Annual Manual 09/08/2020

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THE INLANDER’S

THE INLANDER’S

THE INLANDER’S

ANNUAL MANUAL

THE INSIDER’S GUIDE TO THE INLAND NORTHWEST

2020-2021

2020-2021

supplement to the inlander

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ABOUT ANNUAL MANUAL

Annual Manual is published every September by the folks who bring you the Inlander every week. We like to call it the Insider’s Guide to the Inland Northwest. This guide is locally focused, so you won’t see stories about national big box stores in these pages. You should also know that the people, places and things that we write about don’t pay to be listed in the Annual Manual. That wouldn’t be cool (or ethical, for that matter). We write about them because we think you should know about them.

E

very fall, as a new school year is beginning, we release a new edition of the Inlander’s Annual Manual. We look ahead to the coming year, mapping out which Broadway Shows are coming to Spokane. We tell you about some of the region’s most beloved bands and where to watch them, and write about notable new restaurant openings.

That’s what we usually do. Then COVID-19 rocked our world.

How do you write about the year ahead when you’re not quite sure what tomorrow might look like? Will we be able to eat in a restaurant? When will live music return to Spokane? What local shops will survive months of being closed? The future in the age of a worldwide pandemic is uncertain.

We brainstormed COVID-proof story ideas, like our feature on Chasing Waterfalls on (p. 150), and previewed Jess Walter’s newest novel, due out this fall (p.58). But the more we talked to chefs, and shop owners, and musicians, the more it became clear that it was more important than ever to talk about our favorite home decor shops (p.115), where to get some of the best eggs Benedict in the area (p.82) and to explain why independent bookstores really matter (p.130). If we don’t support the locally owned businesses and arts

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organizations that make our culture unique and vibrant now, you can’t assume they will be here in the future.

Amidst all the uncertainty, we are also seeing tremendous resiliency and creativity. Exciting new business models like the Kitty Cantina and Bark! A Rescue Pup recently opened, bringing food and animal lovers together (p.66). Local stores like FROM HERE have begun to find a national following online (p.124) and new subscription boxes are shipping artisan-made Northwest goodies all over the region (p.132).

We still don’t know exactly what the next year will look like. But you can read our story on the bands that have stood the test of time, and when the music returns, make a point to see one or two (p.104). Book your tickets to Hamilton (at press time it was still scheduled on its original dates in April and May), and should those dates be moved — be assured it will still come and in the meantime we’ve prepared you with what to listen to, watch, and read before it does (p.50 ) While the future is still uncertain, there’s plenty to look forward to.

TAMARA McGREGOR, editor

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TABLE OF

14 ANNUAL REPORT

102 NIGHTLIFE

34 EDUCATION

112 SHOPPING

44 ARTS

148 RECREATION

60 FOOD & DRINK

176 GREEN ZONE

From new employers to new leaders, look to our Annual Report for a snapshot of what’s happening in the city

Our education section tackles everything from Kindergarten to college, along with the impacts of COVID-19 on our schools and students

What to see, read and listen to during the 2020-2021 arts season

Meet the people and learn about the places that make the Inland Northwest taste so good

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When the sun goes down, the fun begins. Let our nightlife guide inspire your good times

When it’s time for some retail therapy, let our shopping section be your guide to the best local shops and products our region has to offer

Turn to these pages for the motivation you need to get off the couch and get outside

Fresh perspectives on cannabis culture

THE UNIVERSITY FOR WASHINGTON The UW’s commitment to Eastern Washington runs deep. For more than 40 years we’ve been educating future doctors here, and our partnership with Gonzaga University continues the tradition. We’re proud to serve local students, communities and the state we all call home.

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ANNUAL MANUAL EDITOR

Ta ma ra Mc Gregor

EDITORIAL

EDITOR

CONTRIBUTORS

J a cob H. Fries Ollie Bra ns on E ric k Doxey Wils on Cris c ione E .J. Ia nnelli Young Kwa k Arcelia Ma rtin Will Ma upin Da n N a ilen Lizzie Oswa lt J eremey R a ndrup Chey Scott Ca rrie Scozza ro Thea Skoka n Da niel Wa lters N atha n Weinbender Quinn Wels c h S a ma ntha Wohlfeil

PRODUCTION

ART DIRECTOR

LEAD DESIGNER

DESIGN & PRODUCTION DIRECTOR

Ali Bla c kwood J ess ie Hynes Wayne Hunt

DESIGN & PRODUCTION Derric k King Tom Stover

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To submit story ideas, email AnnualManual@inlander.com.

To request additional copies for recruiting or relocation packets, contact Frankd@inlander.com. For advertising information, contact Advertising@inlander.com.

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We’re right here.

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At Avista, we’re your neighbors, living and working right alongside you in the Inland Northwest. It’s why we’re so committed to supporting this region we all call “home.”

During our first two quarters of 2020, Avista has donated more than $1.5 million toward helping local people in need. Altogether, we’ve given more than $8 million to community organizations since the Avista Foundation was established in 2002, and our contributions continue.

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ANNUAL REPORT

Why you can make the case that 2020 is the year of the woman in Spokane

Amazon moves in -- instantly becoming one of the largest private employers in the region

The most sustainable building in America takes shape in Spokane

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ANNUAL MANUAL 2020-2021 THE INLANDER |

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ANNUAL REPORT

OLD NEW MASSIVE GLUED Inland Northwest sees year of incredible investment in refurbished historic buildings, new manufacturing, warehouse jobs and sustainable technology Riverfront Park.

YOUNG KWAK PHOTO

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BY SAMANTHA WOHLFEIL

F

rom opening the largest building in Eastern Washington with Amazon’s latest fulfillment warehouse, to seeing completion of the most sustainable building in North America in Spokane’s University District, the Inland Northwest has seen major investment in capital projects this year. The historic Wonder Bread bakery was converted into high-end office space and a welcoming marketplace with food and drinks, Riverfront Park kept rolling on its enormous multiyear renovation, and the many nonprofits that serve the region were able to upgrade their digs as well.

CATALYST

Rising above the landing pad of the University District Gateway Bridge near East Sprague, the Catalyst Building was finished in mid-2020, becoming the most sustainable building in North America.

The building, largely constructed of cross-laminated timber — a sustainable wood product produced in Spokane Valley at manufacturer Katerra’s brand new press — includes integrated heating, cooling and lighting systems that will allow developers to demonstrate the latest sustainable building components in a living laboratory.

It was built in partnership with engineering/ development group McKinstry, Avista utilities’ development arm, and by fall 2020 was set to house Eastern Washington University’s electrical engineering, computer science and visual design programs.

As the anchor for a new eco-district, the building is a symbol of sustainable innovation that’s yet to come over the course of the revitalization of East Sprague.

Cataylst Building

YOUNG KWAK PHOTO

AMAZON

With the potential to hire 2,000 workers to start at its newest fulfillment warehouse just west of Airway Heights, Amazon became one of the largest private employers in the region this summer. During busy winter shopping seasons, that number could balloon to as many as 3,000 employees with temporary hires, all but cementing the e-commerce giant’s role as a major regional force.

The massive warehouse just off I-90 was finished in early 2020 and despite COVID-19, the facility opened in June 2020.

Amazon Fulfillment Center

YOUNG KWAK PHOTO

ANNUAL MANUAL 2020-2021 THE INLANDER |

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ANNUAL REPORT

“SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW, SOMETHING MASSIVE, SOMETHING GLUED,” CONTINUED...

WONDER BUILDING

After finishing a yearslong renovation of the historic former Wonder Bread factory north of the Spokane River, ownership group Wonder Spokane successfully landed tenants for much of the mixed-use project.

By fall 2019, the 12,000-square-foot open concept main floor had its first food tenants in Evans Brothers Coffee and the popular second location for High Tide lobster bar. The scenic office space upstairs was nearly all full by early 2020, housing engineering firms, insurance offices, an office for Katerra, and staff for dog-walking app Rover.com, among others.

Art Spirit Gallery also made a home in the more than century-old bakery.

Then, in summer 2020, the open space downstairs also served as a Saturday farmers market, with local vendors, music, arts and crafts. Before the new year, the owners hoped to also open another restaurant and bar in the open space, says Wonder Spokane’s Kim Deater.

“And then we still have kind of like a speakeasy space in the basement,” Deater says in May 2020, noting that the high-ceilinged space with stone details could make for a really cool bar if a tenant wanted that.

Providence Playscape in Riverfront Park

LIBRARY PLAZA

The city of Spokane wrapped up nearly a decade of massive combined sewer overflow (CSO) tank projects in 2020, as the final pipe connected a 2.2-million gallon tank under a new plaza behind the downtown library with the sewer system.

The new plaza offers some of the best views of the Spokane River available and was opened to the public in mid-2020, even as a two-year renovation project started on the library. Eventually, the plaza may connect with a trail underneath the Monroe Street Bridge to make it easier for pedestrians to walk down to Redband Park in Peaceful Valley.

Spokane Downtown Library Plaza

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YOUNG KWAK PHOTO

RIVERFRONT PARK

Spokane’s multiyear renovations to Riverfront Park have been recognized as seriously innovative, with the upgrades winning the “2020 Innovation in Park Design” award from the National Recreation and Park Association. It’s little wonder why. By the end of 2019, Spokane’s iconic Pavilion was lighting up the nighttime sky with its brand new LED light blades, programmed to produce mesmerizing light shows each week. Revelers had also enjoyed two seasons on the new ice ribbon before coronavirus shutdowns delayed the first-ever concert series that was set for the new amphitheater space under the pavilion’s wire structure. But other renovations moved forward.

