Thomas Hammer Coffee planning a store on the South Hill

Thomas Hammer Coffee Roasters is planning to open a new location, this time on the South Hill. This will be the locally based coffee chain's first location on the South Hill.

The coffee shop will be located within part of a new 3400 square foot building that will be constructed soon at 3173 S. Grand Blvd. . The new coffee shop will be part of a partnership between Thomas Hammer and Washington Trust Bank. Construction will begin soon on the building, which will be on a vacant lot immediately south of Washington Trust Bank's Manito branch.

The new Thomas Hammer location will share the building with a Washington Trust owned community center which will provide event / meeting space that can be rented for various groups. They also plan to use the space for financial education classes and trainings held by the bank.

The project is estimated to cost $750,000 with Baker Construction & Development acting as the general contractor, architecture work done by Wolfe Architectural Group PS and engineering services done by DCI Engineers .

Natural Grocers planning to open a store on the South Hill

We've uncovered plans that show Colorado based Natural Grocers via a general contractor is in the process of accepting construction bids for a new store on the South Hill. This would be the second Natural Grocers store in Spokane, the first one opened a couple of years ago on N. Division near Northtown Mall. Additionally, the chain also has a location in Coeur d' Alene.

Plans call for converting the former Hastings store at 2512 E. 29th into a new Natural Grocers store. The store would take the 25,359 square foot space, with natural and organic grocery items, some refrigerated / frozen foods , produce and vitamins / supplements.

Natural Grocers has been growing steadily in recent years. The company has been in business since 1955 and although a current store count isn't readily available, the most recent public count the chain has 140 stores in 19 states.

Keep watching for more on this project, and for more info on the Natural Grocers chain, visit their website at- http://naturalgrocers.com

Johnson's Custom Jewelry to open in former Dodsons location

Last winter the Dodson's Jewelers closed their doors after 131 years in business. Since Dodson's was Spokane's longest running retail business it was a bit of an " end of an era ". But, very soon customers will be able to return to the same building at 516 W. Riverside for all of their jewelry needs.

That's because Johnson's Custom Jewelry is relocating into the former Dodson's store location and will open with a ribbon cutting tomorrow ( Sept 19th ) at 10:00am. Johnson's has spent the last 8 years operating from a much smaller 600 square foot space in the Downtown's Peyton Building, where they had done custom and repair work for the now closed Dodson's and other local jewelers.

This is a major expansion for Johnson's Custom Jewelry as their new shop is just shy of 3700 square feet. In the new shop, they plan to continue their work in custom jewelry design and repair, but will also include new inventory for walk-in's including a few different designer lines of engagement rings and wedding bands, as well as colored stone and diamond jewelry.

Johnson's Custom Jewelry points out they have a different approach then a typical jewelry store.
" You are often working directly with the person that is creating the jewelry, versus a salesperson which has to translate the ideas to the goldsmith " . And, unlike many jewelry businesses Johnsons Custom Jewelry is a completely locally owned and operated business.

For more info on Johnson's Custom Jewelry, visit their website at-

http://johnsonscustomjewelry.com 

Progress Watch- Downtown’s new Laquinta Inn & Suites

Construction is moving at a rapid pace for the update of the former Fairbridge Inn at 211 S Division in Downtown Spokane. The building is receiving a top to bottom remodel and will soon reopen as Laquinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Spokane Downtown.

Owner Rajbir Sukhbir Sandhu is investing approximately $2.2 million dollars into the project that even includes a 2550 square foot addition to the original building. In all the hotel has 79 rooms on 4 floors.

Although reservations aren’t yet available for the new hotel, some info is already on their website at-https://www.wyndhamhotels.com/laquinta/spokane-washington/la-quinta-spokane-downtown/overview?CID=LC:LQ::GGL:RIO:National:53898&iata=00093796

Revival Tea Company planning new Downtown tea house

Locally based tea producer Revival Tea Company is planning on opening a brick & mortar location later this year.

Revival Tea Company is working on a new tasting room / tea house at 415 W Main #100, by Sweet Peaks Ice Cream. They  plan on it being a 2000 square foot shop with retail sales, tea bar and manufacturing space. All in a historic basement space in the heart of Downtown Spokane.

The company will add to their tea selection with the new location that is to open this fall. For more info on Revival Tea Company visit- http://revivalteacompany.com

Work underway for Blockhouse - Life coming to the South Perry area

New apartment construction is happening in every corner of Spokane, a product of a historically low vacancy rate. I usually skip a lot of these projects for posts on here because they are common place and don't really stand out. But one project, just getting underway is quite interesting and leading the way to bring a more environmentally conscious approach to urban dwellings.

Ground was broken last month for Blockhouse Life a new " smart " housing project in the South Perry neighborhood. The complex of 14 rental units will be located on the presently vacant lot at 1410 E. 10th, steps away from South Perry's restaurants and shops, and of course public transit.

The buildings will be built using cross-laminated timber or CLT, a new construction material that is made by gluing several layers of wood together in a lightweight but still strong manner. Each unit will also be equipped with a voice activated " smart wall " , with plumbing, mechanical systems, data/wifi and the majority of electrical systems all built into the wall at the factory before delivery. Solar panels will also be added to the site to produce energy for Blockhouse's tenants.

As construction is just getting started rental rates have not been released just yet, but we'll try to follow up on the Blockhouse project in the future. They also are already planning to replicate the same type of housing elsewhere in Spokane with a recent pre-development filing for a second Blockhouse development. That project will be build 16 units at 1757 N West Point Rd. at the top of Doomsday Hill on Spokane's northwest side. That project is still in planning phase but construction at the site might begin as early as the Summer of 2020.

For more info on Blockhouse Life, visit their website at- http://blockhouselife.com

The Pentagon Bistro & Martini Bar coming to Liberty Lake from the owners of The White House Grill

The owners of Post Falls' White House Grill are planning to expand once more with a new restaurant coming soon to Liberty Lake. Using the same political naming theme this new location will be called The Pentagon Bistro & Martini Bar.

The Pentagon Bistro & Martini Bar will be located in the former home of Corkhouse at 1400 N Meadowwood Ln and they hope to be open for business sometime around the middle of October. This is not their first stab at serving diners on the Washington side of the border as they also owned The West Wing on the South Hill, which closed due to them feeling " spread too thin " at the time. There was also a briefly lived White House Garlic Mobile food trailer that parked in Liberty Lake for a time not far away from where The Pentagon will soon open.

We're told the menu of The Pentagon will be similar to that of their Oval Office Martini Bar in Post Falls, with 20-25 small plates inspired by several international cuisines. In all The Pentagon will employ about 30.

A website is coming soon for more info at http://pentagonbistro.com