate Myracles produces an assortment of products, including chocolate truffles, old European-style brandy cherries, chocolate barks and cups, and chocolate bears and bear cubs. It also carries bulk chocolate, cacao nibs, and cocoa powder for customers who want to make confections at home.

Chocolate Myracles products are also sold at other retail locations, including Latah Creek Winery, in Spokane Valley; Barrel Room No. 6, in Coeur d'Alene; and Chocolate Apothecary, in Spokane.

Balassa-Myracle has been a master chocolatier since 2006, when she received her certification from Ecole Chocolate Academy, in British Columbia.



Sylvan Learning outlet in the Valley relocates



Sylvan Learning franchise owner Maggie Crawford, who operates three Spokane-area student tutoring outlets, has moved her Spokane Valley center to new quarters at 1510 N. Argonne.

Crawford operates Spokane Education Solutions Inc., which does business as Sylvan Learning of Spokane. She says she has leased a 2,000-square-foot space that underwent about $40,000 in remodeling work before the Valley tutoring center's move there last month. The remodel created offices, a meeting room, and instructional areas, Crawford adds.

"It was an opportunity to move onto one of the main corridors," she says. "We certainly hope to increase our visibility, and that way we can serve more students."

The Valley tutoring center previously had occupied about 2,400 square feet of leased space at 210 N. University, but Crawford says the new location is better configured to meet the tutoring program's needs.

Crawford also operates Sylvan Learning centers at 8536 N. Wall, on Spokane's North Side. and 2926 S. Regal, on the South Hill. The three centers altogether employ 29 people in a mix of full- and part-time positions. Sylvan Learning, based in Baltimore, is an international provider of tutoring to students of all ages and grade levels, with more than 900 centers. Sylvan Learning instructors offer tutoring in reading, writing, mathematics, study skills, and test prep for college entrance.



Zaki Organics store opens in Millwood



Zaki Organics LLC, a boutique carrying natural skin care products, jewelry, and artwork, has opened at 3309 N. Argonne, in Millwood.

Owner Amber Doyle says she launched the business in about 300 square feet of leased space in December, after refining a line of personal-care items she has made since early 2010.

Using certified organic and natural ingredients, Doyle makes the care products in small quantities that have a shelf life of one year to 18 months, because she says she doesn't add any chemical preservatives or synthetics. Her products include hair serum, face serum, face wash, toner, lip balm, body oil, and bath salts.

Additionally, the store sells beadwork jewelry made by Doyle's 12-year-old daughter, who crafts items in order to donate 20 percent from sales to the Spokane Humane Society, and artwork created by Doyle's mother. The items the store carries include paintings in acrylics, oils, and watercolors, and also knitted wool hats, headbands, and purses.

Doyle, who is the store's sole employee, says she plans to expand soon with a line of baby care products and natural candles. She previously worked in the real estate industry, but she says she was inspired to create Zaki Organics after developing severe allergic reactions to the synthetic ingredients used in many skin care products.



Speed & Marine buys boat motor repair shop



Northwest Speed & Marine LLC, which operates a boat motor repair business by that name in East Spokane, has acquired the assets of Spokane Outboard Repair and has renamed that business Spokane Outboard Service.

Mel and Jana Craven, who own both businesses, have moved Spokane Outboard Service to Northwest Speed & Marine's building, a 2,000-square-foot structure located at 3630 E. Nebraska. They've hired two employees, one full time and one part time, who previously were with Spokane Outboard Repair, to staff Spokane Outboard Service.

Mel Craven says the acquisition gives Northwest Speed & Marine some expertise in outboard-motor repair that it didn't have in-house previously.

Northwest Speed & Marine specializes in repair of both outboard and inboard motors, other boat repair work, and selling repair parts. It also has repair, parts, and accessory seller agreements with Volvo boating subsidiary Volvo Penta, OMC, and Evinrude Johnson Inc., Craven says.

He says he has been a professional boat mechanic for 30 years, and started Northwest Speed & Marine two years ago. Jana Craven works as the office manager and bookkeeper for the company.



Businesswomen start shabby-chic boutique



Business partners Jessica Breeze and Shauna Kennedy-Carr have opened Those Girls, a shabby-chic boutique, on the second floor of the All Lines Insurance building at 616 E. Third.

The women began working together last May and officially launched the business in its 1,200 square feet of leased space in October. Breeze and Kennedy-Carr, the company's only employees, specialize in refinishing furniture and selling homemade items, including picture frames, paper flowers, jellies, pickles, jewelry, and magnets.

Some of the company's business comes from customers bringing pieces of old furniture to the shop to be recycled and "up-cycled," or made better, Breeze says. They get other inventory from yard sales and thrift stores, she says.

Breeze and Kennedy-Carr have been involved in crafting and furniture refinishing as hobbies for a number of years, Breeze says.

In addition to managing Those Girls, Breeze also works as a server at Clinkerdagger Restaurant. Kennedy-Carr previously worked with her husband, Scott, at his computer business.



TSM Services opens in Teamsters building



TSM Services, a nonprofit that provides financial support services to people on fixed incomes, has opened in the Teamsters Local 690 Union building, at 1912 N. Division.

The concern has leased about 400 square feet of space and employs two people, including founder and President Tamyra Milligan. Milligan plans to hire a third employee in the near future, she says.

TSM Services provides payee services for people with disabilities, veterans, or Social Security recipients. If a doctor deems a person to be mentally or physically unable to manage personal finances, TSM can work with that person to pay bills and establish a household budget.

Milligan says she also has taken clients shopping and helped them with daily tasks.

Milligan started working in payee services in 2000, at Skils'kin, of Spokane. Before starting TSM Services, she was the administrator for another organization that provided such services.