Most projects paid for with the massive park bond were completed by summer 2020, with the final touches scheduled into Spring 2021. For example, by fall 2020, the work is scheduled to be completed on the new Providence Playscape, the city’s first all-inclusive playground designed with toys for all abilities. Also on the north bank, an Ice Age Floodsthemed interactive playground is expected to be done by early 2021.

While three Hoopfest courts around the city are getting artistic flare with massive new murals by three artists (the courts are in Peaceful Valley, Chief Garry and Thornton Murphy parks) Riverfront is getting two major art installations.

The first art piece, Stepwell, was approved in 2015 but had to wait until the renovation of West Havermale Island in summer 2020 to be installed.

The interactive art will include space to climb upstairs, sit, and take in the view, as well as space to walk or roll through the middle on the ground.

A second piece was likely to be selected later in 2020 or at some point in 2021.

ANNUAL REPORT

Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Inland Northwest’s new Spokane House RICK KEATING PHOTO

KATERRA

State leaders enthusiastically welcomed the opening of the new Katerra cross-laminated timber (CLT) manufacturing facility in Spokane Valley in fall 2019. The facility’s press, which flattens thin strips of wood together with glue into extremely durable boards, was the largest in the world when the facility opened.

CLT has been gaining attention for the past few years as a sustainable building material that can be used to build high-rise buildings while using timber from young, small, and even sick trees that otherwise would go to waste.

The material stands to replace literal tons of high-emission concrete in new construction as more firms adopt the material into their designs.

BIG YEAR FOR NONPROFITS

Vanessa Behan Crisis Nursery opened the doors to its brand new 32,000-square-foot, $12 million facility that’s three times bigger than its old location, enabling the nursery to serve more families and children.

Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Inland Northwest opened a brand new $5.85 million 12-room hospitality center at Kootenai Health in Coeur d’Alene and a $14.5 million Spokane House that nearly tripled its capacity.

Joya Child and Family Development (formerly Spokane Guilds’ School and Neuromuscular Center) started an $18 million expansion expected to move the facility into the University District in the heart of Spokane. n

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ANNUAL REPORT

SPOKANE

B Y

T H E

N U M B E R S

47.658779, -117.426048 Spokane’s geocoordinates

402

Properties on the city’s historic registry

$310,623

Average price of a home in June 2020, compared to $289,187 in June 2019

$50,430 Average estimated household income for 2018, compared to $73,294 statewide

108°F -30°F Highest temp ever recorded (in 1928 and 1961)

Lowest temp ever recorded (1888)

25

Bike shops in the Spokane-CDA metro area

479

Individual LED light blades illuminate the Pavilion

22

NCAA appearances by the Zags men’s basketball team

(They went to the Sweet Sixteen 10 times, Elite Eight four times, and the Final Four once)

64

Paved miles of the Centennial Trail in Eastern Washington and North Idaho

141,420 Household dogs

58,844 Household cats

Based on an estimated 25 percent compliance rate of annual pet licenses with Spokane County Regional Animal Protection Service (SCRAPS)

87 City Parks

13

Washington State Parks (in NE and SE regions)

SOURCES: SPOKANE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE, SPOKANE ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS, NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE, OFFICE OF FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, SPOKANE CITY AND COUNTY PARKS, SCRAPS, WASHINGTON STATE PARKS, IDAHO STATE PARKS, SPOKANE BICYCLE CLUB

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9

Idaho State Parks in the Northern Region

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ANNUAL MANUAL 2020-2021 THE INLANDER |

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YEAR OF THE

Inland Northwest women helm some of the region’s largest organizations, with some notable changes in recent years

BY SAMANTHA WOHLFEIL

T

he Inland Northwest is no stranger to women in leadership.

After all, Washington’s had two female senators for two decades running in Patty Murray (first elected to the Senate in 1992) and Maria Cantwell (elected to the Senate in 2000), and the 5th District has had a female representative in Cathy McMorris Rodgers since 2004.

While many of the most visible female leaders in the region have been building their status and working to make their organizations stronger for decades, nearly every realm from business to social services has seen notable leadership changes with women taking the most prominent roles in recent years.

Greater Spokane Incorporated and the Spokane Public Facilities District appointed female leadership in Alisha Benson and Stephanie Curran, Carol Evans became the first woman to chair the Spokane Tribe five years ago, and the Coeur d’Alene Casino and

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Resort hired its first female CEO in Laura Stensgar this past fall.

Spokane City Hall has long had a strong showing of women in leadership. Vicki McNeill was the first woman to serve as Spokane mayor in 1985, and many women have served on the City Council over the years.

But the dynamics of City Hall shifted even more last fall, when City Councilwomen Lori Kinnear and Karen Stratton successfully defended their seats against male competitors, and Betsy Wilkerson was appointed soon after to the vacancy left by Breean Beggs, who moved into the council president position. With fellow sitting council members Candace Mumm and Kate Burke, women now make up an unquestionable majority of the seven-member City Council.

Of course, one of the most-watched races of 2019 was the Spokane mayoral race. Longtime

newscaster Nadine Woodward took the victory over former City Council President Ben Stuckart, becoming the fourth woman to lead the city.

Woodward says there are multiple strong women in leadership roles in different city departments, but there’s still a long way to go to ensure the city is a more appealing place to work for women.

“Sometimes it’s hard to recruit women to go into the field of firefighting or to be a police officer, but we can always do better,” Woodward says. As for city jobs at large, “I think it’s different for each individual, depending on what each individual needs in their life.”

For some women, she says, it’s possible that previously inflexible work structures may have kept them from working for the city. But that could be changing now that telecommuting has proven essential during the pandemic.

“Something we’re looking at is having more

WOMAN

From left to right: Laura Stensgar, Stephanie Curran, Alisha Benson, Betsy Wilkerson, Nadine Woodward flexibility in what we offer,” Woodward says. “During COVID we’re finding the productivity level of employees who are telecommuting is in some cases twice as much.”

Woodward says she thinks it often takes women longer to gain confidence in their careers and make their way into leadership positions, but she thinks there’s a benefit to women being in those roles.

“Inherently I think women are well suited for leadership positions. If you look at women I think we excel in taking initiative, I think we do well acting with resilience, we are results-oriented, we display high integrity and honesty,” Woodward says. “We’re great multitaskers, listeners, and collaborators. … I don’t think it’s surprising we’re seeing more women in those roles.”

Greater Spokane Incorporated CEO Alisha Benson, who took that role in September 2019 after a dozen years working within the organization, also

makes the case that her leadership style is effective at least in part because it is collaborative.

“The work we do isn’t about us. It’s not about GSI, it’s not about myself as CEO, it’s about this community,” Benson says. “And that’s how I approach everything that I do. Because for me, it’s about economic and community development, and putting the best foot forward for this region. So how do we do that together collectively?”

Sexism is certainly still a challenge in the workplace as well. Woodward mentions that TV news viewers often fixate on female anchors’ outfits, hairstyles or dangly earrings while rarely commenting on what male anchors wear, and she had her own struggle to get paid the same as her male counterparts. Another question that continues to be lobbed at female professionals is whether and how they can balance being a parent while having a career, while men are far less likely to be asked to justify their own

family-work balance.

Benson says the challenge for her, being in the age demographic of having young kids at home, is that there’s still the concept that women have to choose between taking on leadership roles and being a mom or being a good partner.

“As women, we do a great job of building villages around us to help us do that. We can be really incredible problem solvers,” Benson says. “But we have to help people see that.”

She adds that for women, people of color and other underrepresented demographics, it is key to see role models in those leadership positions, and once there, for those individuals to make a conscious effort to show those groups that it is achievable.

“When you haven’t seen women in some of these positions, it doesn’t seem as possible,” Benson says, “and so we’re slowly shifting, shifting that here and across the country, and it’s awesome.”n ANNUAL MANUAL 2020-2021 THE INLANDER |

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“YEAR OF THE WOMAN,” CONTINUED...

We focus on major global and national research, to slow progression and improve symptoms for degenerative brain diseases

SOME NOTEWORTHY WOMEN LEADERS IN THE INLAND NORTHWEST RELATIVELY RECENT CHANGES: Visit Spokane CEO MEG WINCHESTER (January 2019) - pictured above Spokane Public Facilities District CEO STEPHANIE CURRAN (February 2018) Coeur d’Alene Casino and Resort CEO LAURA STENSGAR (October 2019) Inland Northwest Director of Lutheran Community Services ERIN WILLIAMS HUETER (July 2018) Spokane City Councilwoman BETSY WILKERSON (appointed January 2020) Greater Spokane Incorporated CEO ALISHA BENSON (September 2019) Spokane Mayor NADINE WOODWARD (elected November 2019)

WE ARE CURRENTLY ENROLLING CLINICAL RESEARCH TRIALS FOR: • Parkinson’s Disease (PD) • PD Genetic Testing • Huntington’s Disease • Essential Tremor • Multiple Sclerosis Please call: 509-960-2818 to learn more about our clinical research trials • 24 | T H E I N L A N D E R A N N U A L M A N U A L 2 0 2 0 - 2 0 2 1

Canopy Credit Union CEO CHARLOTTE NEMEC (June 2018)

LONGER STANDING ROLES: Spokane City Council members LORI KINNEAR, CANDACE MUMM, KAREN STRATTON, KATE BURKE Numerica CEO CARLA CICERO Spokane YWCA CEO REGINA MALVEAUX Spokane Tribal Business Council Chairwoman CAROL EVANS Providence Health and Services Chief Executive (Washington and Montana) ELAINE COUTURE Knudtsen Chevrolet Dealer Principal EVE KNUDTSEN Express Employment Professionals Coeur d’Alene owner JESSICA BAUMAN

Here’s to the helpers.

