ELKINS IDAHO CUISINE ORIGINAL ... and local success story.
A to Z
El Patio Bar & Grill
A to Z, El Patio and Little Italy’s Wine Bar 48 years of the entrepreneurial spirit of the Brickert family at State Line The Brickert family, Tom, Connie and their three children, Lance, Amber and Todd, have all had a hand in the day-to-day operations of the various businesses they own at State Line, Idaho. This tiny community has been a hot Idaho destination for Washingtonians throughout the years. The Brickerts have seen the success of their small retail businesses grow with each Washington State tax increase, as customers flock to State Line to save money. And, with the attraction of the new Cabela’s sporting goods store next door, the area has boomed during the past two years. With the recent addition of an 84 Lumber store and a new Wal-Mart in the works, this little town is destined to be a new hub for saving money, and the Brickerts are right there with a little something for everyone. The Brickert family started in 1961 with Tom’s purchase of the old Athletic Round Table and put in the Kon Tiki, where couples went for dining and Las Vegas-like entertainment in the 60s. It evolved into the Black Dog night club then Blondie’s (Top 40-type music). He bought El Patio in 1970 and also had Blue Grass Mobile Homes, along with his tax office and Hard Luck Charlie’s with bingo. Tom transformed The El Patio Club, a dinner club with live music and gambling in its history, into a rock-n-roll nightclub destination at first, hosting acts such as the Blue Oyster Cult, John Kay and Steppenwolf, and the Ohio Players. The club attracted crowds from throughout the Inland Empire and was the hot spot of the ’70s. Tom was always keen to re-invent the entertainment and keep up with the times, changing music genres as the times changed. Since then, El Patio has foregone
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the live music and become more of a neighborhood hangout. Summer 2008, they added a golf simulator with the latest technology and have golf leagues in the winter. Patrons are able to virtually golf 60 different world-class clubs, the likes of Pebble Beach. Later expansions of the Brickerts’ businesses included the Stop-nGo, A to Z Smokeshop, a fine wine and cigar shop, Bear Necessities drive-through espresso offering local Thomas Hammer Coffee, and the home-and-garden store Elegant Expressions, which has recently closed for mom Connie’s retirement and is the new location for A to Z, home to Little Italy’s Wine Bar, which has wine tastings and a wine club. A to Z is also a hot spot for free wireless access, and … they sell gas and racing fuel, too. Their various drive-ups have offered the convenience of not having to get out of the car to purchase smokes, beverages from pop and coffee to wine and beer, and of course Idaho state lottery tickets. And, if retail shopping didn’t keep Tom busy enough, Brickert Construction, his namesake company, has won The Parade of Homes and continues to work projects on both remodeling and new construction. With the Stateline Speedway traffic headed for fun and the shopping options that are increasing daily, the Brickerts’ success has been due to being at the right place and rolling with customer demand. They have truly come a long way during their 48 years in business! State Line ~ 7200 W. Seltice Way ~ (208) 777-7778