Retail

Journal selects Rising Stars

2020 class to be honored at Sept. 10 virtual event

July 30, 2020

The Journal of Business has selected 10 Spokane-area young professionals as its 2020 class of Rising Stars. Those future leaders will be honored at a virtual event on Sept. 10. This year's honorees include five women and five men, all of whom are

Tesla opens first Spokane service center

High-profile carmaker also adds its fourth Seattle service location

July 30, 2020

Natasha Nellis

Palo Alto, California-based electric car and clean energy manufacturer Tesla Inc. has established a service center in East Spokane. Tesla applied for a change-of-use permit at its facility at 3304 E. Springfield, near Playfair Commerce Park, early this

Jim Van LÃ¶ben Sels to take reins at Mt. Spokane ski park

Longtime Arbor Crest GM had stepped back earlier from family business role

July 30, 2020

Kevin Blocker

Jim van LÃ¶ben Sels is trading one passion for another. After having spent most of the past two decades as general manager at Arbor Crest Wine Cellars, van LÃ¶ben Sels recently accepted a similar position at Mt. Spokane Ski & Snowboard Park.

Q&A with Otto Klein of the Spokane Indians Baseball Club

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July 30, 2020

Virginia Thomas

This would have been Otto Klein's 28th season with the Spokane Indians Baseball Club. Klein, who's now senior vice president of the Spokane Indians, says he first interviewed with the team on his way home from college, and hasn't left Spokane since.

Working the unemployment system

Many people are making more on unemployment than in jobs, some say

July 30, 2020

Virginia Thomas

While the number of people unemployed in Washington state is falling slowly, a combination of fear of contracting COVID-19 and an additional $600 in weekly federal pandemic unemployment benefits have led some people to refuse to return to work, some

Barker Storage begins work on 10-acre storage facility

Project also includes spaces for boats, RVs

July 16, 2020

Kevin Blocker

A family-owned investment company is developing a storage unit business that also will allocate space for storing boats and recreational vehicles. Barker Storage LLC broke ground last week on its planned $5.5 million self-storage project to be located

Western States Equipment plans Liberty Lake facility

Work expected to start soon, finish in 2022

July 16, 2020

Natasha Nellis

Boise, Idaho-based Western States Equipment Co. plans to build a 127,400-square-foot heavy equipment dealership in Liberty Lake, according to planning documents on file with the city. Site plans show the heavy equipment dealer is planning a four-building

Xfinity opens store in Spokane Valley, remodels North Side location

Company will hire 11 employees to be based at Evergreen Crossing

July 16, 2020

Virginia Thomas

Comcast Corp. has opened a new Xfinity retail store in Spokane Valley and temporarily has closed its Division Street store while that space is being remodeled. The Spokane Valley store is located in the Evergreen Crossing Shopping Center

Restaurateur Jeremy Tangen spins The Red Wheel in East Spokane

Restaurants & Retail

July 16, 2020

Kevin Blocker

Restaurateur Jeremy Tangen's latest endeavor, The Red Wheel Bar and Grill, is also a concept. Every hour, on the hour, an on-duty bartender literally spins a mounted red wheel behind the bar. A different drink is listed in each space on the wheel

Duncan Produce pivots after pandemic-related shutdowns

Greenacres wholesaler adds drive-thru retail

July 2, 2020

Craig Howard

Over four decades ago, John Duncan went from cutting french fries in the basement of a Coeur d'Alene restaurant to opening his own wholesale produce business. As it turns out, innovation runs in the family. In March, Duncan Produce, the company the