We celebrate you.

#ShineThrough

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ANNUAL REPORT

HELP! I NEED SOMEBODY There’s nothing like a pandemic to make you realize you could use a little help NEED ACCESS TO FOOD OR OTHER SUPPLIES?

NEED UTILITY ASSISTANCE?

In Spokane, call 311. Outside of city limits, call 509-755-2489.

In Idaho, call the Idaho Care Line 211 or 800-926-2588.

Through the generosity of over 500 donors, a community relief fund for utilities is available. Those who need utility assistance can contact SNAP at 509-456-SNAP to request support.

North Idaho residents can call Community Action Partnership at 208-664-8757.

NEED TO KNOW WHAT HELP IS OUT THERE FOR YOUR BUSINESS?

As part of the regional effort to recover from the economic impacts of COVID-19, the city of Spokane is partnering with Spokane Public Library to provide a financial helpline for all businesses and individuals in Spokane county trying to access COVID-19 financial recovery programs. Call 509-625-6650 from 8 am to 5 pm Monday-Friday.

QUESTIONS ABOUT COVID-19?

Washington residents can call 1-800-5250127 and press # or text 211-211 for help. For interpretative services, say your language when the call is answered. Hotline hours: 6 am to 10 pm Monday-Friday and 8 am to 6 pm on weekends.

In Idaho, call 877-415-5225 Monday-Friday from 8 am to 7 pm and 9 am to 1 pm on Saturdays.

NEED MENTAL HEALTH DURING THIS PANDEMIC?

Frontier Behavioral Health’s regional crisis line is open 24/7. Call 877-266-1818.

To reach CHAS Health’s 24/7 nurse advice hotline, call 509-448-8200 or 208-848-8300.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255.

CAN’T MAKE ENDS MEET THIS MONTH?

Low-income Idaho residents who are pregnant or have children can receive cash assistance through the Temporary Assistance Program (TAFI). Call 877-456-1233 for information and eligibility.

NEED EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE WITH CHILD CARE?

Washington’s temporary assistance program, TANF, is coordinated through Washington’s WorkFirst department. For questions about eligibility, call 877-501-2233.

Vanessa Beehan Crisis Nursery provides immediate refuge for children and support for families. The Nursery is open 24/7. Call 509-535-3155 and you’ll be able to speak with a family support specialist.

IL LUSTRATIONS BY JESSIE HYNES

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NEED HELP PAYING FOR CHILD CARE?

In Washington state, Working Connections Child Care (WCCC) helps families with low incomes pay for child care. To learn more about the eligibility requirements, call the Child Care Subsidy Contact Center at 1-844-8687. The Idaho Child Care Program (ICCP) provides child care assistance to low-income, working families. To learn about eligibility requirements, call 1-877-456-1233.

NEED TO KNOW HOW TO FIND LICENSED CHILD CARE?

If you need to explore different kinds of child care, Child Care Aware of Washington can help. Use their online search tool at childcareawarewa. org or you can call their child care experts, who are ready to help. They serve families in over 250 languages at no cost to families. Call 1-800446-1114. In Idaho, use an online tool at idahostars.org or you can call 211 or 1-800-926-2588.

NEED HELP MAKING RENT?

The city of Spokane is working with the Spokane Workforce Council to help low-income renters who have seen their paychecks shrink or who have lost their job due to the pandemic. To see if you are eligible for this program, call the rental assistance team at 509-867-8188. Idaho Housing and Finance Association has also put together a program to help renters and landlords impacted by COVID-19. This program will provide help to those unable to pay past-due or upcoming rent or utilities as a result of the virus. To learn if you are eligible call 1-855-452-0801.

INSIDER INSIGHT

LISA BROWN

LISA BROWN served for years in the state Legislature representing Spokane, was chancellor of Washington State University’s Spokane campus, and helped establish WSU’s Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine. She knows state government inside and out.

Since 2019, she’s served as Washington’s director of the Department of Commerce, a job that got a lot more complicated with the arrival of the coronavirus one year after she was sworn in. Commerce focuses on the state’s economy and jobs, she says, but also things like affordable housing, infrastructure projects like bridges and roads and coordinating low-income energy assistance between the state and federal government.

Here are some of her thoughts on the challenges ahead:

ONLINE FROM BORDER TO BORDER In her first year at Commerce, Brown joined the state’s efforts to get high-speed broadband internet access to every area in the state.

“It’s a very ambitious plan,” Brown says, “and it turned out that became even more important after the virus because we know that for everything from applying for unemployment to getting your prescription to maybe going to school, you need internet access.”

A public-private partnership has already created 600 free, secure Wi-Fi hotspots around the state, she says.

SHIFTING FOCUS Coronavirus forced Brown’s department to engage in two massive projects that could never have been predicted just a year ago. Commerce is coordinating the distribution of over half a billion dollars from the federal CARES Act to help everything from plugging holes in local government budgets to rental assistance.

“And the second piece is looking forward,” Brown says. “We are planning for economic recovery. How can we help Gov. Inslee and the Legislature and communities around the state with economic recovery strategies for each region and each sector that’s been affected by the virus, which is practically every corner of the state and practically every sector.”

FROM CRISIS CAN COME OPPORTUNITY Brown recognizes the coronavirus-related crisis “is probably the biggest economic crisis any of us have experienced or will experience in our lifetime.” And while it’s a huge challenge, it’s also sparking discussions she hopes will lead to much-needed changes.

“It sounds trite, but it’s an opportunity to do things that we knew we needed to do anyway,” Brown says. “That is, we need to build back an economy that’s more racially equitable. We need to build back an economy where you have opportunities in rural areas as well as urban.

Sometimes a crisis can bring people together and get them to focus on really important investments for our future.”

— DAN NAILEN ANNUAL MANUAL 2020-2021 THE INLANDER |

27

ANNUAL REPORT

TRANSPORTATION

BY DANIEL WALTERS

THE BUS MUST GO ON

“Even in the worst of the pandemic, transit was an essential service,” says Spokane Transit Authority spokesman Brandon Rapez-Betty. “Even in the worst of it, we still need to be operating.”

But since the coronavirus is particularly contagious inside small packed spaces without much airflow, the transit agency made a number of modifications to ensure that their patrons were more protected.

“We’ve modified our ventilation system,” Rapez-Betty says, for one example. They crack the coach operators window, then turn the vents up and open the back vented hatch to ensure that new air is constantly introduced and old, potentially contagious air, is dumped out the back.

During the government shut down, STA also partnered with local food banks and Meals on Wheels organizations, sending their drivers to help deliver food to vulnerable seniors directly.

SPEED BUMPS

The state’s transportation budget was already looking messy this year, thanks to Initiative 976, which lowered car-tab fees to $30. But then on top of that, consider the seismic impact of the Coronavirus shutdown on the state’s budget. And that applies particularly to the gas tax: Tell people to stay home and people drive less. When people drive less, they pay less money for gas.

CORONA AND LIME

Number of rides taken annually on STA buses Number of boardings on the North Division bus route in 2018 alone

Average annual income of an STA rider, according to an STA rider survey

“All of that combined creates quite a bit of concern about being able to continue to fund all of the current obligations and to meet all of the state’s new obligations,” says Andy Billig, Washington state Senate majority leader (D-Spokane).

That means the state is still trying to figure out ways to fund the still-in-progress North Spokane Corridor, which anticipated using both the car-tab funding and gas tax funding to pay for construction.

Love ‘em or hate ‘em, Lime scooters made a triumphant, albeit delayed, return to the city of Spokane in July, despite concerns about the coronavirus pandemic. Fortunately, research has shown that the outdoors are one of the best tools to fight the coronavirus. And on top of that, Lime announced they’d be disinfecting the scooters frequently, as well as handing out gloves, masks and other safety equipment to employees.

643,000 MILES

Miles logged last year by Spokane Lime bike and scooter users

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The still-scheduled opening date for the City Line, STA’s 6-mile, high-frequency electric bus route between Browne’s Addition and Spokane Community College

Amount the state transportation fund will lose this biennium if Initiative 976 is upheld by the courts.

REAL DELAY

The last time you flew, chances are you saw signs warning travelers about some upcoming ID requirement changes. The REAL ID Act was passed in response to the September 11 terrorist attacks, as an attempt to tighten up security. The enhanced driver’s licenses and passports require more paperwork and information, and are harder to forge. Before the coronavirus upended the world, travelers were required to get their REAL ID this fall in order to board a flight. That deadline has now been moved back one year to Oct. 1, 2021. n

Supporting Our Community for 135 Years A gift to Providence Health Care Foundation is an investment in the health of our community.

More than ever, our local patients and caregivers are counting on us to be there with resources that will help those who need it most. Together, with your support, we can be.

Learn how you can help: providence.org/GivingEWa Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center | Providence Holy Family Hospital | Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital Providence Mount Carmel Hospital | St. Luke’s Rehabilitation Institute | Providence St. Joseph’s Hospital

ANNUAL MANUAL 2020-2021 THE INLANDER |

29

ANNUAL REPORT

EMPLOYMENT

BY SAMANTHA WOHLFEIL

AMAZON STARTS SHIPPING

Amazon Fulfillment Center

WORSE THAN THE GREAT RECESSION

With a global pandemic forcing governors across the country to shut down and limit businesses to slow the spread of the virus, millions of Americans were forced into various states of unemployment.

