Sign company sets up shop in Liberty Lake

Mountain Dog Sign Co., a new sign manufacturer, has opened in the Meadowwood Technology Campus, in Liberty Lake.

Located in 2,500 square feet of leased space at 24001 E. Mission, the company specializes in wide-format custom digital printing. It also offers general sign manufacturing services and the installation of vehicle wraps and outdoor and indoor signs.

Husband-and wife co-owners Steve and Marshon Kempf and another employee staff the concern. Before starting Mountain Dog Sign Co., Steve Kempf served in the U.S. Air Force for 27 years, and Marshon Kempf was a nurse. They moved to Spokane after Steve Kempf retired from the Air Force, and shortly thereafter decided to open the sign company, he says.

The Kempfs bought three pieces of equipment for the shop—a laminator, a vinyl plotter and cutter, and a latex-based wide-format printer—from Signworld Inc. Kempf declines to disclose the total cost of the equipment and shop improvements.

The Kempfs named the company after their Burmese mountain dog, Ella, who also was the inspiration for the company's logo.

Golf shop struggles to keep doors open

Clarke Stephens Golf Shop Inc., a longtime golf repair and retail store, has put its building up for sale in an attempt to keep its doors open, says owner David Clarke.

The concern, located in 3,400 square feet of space at 116 E. Nora, has been in business for 38 years. Clarke describes it as a niche shop, specializing in custom-built clubs and club repairs. It also sells accessories, pull carts, and golf bags.

Clarke says he hopes to use revenue generated through the sale of the building, which is being marketed at $199,000, to keep the business operating through the winter, which is typically its slow season, and into the next golf season. If the property sells, Clarke expects to look for a new location that is about half the size, but with more visibility.

Clarke and one other employee work at the shop, located a few blocks north of Gonzaga University. Even though the shop has a loyal customer base, he says keeping the business operating is going to be a race between "running on fumes" and finding a buyer for the building. He plans to stay open until "the lights are shut off," he says.

Mexican grill gets new name after merger

T&T Grills LLC, a Spokane-based restaurant operator, has remodeled its former Bajio Mexican Grill, on Spokane's North Side, and changed the eatery's name to Costa Vida Mexican Grill, says Matt Turnidge, who co-owns T&T Grills with his father, Gary.

The change reflects an acquisition agreement earlier this year between Bountiful, Utah-based franchisor Costa Vida Restaurants and Abundant Brands, which had operated Bajio Mexican Grill.

Located at 4805 N. Division, the restaurant underwent a "substantial remodel" to become Costa Vida, Matt Turnidge says, declining to disclose the total cost. KK Construction, of Spokane, assisted in the remodel, which included painting, lighting, new equipment, decor, and accessories, he says.

T&T Grills has been a franchisee of Bajio—now Costa Vida—and has occupied the 2,700-square-foot space along Division for about two years. It offers fresh Mexican food, as well as gluten-free menu options.

The restaurant currently has 15 full- and part-time employees, Turnidge says.

The restaurant is the only Costa Vida location in Spokane, Turnidge says, but T&T Grills has agreed to open three more here in the future. Before getting involved in the Mexican grill fast-food industry, the Turnidges were involved with a Subway sandwich shop franchise.

Madeleine's owners plan South Hill pub

Le Mere Et Le Sille LLC, a Spokane company that currently owns and operates Madeleine's Cafe and Patisserie downtown, plans to open an upscale pub and restaurant, to be called Casper Fry, on Spokane's South Hill next spring.

Located at 928 S. Perry, next to Title Nine women's sportswear store, the concern is a family endeavor, co-owner Deb Green says. Her husband, Chuck Green, and two children, Megan VanStone and Ben Poffenroth, will have a hand in the creation and operation, and Poffenroth will act as the general manager.

The casual dining restaurant is named after Green's great-grandfather, who was a Baptist minister on the South Hill in the early 1900s, Green says. They plan to offer a selection of beer, wine, and liquor, and upscale pub food.

Twenty-five employees initially will staff the leased 2,200-square-foot space, Green says. Kilgore Construction and Nystrom Olson Architecture, both of Spokane, are handling the renovations.

Le Mere Et Le Sille is a French phrase that means, "the mother and the daughter."

New wine bar opens in plaza on South Hill

Voice of the Vine Inc., which does business as Mezzo Pazzo Wine Bar, has opened in the Regal Plaza, on Spokane's South Hill.

Husband-and-wife owners Ron and Nita Martinez are leasing 1,300 square feet of space at 2710 E. 57th. Two other part-time employees staff the Tuscan-themed concern, Nita Martinez says.

The couple decided to open the wine bar after Nita Martinez lost her job with Potlatch Forest Products. In addition to owning Mezzo Pazzo, Ron Martinez also is a full-time engineering technician with GeoEngineers Inc., in Spokane.

Mezzo Pazzo, which means "half crazy" in Italian, offers a selection of wines from around the world, Nita Martinez says. They sell wine by the bottle and the glass, and have a menu with a selection of salads, sandwiches, cheeses, and meats. Mezzo Pazzo also offers wine flights, which are a sampling of wines intended to give people a chance to sample different types without committing to a full glass, she says.

Regal Care Animal Clinic previously occupied the space, so it required some renovations, Martinez says. She declines to disclose the total cost of the remodel. Kilgore Construction was the contractor for the project, and Ron and Nita Martinez also did some of the work, including painting and building a new bar.