Virginia Thomas

Holman Gardens adapts to life during COVID era

Employees learn kitchen roles amid staffing gaps

February 10, 2022

Holman Gardens Retirement Community has endured recent hard times through creativity and flexibility, administrator Linda Hubble says. Most recently, employees at the 96-unit facility have been cross-trained in culinary duties in order to cover staffing

New Love Coffee to serve Liberty Lake's NoLL area

CafÃ©, welcome center occupy Greenstone's newest town center

February 10, 2022

Virginia Thomas

Offering freshly roasted coffee and locally made pastries, New Love Coffee LLC hopes to foster a sense of community at its soon-to-open cafÃ© and coffee roaster in an envisioned Liberty Lake town center. New Love owner Ike Bubna, who is also commercial

Equity firm partnership becomes new X factor for Exbabylon

Partnership that comes with equity firm's investment in Exbabylon viewed as way for company to stay relevant

February 10, 2022

Virginia Thomas

Silicon Valley private equity firm Oval Partners has acquired a stake in Newport, Washington-based managed-service provider Exbabylon IT Solutions. In the transaction, which the companies characterize as a partnership, Exbabylon will have access to

Long-term care insurers return to Washington market after state delays program

Private carriers keep eye on similar programs in several other states

February 10, 2022

Virginia Thomas

A delay in launching a state-run, long-term care insurance program has brought private insurance carriers back into the Washington market. Signed into law last April, the Long-Term Services and Supports Trust Act, also known as the Washington Cares

Blooms on the Blvd. opens in northwest Spokane

Floral shop Blooms On The Blvd. has opened at 2611 W. Northwest Boulevard, next to Harold's Sewing & Vacuum Center. Blooms On The Blvd. opened in late December, owner Sasha Downie says. The shop offers centerpieces, b

January 27, 2022

Virginia Thomas

Floral shop Blooms On The Blvd. has opened at 2611 W. Northwest Boulevard, next to Harold's Sewing & Vacuum Center. Blooms On The Blvd. opened in late December, owner Sasha Downie says. The shop offers centerpieces, bouquets, wreaths, houseplants,

Freeform merges with Boise company

Business Interiors of Idaho to adopt name, branding of Spokane enterprise

January 27, 2022

Virginia Thomas

Spokane-based commercial furniture dealer and interior services company Contract Resource Group Inc., which does business as Freeform, has merged with a Boise company. Fernando Jauretche, Freeform's principal and market president for the Inland

Avista Edge enters broadband market

Subsidiary starts pilot, wants to grow into Idaho and nationally eventually

January 27, 2022

Virginia Thomas

A subsidiary of Spokane-based Avista Corp. is piloting a high-speed broadband project in partnership with the City of Cheney and plans to expand to 6,500 customers throughout at least two communities in the Inland Northwest.

Single-use serviceware law flusters restaurants

Customers often unaware they must request items

January 27, 2022

Virginia Thomas

Restaurant owners here say they're struggling to adapt to a state law that regulates how single-use food serviceware is provided to customers. Chris Siemens, vice president of Mustard Seed Management Co. Inc., says retraining employees not to include

Oddities shop Petunia and Loomis opens in downtown Spokane

Offbeat antique goods include taxidermy, dolls, spooky knickknacks

January 27, 2022

Virginia Thomas

Oddities shop Petunia & Loomis, a newcomer to Spokane's downtown retail scene, offers a bit of the bizarre and antique at its shop in the Paulsen Center, at 421 W. Riverside. Owner Samantha Fetters says the shop is a longtime dream come true.

Equitability still sought in commercial lending

Minority-owned concerns often lack capital access, some observers here say

January 27, 2022

Virginia Thomas

To serve minority-owned businesses seeking commercial loans more equitably, financial institutions should update lending guidelines, increase awareness of available loans, and serve in a mentorship capacity, some business owners and community observers