Some were temporarily laid off while their employers figured out how long they’d have to stay shuttered, others lost their jobs completely. Others still saw hours cut, bringing them onto partial unemployment.

The result was that unemployment numbers jumped astronomically faster and higher than during the Great Recession.

Washington unemployment hit a peak of 10.4 percent during the recession in early 2010, with 367,424 state residents making claims. During the peak of the pandemic in 2020, unemployment hit a massive 16.3 percent in April, with 645,110 people making claims.

Similarly, Idaho saw a recession peak of 50,994 unemployment claims in early 2009, while 80,745 people made claims in April 2020. n

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While the new Amazon Fulfillment center near Spokane was delayed from its originally expected fall 2019 opening the facility hired its first employees in early 2020 and started picking, packing and shipping by June.

With potential to employ up to 2,000 workers when the 640,000-square-foot facility is in full swing, the massive warehouse has made Amazon one of the region’s largest employers.

Amazon touts its $15 starting wage as competitive over similar warehouse jobs, but what’s even more competitive are the other benefits. From day one, employees receive health care, vision and dental, up to 20 weeks of paid parental leave, and a 401(k) with a 50 percent match.

The company also offers a Career Choice program that pays up front for 95 percent of tuition for classes in high-demand industries like nursing, IT, computer programming and more, even if those courses aren’t related to the work those employees do at Amazon’s facility.

When the facility opened June 7, Amazon also donated $25,000 in grant money and in-kind products to Second Harvest Inland Northwest.

“We are excited to welcome so many new Amazonians to our team here in Spokane,” said Andy Parra, director of operations at the facility, at the time. “We’re incredibly inspired by the spirit of this community, and we are proud to support organizations like Second Harvest that help those in need by tirelessly providing nutritious meals and essential services in the Spokane area.”

YOUNG KWAK PHOTO

Spokane County Unemployment Rate 16%

2020

2019

2018

2017

14% 12% 10% 8% 6% 4%

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ANNUAL REPORT

HOUSING LOW SALES, HIGH PRICES

As people around the world were told to stay home and shelter in place this spring, home sales around the country took a dramatic dip, with the nation seeing its largest month-to-month decline in sales since the fallout from the Great Recession.

At the same time, however, national and local home prices continue to rise, with the median local listing up more than 10 percent over last May, which is largely due to a limited supply of homes for sale, says Tom Clark, president of the Spokane Association of Realtors.

HOUSING MARKET SNAPSHOT

7.5%

There may also be a silver lining from COVID closures, he notes: More people than ever are realizing they can work effectively from home, and maybe don’t have to live near their office to do their jobs.

Plus, rural areas with more space are more appealing than ever.

“Honestly, in my heart of hearts, I can’t think of a reason the Spokane economy and real estate market is going to do anything other than continue on the strong path it’s on,” Clark says.

- SAMANTHA WOHLFEIL

$295,000

$329,776

The median closed price for a home was $295,000 in June 2020, compared to June 2019 when the median price was $265,623.

Decrease in Spokane number of homes sold in June 2020 compared to June 2019. Coeur d’Alene only saw a 3 percent decrease during the same time period.

11.1%

The median price of a home in Coeur d’Alene in June 2020.

$841

Increase in median home prices in Spokane in June 2020 compared to June 2019. Coeur d’Alene saw a 10 percent increase.

Average rent on a one-bedroom apartment in Spokane in the spring of 2020.

Sources: Spokane Association of Realtors, Coeur d’Alene Association of Realtors

BOUNCE BACK

Most governors in most states, including Idaho, largely left home construction alone in their stayhome orders, declaring it an essential business. But Gov. Jay Inslee — with Washington state suffering one of the country’s earliest waves of the virus — banned almost all commercial and residential construction.

“There was a lot of anger in our community for the way this was handled,” says Joel White, executive officer of the Spokane Home Builders Association. In particular, home builders were annoyed that Inslee allowed government construction projects and low-income housing projects to continue, despite the ban.

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Initially, many contractors were only allowed to complete projects if there was a safety or “spoilage” risk if abandoned — like finishing putting a roof on a house so it didn’t get flooded when it rained. The shutdown not only denied frontline construction workers the chance to get paychecks, it left some people effectively without housing.

But the demand didn’t go away. It just built up.

And so as soon as housing construction was allowed to restart, the housing market was hot as ever. White says most of the homebuilders in the association became so busy he was barely able to find time to connect with them.

The biggest challenge, however, is finding

enough skilled laborers to meet all the demand.

“The builders were scrambling for workers, just like they were before,” White says.

The question is how long the housing boom can continue when unemployment is so high.

“My feeling is that the demand side isn’t very sustainable,” says Jim Frank, owner of Greenstone Homes, the developer behind projects like Kendall Yards. After all, when people lose their jobs, they’re less willing to take risks on building a new house.

They’re more willing to room together to make ends meet. That means fewer homes get built — and the downturn spreads to the construction industry.

- DANIEL WALTERS

ANNUAL REPORT INSIDER INSIGHT

BOB LUTZ

You’ve seen DR. BOB LUTZ a lot in the news recently. As the COVID-19 pandemic changed our realities this year, Spokane’s regional health officer became one of the go-to sources for information and guidance for keeping the city safe.

Lutz shared his thoughts on getting through an unprecedented time.

CENTER YOURSELF In times of crisis, Lutz points out that it’s important to stay mentally centered, focusing on activities that normally bring you down to earth.

“People need to accept that things will be different, and they need to find routines — if it’s reading a book, if it’s prayer, if it’s meditation,” he says. “I think stressful times are often times when people really find what they’re made of, and who they are, and how they can continue to function in a situation that is very, very stressful.”

MAKE MENTAL HEALTH A PRIORITY Social distancing and self-isolation can have a negative impact on our well-being — that’s a given. Lutz says that being positive is key to staying healthy.

“Focus on what you can do, rather than what you can’t,” he says.

“Engage in activities that provide meaning [and] purpose. Consider volunteering.”

And if you’re feeling down, he says you should be reaching out to friends, family or even mental health professionals.

“If people feel themselves in a despairing situation, they should be calling for help and looking for help,” Lutz says. “If you can’t find a means to assess yourself, look to someone or an organization to assist you.”

COMMUNICATION IS KEY We’re in the midst of an unprecedented situation, to be sure. But it’s important, Lutz says, to be communicative.

“Communication is essential — communication across an agency, but even more importantly, across the entire community,” he says.

Lutz says he knows that there has been some pushback to anti-COVID regulations, and that people have experienced quarantine fatigue. But he says it’s essential to stay headstrong, because health agencies are basically “reinventing the wheel.”

“I think the majority of people really understand that this is a challenge. And we have to work collectively,” Lutz says. “We have to really follow the recommendations, because the recommendations are there for the public good. … [I’m] still hopeful that people will hang in there and be patient and realize that we have to be in it together.”

— NATHAN WEINBENDER ANNUAL MANUAL 2020-2021 THE INLANDER |

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Spokane Public Schools newest leaders reflect on equity and managing the district through a pandemic PAGE 42

How local universities are managing the uncertainty amidst coronavirus PAGE 40

How local school districts are bridging the digital divide PAGE 36

ANNUAL MANUAL 2020-2021 THE INLANDER |

35

EDUCATION

CALEB WALSH ILLUSTRATION

THE DIGITAL DIVIDE

The switch to online education in the spring revealed ways schools can address inequities in technological resources among families

BY WILSON CRISCIONE

T

hough the school didn’t know it at the time, Gonzaga Prep had a plan for this.

In the last decade, the private high school became a one-to-one computing school, meaning every student could be provided with a computing device for school work. And in the 2019-20 school year, Gonzaga Prep came up with a detailed plan for days when in-person instruction was impossible — a snow day, for example. It was called a “Digital Learning Day.” The snow day didn’t come. But COVID-19 did.

And they had no idea how much that plan would help when COVID-19 forced schools to shut down.

“We didn’t anticipate it was going to turn into what it turned into,” says Derek Duchesne, vice president for academics at Gonzaga Prep.

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Gonzaga Prep hardly missed a beat when going to online learning in the spring of 2020. It took two days to provide professional development for teachers, and then after that, students spent the rest of the year engaging in new content. And thanks in part to the one-to-one technology, the school felt comfortable for the most part that students could access that content. Assignments were posted at 9 am. Students were given letter grades on their work.

Some students still failed to engage in the courses initially — somewhere around 12 percent at first — but it was as close to a normal day as any local school could hope for during the school shutdown orders.

“Our idea was to really mimic what was going on in the school day,” Duchesne says.

Down the street, a mile away at Rogers High School, things were much different. As Gonzaga Prep transitioned to an online model, staff at Rogers scrambled in April to track down more than one-quarter of the student population that either wasn’t engaging with the online classes or hadn’t been heard from at all. Other public high schools in Spokane and across the state faced similar challenges. School systems rushed to hand out laptops and ensure internet access for students, and if online learning occurred, it often lacked structure.

It’s an example of the digital divide facing schools everywhere: Schools with more resources could more easily transition to online learning, while others struggled. Families with access to technology could more easily manage online learning, while oth-

EDUCATION ers couldn’t log in at all. Now, school districts are taking what they learned from the COVID-19 shutdown and trying to make sure the same inequities don’t occur in the future.

“That will be one of the focuses moving forward,” says Adam Swinyard, superintendent of Spokane Public Schools. “Making sure we have a plan in place, a model in place, to make that seamless transition, if needed.”

I

n June, the Washington Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction told school districts to expect to return for in-person instruction for the 2020-21 school year.

