Spokane businesses and government agencies are feeling the pinch from the nations rising fuel prices, but for the most part commerce hasnt slowed here because of the higher prices.To ride out the costly climb, several transportation-related

Integral Designs USA Inc., a Spokane-based manufacturer of high-end mountain gear thats on pace to post record sales this year, has started construction on a new manufacturing and office facility in the Spokane Valley.Company President Brian a

Heights Home Center & Nursery, a Spokane home-improvement store located near the southeast corner of 29th Avenue and Southeast Boulevard on Spokanes South Hill, plans to close its doors at the end of next month, says store owner Stanley G. out of

Post Falls-based Netivation.com Inc. has acquired eight companies since its $25 million initial public offering last June, and is aggressively seeking more acquisitions, says Tony Paquin, its president and CEO.Meanwhile, the companys overall a

Two longtime Spokane retailers are planning new uses for a couple of buildings near downtown.Sylvan Furniture Co., a 55-year-old business that operates a store downtown at 227 W. Riverside and a store in Lewiston, Idaho, says it has leased the &

Two related Spokane companies that service and sell automotive-shop equipment in 43 states are building a new, expanded headquarters here and planning a push that will extend their reach into the remaining seven states by the end of the year, says

Avista Corp. plans to merge its Avista Communications and Avista Fiber affiliates later this year, the Spokane-based company disclosed in its annual report filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission late last week.Avista Communications be

Two Spokane businessmen and a Seattle executive have formed a company here called Commencement Bay Partners LLC to manage a new venture-capital fund that aims to invest in technology companies in the Pacific Northwest or on the West Bay hopes to up

The demand for cowboy hats has declined, even out here in the West, and fedoras havent been popular since before full-haired John F. Kennedy, who preferred not to wear a head covering, was elected president.Dont think for a moment, though, &

Bernard Daines, founder of Webiness Inc. and World Wide Packets Inc., has bought a 10,000-square-foot building in Liberty Lake and plans to triple its size to accommodate, at least for now, both of those high-tech, Spokane start-ups.Eventually,