Coeur d'Alene businessman Tom Power and his wife, Patricia, have bought the Wine Cellar, a longtime downtown Coeur d'Alene bistro and jazz venue, and the 9,100-square-foot building it occupies, says Naomi Julian, general manager of the bistro.

The Wine Cellar occupies the 4,300 square feet of space in the basement level of a two-level building at 313 E. Sherman, and also operates a small appetizer bar in the entry area on the street level of the building. All Things Irish LLC, an Irish goods retailer, leases most of the space in the street-level portion of the building.

The Powers bought the Wine Cellar and the building from Fortress LLC, a Coeur d'Alene development company, says Rick Gunther, an agent with Coldwell Banker Schneidmiller Realty, of Coeur d'Alene, who handled the transaction involving the building and the business.

The Wine Cellar has retained its staff of 20 employees, Julian says. Under the new ownership, the restaurant plans to expand its wine list and add new menu items, she says.

Jim Duncan, who owned the Wine Cellar for 17 years before selling the business four years ago, remains a consultant to the business, she says.

The Powers have been regular customers at the Wine Cellar for the 14 years that they have lived in the area, Julian says, adding that the Powers' purchase of the business keeps it in local hands.

Tom Power is president and CEO of Coeur d'Alene-based Sunshine Minting Inc., which employs more than 240 people in the Coeur d'Alene area and also has operations in Henderson, Nev., and Shanghai, China.