But OSPI also says schools should see it as an opportunity, not just to reopen schools, “but to make changes you have wanted to make for years or to make permanent a practice you thought was a temporary response” to COVID-19, but that “you now realize it’s simply a better practice.” That includes grading and homework policies, and disparate technology access.

School districts, from Spokane to Coeur d’Alene, handed out thousands of laptops to students who didn’t have access to technology and couldn’t access online learning in the spring. Spokane Public Schools alone ended up checking out around 8,000 laptops, Swinyard says.

Broadband internet connectivity proved an even greater challenge.

Many families have access to the internet, Swinyard says, but not to the kind of quality that could support virtual meetings necessary for online learning.

“It’s an important community conversation about: How do we address the equity gap in access for families?” Swinyard says.

Schools, however, are about more than learning. They also provide food for low-income families, counseling support, and other services families rely on. Swinyard says the pandemic put a spotlight on how important social emotional support is for families in an in-person school environment.

Sarah Miller, homeless liaison for Spokane Public Schools, says the day schools were shut down in the spring, there were more than 1,000 homeless students in Spokane Public Schools. Miller sent an email to each one, asking if they were safe, if they needed help accessing food, or if they needed assistance accessing educational resources. Weeks later, Miller told the Inlander, “Out of that, I’ve gotten about 60 responses back.”

“We know that for many of our students, social supports are deeply rooted in the school building,” Swinyard says.

By the 2020-21 school year, Spokane Public Schools plans to have all students on one-to-one technology, each having access to a computer device, and hopefully with the internet access needed. Beyond the technology resources, he says where the district has grown the most is in the ability of teachers and students to use it thoughtfully.

Technology, he stresses, is not a replacement for powerful instruction by teachers, nor the sense of relationship and community a school can give children. If there’s a benefit from the experience with online education, however, it’s that schools can be better positioned for a variety of learning pathways in the future.

“I think we’ll look at this moment decades from now and we’ll see this as a turning point in education, in a variety of ways,” Swinyard says. “One way being the integration of technology into the classroom, and the time teachers have invested this spring in building that skillset in this area has been really significant. I think that will make a stronger system moving forward.” n

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37

EDUCATION

P R I VAT E OF THE INLAND NORTHWEST

38 | T H E I N L A N D E R A N N U A L M A N U A L 2 0 2 0 - 2 0 2 1

SCHOOL OF THOUGHT

E AG E ER IZ AV SS S A CL NT ME LL RO EN ES AD GR

SCHOOL

FINANCIAL AID

ANNUAL TUITION

PHONE NUMBER

VIRTUAL LEARNING PROGRAM

Eastern Washington All Saints Catholic School

Catholic

K-8

337

20

$6,745

Yes

534-1098

Yes

Assumption Parish Catholic School

Catholic

K-8

206

22

$5,250

Yes

328-1115

Yes

Cataldo Catholic School

Catholic

K-8

355

22

$6,850

Yes

624-8759

Yes

Chesterton Academy of Notre Dame

Catholic

9-12

42

15

$7,500

Yes

242-3750

No

Christian Heritage School

Christian

K-12

80

8

$3,100-$14,531

Yes

236-2224

Yes

First Presbyterian Christian School

Christian

K-6

60

15

$5,750

Yes

747-9192

Yes

Gonzaga Preparatory School

Jesuit

9-12

890

24

$2,545-$14,531

Yes

483-8511

Yes

Northwest Christian Schools, Inc.

Christian

K-12

770

12-15

$6,000-$10,000

Yes

238-4005

Yes

The Oaks

Classical Christian

K-12

326

16

$7,900

Yes

536-5955

Yes

Palisades Christian Academy

Christian

K-10

190

17

$5,360-$8,350

Yes

325-1985

Yes

Pioneer School

Gifted Education

K-5

60

12

$8,500 opportunities

Work-trade

922-7818

Yes

Salish School of Spokane

Salish language immersion

K-12

62

6

$2,750-$8,250

Yes

325-2018

No

Southside Christian School

Christian

K-8

100

14

$6,300

Yes

838-8139

Yes

Spokane Christian Academy

Christian

K-8

50

10-15 $5,450

Yes

924-4888

Yes

St. Aloysius Gonzaga Catholic School

Catholic

K-8

310

26

$3,230-$6,460

Yes

489-7825

Yes

St. Charles Catholic School

Classical Liberal Arts

K-8

100

7-20

$5,300

Yes

327-9575

Yes

St. George’s School International Baccalaureate World School

K-12

320

12-15

$17,420-$21,230

Yes

466-1636

Yes

St. John Vianney Catholic School

Catholic

K-8

109

12

$6,444

Yes

926-7987

Yes

St. Mary’s Catholic School

Catholic

K-8

245

23

$6,200

Yes

924-4300

Yes

St. Matthew Evangelical Lutheran School Christian

K-8

43

8

$4,725

Yes

327-5601

Yes

St. Michael’s Academy

Catholic

K-12

110

12

$5,202

No

467-0986

Yes

St. Thomas More Catholic School

Catholic

K-8

224

27

$6,095

Yes

466-3811

Yes

Trinity Catholic School and Educare

Catholic

K-8

175

20

$5,500

Yes

327-9369

Yes

Windsong School

Waldorf-inspired

K-6

120

12

$744-$6,766

Yes

326-6638

No

Christian Center School

Christian

K-12

200

18

$2,250-$4,372

Yes

208-772-7542

No

Classical Christian Academy

Classical Christian

K-12

222

15

$3,811-$5,950

Yes

208-777-4400

Yes

Holy Family Catholic School

Roman Catholic

K-8

210

$6,100 Catholic 19 $6,775 Non-Catholic

Yes

208-765-4327

Yes

Lake City Junior Academy

Christian

K-10

155

24

$5,120-$5,500

Yes

208-667-0877

Yes

North Idaho Christian School

Christian

1-12

200

15

$4,200-$5,114

Yes

208-772-7546

Yes

Sandpoint Christian School

Christian

K-8

130

20

$1,750-$4,950

Yes

208-265-8624

Yes

Silver Valley Christian Academy

Christian

K-12

30

8-12

$3,250-$4,250

Yes

208-783-3791

Yes

North Idaho

While many schools listed here do have preschool programs, these listings are focused on K-12.

ANNUAL MANUAL 2020-2021 THE INLANDER |

39

EDUCATION

Photo courtesy of Washington State University.

SINK OR SWIM As the pandemic slashes budgets, local colleges wonder how economic downturn may impact enrollment down the road

BY WILSON CRISCIONE

I

f everything were normal, an economic collapse would lead to a boost in college enrollment. States may funnel less money to local colleges in a recession, but more students would seek out higher education.

These, of course, are not normal times.

“Historically, when we have massive economic downturns like this, people flock to community colleges. Our enrollments go through the roof,” says Kevin Brockbank, president of Spokane Community College. “But right now there’s this inherent sense of uncertainty.”

With Washington already promising to slash college budgets due to the pandemic, local colleges are left wondering how the virus will impact student attendance in the short term and long term. The enrollment trends play a pivotal role in shaping public college systems, from four-year institutions to community colleges. Dips in enrollment may cause programs to be cut. An influx in attendance, meanwhile, can add money to college systems, but if it comes as the state simultaneously reduces dollars flowing toward colleges, they can end up with more students and fewer resources to serve them.

Phil Weiler, spokesperson for Washington State University, says the institution isn’t banking on higher college attendance following COVID-19.

“I think it’s dangerous to assume those rules of thumb are going to continue,” he says.

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I

n the spring, as COVID-19 first made its presence in the U.S. felt, colleges predicted the worst. National surveys indicated that at least one out of five students who were planning to start college in the fall may not attend in light of the pandemic. And if they did choose to attend college, experts predicted students many would choose somewhere closer to home instead of moving away to another state.

Meanwhile, the economic catastrophe led state governments to advise that money for higher education may be cut significantly.

For an institution like Eastern Washington University, which already was seeing a steady decline in enrollment forcing budget cuts, it was a double whammy.

It led to staff reductions and furloughs, along with a reexamining of the athletics budget.

Mary Cullinan, who stepped down as president of EWU in August, told the Inlander earlier in the summer that it’s going to force EWU to rethink how it delivers education, but it will come out of the other side of COVID-19 “even more focused on what students need.”

Community Colleges of Spokane had a similar experience.

“For the last 10 years, we’ve been in a gentle decline in enrollment,” says Kimberlee Messina, president of Spokane Falls Community College.

And the state dollars for community colleges were already lacking, she adds. Community colleges are already funded less than K-12 schools, or four-year institutions. That, she says, means they’re already lean. It also means they’re already more focused on teaching, rather than research or housing or dining.

So community colleges, in a sense, can be more nimble and transition to online education more easily.

“It was difficult, but we were able to pivot,” Messina says. “And I don’t think that’s the same for a lot of the four-year universities.”

Brockbank, at Spokane Community College, notes that there are certain programs — maintenance, manufacturing, nursing — that must be done in person. It didn’t take long for those specific programs to come back following the stay-home order with the proper protocols in place, however.

“We have had a few months of some really solid time to learn and under-

EDUCATION stand how to teach with those safety protocols in place, in this different environment,” he says.

Looking ahead, Brockbank thinks if it is true that students may look for education closer to home, SCC will be a good option. It’s why he knows, despite the storm of budget cuts and challenges in the next year, the college should be prepared to serve more students on the other side.

“If you look at the numbers, you can paint a bleak picture,” Brockbanks says.

“But there’s always a silver lining in there somewhere. It’s our job to look for that.

It doesn’t matter what funding we get, it’s our job to serve the students coming in the door.”

F

or larger four-year universities like WSU, meanwhile, it’s a different story.

In recent years, WSU hasn’t seen a gradual dip in enrollment. Rather, WSU keeps seeing record numbers in systemwide enrollment.

Much of that increase in enrollment actually came from WSU Global, the university’s online campus. Weiler says that can serve as a resource for students who may be apprehensive about returning to campus.

Except Weiler says students aren’t as worried about returning as the experts and pundits originally predicted, based on early enrollment trends for fall quarter 2020.

“We’re seeing a pretty healthy rate of students wanting to physically be on a campus,” Weiler says.

Although WSU initially planned on a hybrid model for fall quarter, it has since switched to all remote learning, with a very few exceptions. Weiler sees a future where the difference between all online or all in-person could be more like a dimmer switch than an on/off button.

On-campus instruction can be more important for a larger institution like WSU, which has a budget that leans on residence halls and on-campus dining services. Even a few thousand fewer students projected to live in residence halls has WSU entering the 2020-21 school year down $20 million, he says.

At neighboring University of Idaho, the university has had additional challenges due to Idaho’s poor go-on rate, meaning high school students don’t go on to college as often. As is the case with other institutions, Jodi Walker, director of communications for UI, says due to COVID-19 students are waiting longer to make decisions, weighing whether it might make sense to sit out for a year, or stay online.

Yet in the long term, she guesses student attendance will follow the same trend as community colleges.

“When the economy sinks, we benefit,” Walker says.

But again, it’s just a guess. A year ago, UI and WSU could have predicted future enrollment with some certainty. Now? It’s hard to say.

“I think we need to ride through and see what the world looks like before you can make estimates that have any degree of accuracy in the future,” Weiler says.

The problem is, nobody’s sure how long that ride may last. n

INSIDER INSIGHT

JERRALL HAYNES

Four and a half years ago, JERRALL HAYNES — an airman with Fairchild Air Force base — joined the Spokane Public Schools board. Now, he’s the school board president, as the district faces coronavirus restrictions, funding challenges, union frustrations and an ongoing community desire for racial justice. And with all those tensions, he says, he’s had to shift away from his activist mindset and try to build consensus.

DEFYING THE MAJORITY At one of Haynes’ very first board meeting, he recalls he was faced with the question of whether to allow a student who’d been expelled to come back to school.

“This student — who did not commit any type of crime, or major infraction — I felt like it was imperative for this student to be reinstated,” Haynes says. “We’re talking about a homeless student who had no family here… that student could potentially lose their life. I genuinely felt that keeping them in school could save their life.”

But ultimately, he was the only one voting to bring the student back.

And though he says the former student is still alive, that moment felt vitally important.

“I fought for that student, and I lost. That decision is a situation that I’m going to remember for the rest of my life.”

FOLLOWING THE CROWD But in other issues, Haynes says he’s tailored his votes to the views of the public. A proposal to merge Spokane’s proposed Sportsplex with a new high school sports stadium located in downtown Spokane was tempting.

“I’m a sports fan at heart,” Haynes says. “And so for me, I was able to imagine all of the wonderful possibilities that a downtown location could potentially bring the city of Spokane and for our students.”

The problem is that the public had overwhelmingly voted against a different proposal that would have located a high school stadium downtown. So he put his opinions aside and voted with the public.

“Being able to put your personal thoughts aside and do what was right for the community, I think that made that situation difficult,” he says.

CHANGING THE SYSTEM This summer, Haynes did take pride in a unanimous vote by the school board to pass a racial equity resolution. It establishes policies to reduce the disparate impact of arrests, suspensions and expulsions of students of color.

Haynes says this new resolution makes him optimistic that change is coming to Spokane Public Schools.”What this resolution really gets at is owning up to our shortcomings as a system and being willing to do things differently moving forward,” Haynes tells the Inlander. “I am very hopeful, because I think that we’re ready as a system to start being different.”

- DANIEL WALTERS

Photo courtesy of Eastern Washington University ANNUAL MANUAL 2020-2021 THE INLANDER |

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May 2ND, 2021 SPOKANE’S ICONIC SPRING TRADITION FOR 44 YEARS

INSIDER INSIGHT

ADAM SWINYARD When previous Spokane Public Schools Superintendent Shelley Redinger announced her departure from Spokane this summer, the school board decided it didn’t need to do a nationwide search for a replacement. They had their guy right here: ADAM SWINYARD, then the associate superintendent.

At 37 years old, Swinyard takes over leading the second largest school district in Washington. Here’s his perspective on a few key issues in local schools today.

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“The COVID-19 pandemic has put us into a school experience that many never imagined would be possible. Navigating that, and supporting staff and students, and developing a model that can be really fluid between an in-school experience and out of school experience is going to be part of our thinking and our planning for the new normal.”

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“An important part of leading a school district is being really connected to what the realities are. And I think that’s the value of understanding our data and following it closely and being transparent about our data so we can have a shared awareness of what the realities are.

“In the last couple decades, I think what has evolved is the accessibility of data, and the ability to put it in the fingertips of the practitioners that are in the building and doing the work each and every day and really empowering them to make thoughtful decisions on how best to support kids and where to celebrate growth with students.

“And from a broader district level, the accessibility and opportunity for us to visualize from lots of perspectives and analyses allows us to deepen our understanding of the complexities of learning.”

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ON RACIAL EQUITY AS SPOKANE SCHOOLS BECOME MORE DIVERSE “We’re at a moment where there’s an incredible opportunity to advance equity in our district. No matter where you are, public education is a pathway to a bright and successful future. That’s the dream. And we’re not there yet. We still have a long way to go.”

- WILSON CRISCIONE

ANNUAL MANUAL 2020-2021 THE INLANDER |

43

POP POWER

from Warhol to Koons Masterworks from the Collection of Jordan D. Schnitzer and His Family Foundation

Opens October 3, 2020

Roy Lichtenstein (American (1923-1997) Sweet Dreams Baby!, plate 1 from the Portfolio 11 Pop Artists, Vol. III, edition 54/200, 1965 screenprint © Estate of Roy Lichtenstein

(or with Phase 3 reopening)

From Campbell’s Soup to Mickey Mouse, and from comic strips to balloon dogs, POP Power provides a fun, irreverent, and sometimes ironic look at the influence of popular culture on fine art with works by Pop art masters such as Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein alongside today’s leading Neo-Pop provocateurs like Jeff Koons.

Organized by the Taubman Museum of Art. Support provided by

Cheryl Westerman

ARTS

JOAN MARCUS PHOTO

Broadway producer Laura Little on the inspiration behind her hit musical, and how its themes are even more relevant during a pandemic PAGE 52

Turn-of-the-century Spokane takes center stage in best-selling author Jess Walter’s newest novel

Ready to take your shot seeing Hamilton? Here’s what to read, see and listen to before the show arrives

PAGE 59

PAGE 50 ANNUAL MANUAL 2020-2021 THE INLANDER |

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GO TO SHOWS Here are some must-see shows happening in the next year

BY JEREMEY RANDRUP AND LIZZIE OSWALT

CHER

Cher’s Here We Go Again tour, with guests Nile Rodgers and Chic, is coming to Spokane. The iconic singer’s compelling vocals will be showcased on decades of hits, and audiences of all ages are sure to enjoy the show. With her ongoing popularity and appearance in the latest Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again film, Cher has withstood the test of time as an artist. From her hit song “Believe” to her musical covers like “Fernando,” Cher is sure to entertain and bring nostalgic moments to the Spokane Arena. For tickets and more information, visit spokanearena. com. (LO) WHEN & WHERE: Rescheduled date pending; Spokane Arena, 720 W. Mallon Ave., Spokane; 279-7050

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Cher.

CHARLES DICKENS’ A CHRISTMAS CAROL

The holiday season calls for gingerbread, lights, stockings, and Charles Dickens. Ebenezer Scrooge, however, doesn’t seem to be for Christmas cheer at all until he receives a wakeup call from three ghosts that warn him of imminent peril if he continues in his dreadfully cheerless ways. It’s a festive redemption story where Ebenezer activates his Christmas cheer, and so can you by attending this timeless play production on the main stage. More info for show tickets and season tickets at spokanecivictheater.com. (JR) WHEN AND WHERE: Nov. 27-Dec. 20, 2020; Spokane Civic Theater, 1020 N. Howard St., Spokane; 325-2507

CATS

MACHADO CICALA PHOTO

For those wanting a scintillating theater experience to look forward to, WestCoast Entertainment is bringing the Best of Broadway to Spokane with the musical Cats. The world-renowned work runs Jan. 12-17, 2021. Originally composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, who also worked on The Phantom of the Opera, School of Rock, and Sunset Boulevard, the musical features new choreography from Andy Blankenbuehler, responsible for Hamilton. You can see Cats in a new light while still enjoying its beautiful melodies in songs like “Memory.” Not only has the show won seven Tony Awards, but it is suitable for all ages. For more details and tickets, visit firstinterstatecenter.org. (LO) WHEN & WHERE: As a result of COVID-19, this show is in the process of being rescheduled in the 2021 arts season. Visit broadwayspokane.com for dates and tickets.

ARTS

NATE BARGATZE

The rising star and acclaimed comedian, writer and actor Nate Bargatz will bring his relatable comedy to Spokane during the second leg of his “Good Problem to Have” tour. After entering the spotlight through his Netflix special, The Tennessee Kid, Bargatz has since made his way through the talk-show circuit, including his six appearances on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. His comedy’s been recognized and acclaimed by Jim Gaffigan and he has been featured in magazines like Esquire, Rolling Stone and Variety. For tickets and more details, visit bingcrosbytheater.com. (LO) WHEN & WHERE: Jan. 23, 2021, 7:30 pm and 9:30 pm; Bing Crosby Theatre, 901 W. Sprague Ave., Spokane; 227-7638

THE FLAMING LIPS WITH SPACEFACE

Annual Holiday Sale in November Events Chili Feed in February

Wayne Coyne and the Flaming Lips are three-time Grammy winners, holding your hand through an entrancing odyssey of psychedelic alt-rock music. Memphis band Spaceface also makes a showing with their unique ’70s rock style blended with modern elements. Combine these two bands together and you get a sensory experience that possibly results in you reaching ascension toward the cosmos. Don’t worry, you’ll be back on Earth and safely grounded after the concert is over. Ticket prices and more at foxtheaterspokane.org.

WHEN AND WHERE: March 19, 2021; Martin Woldson Theater at the Fox, 1001 W. Sprague Ave., Spokane; 624-1200

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ANNUAL MANUAL 2020-2021 THE INLANDER |

47

ARTS Show information is correct as of press time, but be sure to check the most current information related to coronavirus-related cancellations and rescheduling.

The Barenaked Ladies.

MONTY PYTHON’S SPAMALOT

This comedic musical retells the tales of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table, adapted from the 1975 film, Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

While very similar to the movie, it’s bombastic and crazy in its own way, featuring all of the parody greatness while taking creative liberties through a stage experience. The musical makes for an amusing interpretation of famous British folklore. Information on ticket prices for this production and more can be found at spokanecivictheater.com. (JR) WHEN AND WHERE: May 14-June 13, 2021; Spokane Civic Theater, 1020 N. Howard St., Spokane; 3252507

REAL WOMEN HAVE CURVES

Real Women Have Curves, written by Josefina Lopez, arrives in Spokane next summer through the work of the Spokane Theatre Arts Council and the Stage Left Theater. Its plot contains both humor and real human

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emotion portrayed to the audience through powerful female characters. Taking place in a sewing factory in East Los Angeles, the play follows the lives of five Mexican-American women fighting to keep their factory running amidst hectic deadlines. It gives an example of one Latina immigrant experience while also celebrating the strength and tenacity of women in general. For more information and tickets, visit spokanestageleft.org. (LO) WHEN & WHERE: June 4-27, 2021; Stage Left Theater, 108 W. Third Ave., Spokane; 838-9727

BARENAKED LADIES, GIN BLOSSOMS, TOAD THE WET SPROCKET

If you’ve ever seen episodes of Big Bang Theory and heard the theme song, then you’ve had a sampling of Barenaked Ladies, the Canada-based rock band that’s set to headline this alt-rock summer concert.

Rock groups Gin Blossoms and Toad the Wet Sprocket will also be up on stage to accompany with

MATT BARNES PHOTO

their own hit songs of the ’90s to revive old summer memories and keep the good vibes going. Get more information on the concert details at northernquest. com. (JR) WHEN AND WHERE: June 19, 2021; Northern Quest Resort and Casino, 100 N. Hayford Rd., Airway Heights; 481-2800

BACKSTREET BOYS

The long-running beloved boy band Backstreet Boys are reuniting for another world tour, and they’re bringing a larger-than-life stage show to Spokane.

The Backstreet Boys will also bring some of their massive hits, of course, like “I Want It That Way,” “Everybody” and “As Long As You Love Me.” The Backstreet Boys grew up with their fans, and now a new generation will have the chance to experience the iconic band of five live. For tickets and more information, visit spokanearena.com. (LO) WHEN & WHERE: Aug. 25, 2021; Spokane Arena, 720 W. Mallon Ave., Spokane; 279-700

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WHAT’D YOU MISS? Hamilton is coming to town. Here’s what to watch, read and listen to before it gets here

BY WILSON CRISCIONE

A

year ago, my wife saw Hamilton, the groundbreaking musical, while on a family trip to London. Back at home in Spokane, I texted her and asked if it lived up to all the hype. She said it was great, but “it wasn’t life-changing.”

She didn’t know it yet, but she couldn’t have been more wrong.

When she got home, she started listening to the soundtrack, and then she listened to it again, and again. Then, she scoured YouTube for any leaked performances. Soon, I got sucked in too. By the summer, the only music either of us listened to in the car was Hamilton.

We were junkies. Instead of going out, our Friday nights were spent consuming Hamilton content. We tried to memorize the lyrics to every song, embarrassing ourselves as we attempted to rap along with them. Eventually, we reached the

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final stage of any Hamilton obsession: reading books about the Founding Fathers in a desperate attempt to understand more about the man we came to know, Alexander Hamilton.

So, it’s safe to say that upon further examination, Hamilton was in fact life-changing.

And this season, Hamilton is making its way to Spokane to change even more lives.

It’s difficult to explain why Hamilton has become such a global phenomenon that’s revolutionized musical theater. Even the original cast jokes that the elevator pitch doesn’t sound great: A rap musical chronicling the life of the first U.S. treasury secretary.

More than the elevator pitch, however, Hamilton is the story of an immigrant who rose to success during the American Revolution, who found romance before sabotaging it, who played a critical role in the early politics that shapes the country to this day. And

(spoiler!) it’s all leading up to his fatal duel with Vice President Aaron Burr.

But the narrative is only partly why Hamilton’s had so much success. Thanks to the vision of creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, Founding Fathers like Hamilton and George Washington are brought to life by a diverse and talented cast. Because it’s mostly rap that packs in plenty of dialogue, almost the entire show is told through the music. That’s a good thing, because the music is amazing. The style of the show makes it all feel contemporary, even though the story happened hundreds of years ago. Viewers don’t feel like they’re being taken back into history, they feel like history has been brought to them.

While you may be tempted to avoid Hamilton content before seeing the show because you don’t want to ruin the show itself, people like my wife would recommend the opposite. Seeing the show

Hamilton is set to play in Spokane April 13-May 9, 2021. without knowing what it’s really about leaves you with a lot to digest, and it can be hard to fully appreciate it in the moment unless you know what you’re getting into. So if you’re planning on seeing Hamilton, go ahead and go on a Hamilton bender.

Hell, even if you don’t plan on seeing it you should still go on a Hamilton bender.

HERE’S WHERE TO START:

Listen to the Hamilton soundtrack. You know how when you first hear a song, you’re still trying to get a feel for it? That’s sure to happen with the musical too, since each song jams in so much history. Listen to the soundtrack with the original cast, so that by the time you actually see the show, you’re not trying to figure out the songs. Instead, you’re celebrating the music like you’re seeing a concert of your favorite artists.

Watch all the YouTube videos. There’s the cast performing songs at the Tony awards. There’s celebrities performing their own covers of Hamilton songs.

There’s Miranda and co-star Daveed Diggs having rap battles. But I especially recommend watching the original Hamilton cast performing songs at the White House for President Barack Obama, if for no other reason than the fact that there are few things as entertaining as Obama bobbing his head to rap as everyone else in the room nervously looks at the former president and wonders if their own body movements are sufficient. Also, maybe I’m not supposed to tell you this, but sometimes you can find bits of the original broadway show on YouTube, too.

Read the book Alexander Hamilton, by Ron Chernow. As legend has it, Lin-Manuel Miranda read this book on a vacation following his first successful musical, In the Heights. That’s when Miranda first envisioned the musical. The book presents Hamilton

JOAN MARCUS PHOTO

as a spirited, flawed genius who could spit out a vigorous defense of the U.S. Constitution in one breath and form the foundation of American capitalism in the next. But what likely attracted Miranda to the story was the notion that Hamilton was misunderstood in history books, that he was a tragic figure whose brilliance fueled his success but also his failures. Miranda had Chernow advise the musical, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Watch the filmed version on Disney+. You probably won’t ever get another chance to see the original cast perform Hamilton live on Broadway.

Thankfully, Disney+ released the filmed version on July 3, 15 months earlier than it was supposed to arrive in theaters. n WHEN & WHERE: April 13-May 9, 2021; First Interstate Center for the Arts, 334 W. Spokane Falls Blvd., Spokane; 279-7000 ANNUAL MANUAL 2020-2021 THE INLANDER |

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ARTS

A WARM WELCOME Laura Little’s award-winning Broadway musical finally lands in Spokane

BY E.J. IANNELLI

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W

ithin minutes of the September 11 terrorist attacks, America shut down its airspace as a protective measure. Canadian officials responded to that decision with a massive logistical effort that became known as Operation Yellow Ribbon. As part of that effort, they rerouted 38 airborne flights and had them set down at Gander International Airport, a transatlantic refueling hub on the island of Newfoundland.

By late afternoon on that fateful Tuesday, all 38 of those planes were still waiting on the tarmac for further instructions. They were carrying more than 6,500 passengers and crew — almost as many people as the nearby town of Gander itself.

But the inhabitants of Gander weren’t about to let those overwhelming numbers dampen their hospitality. They rallied and welcomed the thousands of strangers who had, in the local parlance, “come

from away.” The stranded crews and travelers were soon ferried to local community centers, churches and schools, where they were sheltered and fed until the last diverted flight departed five days later.

The generosity of the townspeople and the gratitude of their guests makes for an inspiring real-life tale, one that highlights a remarkable capacity for humanity in the face of adversity. When it was later brought to the attention of husband-and-wife creative team Irene Sankoff and David Hein, they headed to Gander to attend the 10-year reunion of the event. The touching memories and amusing personal stories they heard there became the basis for the musical Come from Away.

Laura Little came across Sankoff and Hein’s musical in its very early stages. At the time, the Coeur d’Alene-based producer was in New York scouting for new shows. She was scheduled to sit in on several

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Co-producer Laura Little will finally see her Broadway hit Come From Away play in her hometown. YOUNG KWAK PHOTO readings to see which ones had promise and which merited a pass.

“I almost skipped the reading of it,” she says. “But within five minutes, I knew that somehow I needed to be part of this production. I completely adored it right off the bat.”

One of the things that impressed her was how the show’s cast of 12 played “many, many different” characters. To represent the broad scope of experience for so many people, Sankoff and Hein had written things so that the individual actors performed multiple parts. That explains why everyone on the playbill has “and others” after their primary role.

She also found it to be surprisingly funny.

“That’s what I adored most about it, is how much we laughed. We didn’t expect to laugh, and that just made it very heartwarming.”

So Little eagerly signed on as a co-producer with the hope of championing Come from Away as strongly as she’d championed previous award-winning shows like Peter and the Starcatcher and All Is Calm. As a producer, she’s responsible for high-level tasks such as raising capital as well as hiring artistic and marketing teams.

“There are producers who get involved because there’s a movie star

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ARTS “A WARM WELCOME,” CONTINUED...

Enjoy the Coeur d’Alene art scene and be inspired year-round!

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The North American Tour of Come From Away.

MATTHEW MURPHY PHOTO

connected to it or because they owe a favor to somebody,” she says. “I absolutely adore every show that I produce. And, in particular, Come from Away is my all-time favorite.”

Audiences everywhere might agree. Come from Away has proven to be a critical and commercial darling the world over. In October 2018, it became the longest-running Canadian musical in Broadway history. The nationally touring production launched in Seattle at the same time, but its six-day run scheduled at the First Interstate Center in February 2021 marks the first time Inland Northwest audiences will have had the chance to see it locally.

“I’m ecstatic because people have been hearing me talk about it for years. A lot of our friends did make the trek over to Seattle. But to see it in your hometown with your closest friends and also your ancillary friends is just thrilling to me.”

Little says that the timing is unusually apt, too. She sees clear parallels between the displays of solidarity that followed 9/11 and those that have emerged to meet the threat of COVID-19.

“We know that when a crisis takes place, we all hope for the same thing: We hope that a kinder, gentler side of society rears its head. During coronavirus, I have certainly seen signs of unity, which is exactly what happens in Come from Away.” n When & Where:Originally scheduled in February, WestCoast Entertainment is in the process of rescheduling this show due to COVID-19. Check broadwayspokane.com for the new performance dates.

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INSIDER INSIGHT

OCTOBER

WESLEY JESSUP

is

If the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture has a face, it would be WESLEY “WES” JESSUP. As the MAC’s executive director since 2017, he has been a visible figure in the arts community, often seen at local exhibitions and attending the MAC’s many functions.

Jessup has led a dedicated team to attract and retain paying members, navigate funding issues, and develop programs to appeal to a diverse audience. This year, like many organizations impacted by mandated closures, Jessup has been especially intrepid as he steers the 104-year-old institution through unprecedented challenges.

STILL REACHING OUT In response to mandated closures, the MAC pivoted to provide a wealth of online programming, yet misses having guests on campus, Jessup says. “We are planning events, openings and educational programs that will move back inside, but put safety first through wearing masks, social distancing, and any other guidelines that are required.” And they’ll keep doing what they can, proactively, to connect with the community however they can.

PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE Closure or not, the MAC is planning for the future, including POP Power from Warhol to Koons, from the collection of Jordan Schnitzer, that shows how the early pop style of paintings in the 1960s by artists like Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein influenced artists for the subsequent decades. A World War II commemorative exhibition and collaboration with Spokane Symphony to celebrate their 75th anniversary are also planned.

for programs

& events, visit:

spokanearts.org/artsmonth/

RELYING ON THEIR BASE “We are fortunate to have dedicated donors, individuals, foundations, and our corporate community to assist us through this difficult financial environment,” Jessup says. However, like other cultural nonprofits, closure impacts revenue. Donors have stepped up, for which they’re grateful, he says. “Additionally, the MAC continues to have a strong support base of over 3,000 members whose fees provide critical general operating support.”

kick off Arts Month with us at the ARTS AWARDS on September 26th

— CARRIE SCOZZARO ANNUAL MANUAL 2020-2021 THE INLANDER |

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ARTS

MILESTONES IN MUSIC The Spokane Symphony celebrates its 75th season

W

ithout too much effort, you could trace the origins of the Spokane Symphony all the way back to the city’s frontier days.

Even when it was just a glorified mining hub called Spokane Falls, its inhabitants had a shared desire to hear and perform classical music.

Case in point: An 1883 performance of the Michael William Balfe opera The Bohemian Girl. American opera star Emma Abbot was the main draw. The concert was held in a downtown warehouse with farm equipment and nail kegs for seats. Yet it still managed to take in $1,500 — about $25,000 today.

Local journalist and historian Jim Kershner chose that illustrative event to open The Sound of Spokane, a book he wrote pro bono to commemorate the symphony’s 75th anniversary this year.

And while the enthusiastic (and lucrative) reception to The Bohemian Girl certainly says something about locals’ longstanding hunger for the classical repertoire, it would take a while for a symphony proper to emerge.

Kershner says there were three milestones that have since been crucial to the organization’s existence, identity and success.

1945: HAROLD PAUL WHELAN ARRIVES IN SPOKANE

Harold Paul Whelan was 31 and working as the concertmaster for the Tacoma Philharmonic when he was hired as a violin professor at Whitworth College in September 1945. He and his wife Trula, a Spokane native, returned to her hometown and immediately began channeling the various initiatives up to that point toward a single entity: the Spokane Philharmonic.

“Essentially, the city had been trying and failing to have a sustainable symphony since the early 1900s. Some of them lasted five or six years, but they all folded. They just weren’t able to keep it going,” Kershner says.

“But when Whelan arrived, he was just determined that Spokane was ripe for an orchestra, and he was going to get it done. He set about building support for it and kind of wrestled it into existence.”

After just two months of rehearsals, the Spokane Philharmonic Orchestra made its debut on Dec. 18, 1945, in the auditorium of the Masonic Temple.

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BY E.J. IANNELLI That marked the earliest incarnation of what would evolve into the Spokane Symphony.

1984: GUNTHER SCHULLER BECOMES INTERIM CONDUCTOR

In certain circles, Gunther Schuller was already a living legend before he signed on with the Spokane Symphony for its 1984-85 season. Famed for identifying the “Third Stream,” which is the fusion of jazz and classical music, he had a résumé that included stints with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, plus collabora-

tions with Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, John Lewis and a host of other jazz greats.

“He was a really big name. He won a Pulitzer Prize for music. He just had a huge list of credentials. And for the symphony to snag him as their conductor really put them on the map from a musical standpoint. It got them national respect,” says Kershner.

Schuller’s full-time association with the Spokane Symphony wasn’t a long one. But his passion for that particular group of musicians spoke volumes about their talent and dedication. He also had a hand in selecting the new music director,

Bruce Ferden, who brought incredible intensity and exceedingly high standards to the position.

2000: THE PURCHASE OF THE FOX THEATRE

Before it came to call the Fox Theater home, the Spokane Symphony held its concerts in the Opera House, forerunner to the INB Performing Arts Center and, later still, the First Interstate Center for the Arts. The Opera House had been built as an entertainment venue during the frenzy of Expo ‘74.

“The acoustics were terrible,” says Kershner.

“The musicians couldn’t hear each other. You can’t be a first-class orchestra if you’re playing in a hall where you can’t hear what’s going on. And for the audience it was not great, either. If you were in the back, you didn’t even feel like you were there at all.”

When the symphony purchased the Fox with the help of a massive fundraising campaign, it wasn’t just securing a 2,300-seat performance space for itself. It also saved the historic art deco building from demolition. The Spokane Club had wanted to tear it down and build a parking garage.

“It’s very, very unusual for an orchestra of any size to own their own concert hall. That was a gigantic leap of faith for them to even consider it.

It was a risk but it paid off. The orchestra and the community rallied around them, and now they have a gorgeous place to play.”

LOOKING AHEAD

Along with orchestras everywhere, the Spokane Symphony’s grand plans for its current season have been upended by COVID-19. But the symphony is no stranger to challenge. Its entire 75-year history is one of adapting to new situations and overcoming obstacles.

“All arts organizations at some point go through difficulties, and the Spokane Symphony has always come through them. There’s a very pioneer spirit that against all the odds we will keep fighting,” says current Music Director James Lowe.

“I think the reason for that is that there is a tenacity, a generosity and a community-mindedness about Spokane. They’re the qualities that have kept us afloat so far. And those are the qualities that are certainly going to steer us through this current crisis.”

Executive Director Jeff vom Saal says that the 75th season, originally “full of artistic endeavors and community-engagement activities,” is constantly changing in response to shifting conditions. Performances will take place as “public policy and public sentiment” allow. And even when the symphony isn’t on stage, its musicians, administrators and supporters will be focused, as always, on keeping its traditions alive for a long time to come.

“We’re a music institution. We’re an arts institution. But I think, really, more than anything, we’re a community institution,” says vom Saal. “So when I think about this anniversary season, it’s a great

Music Director James Lowe will preside over the Spokane Symphony’s 75th season in 2021-22. time to reflect on who we’ve been and what we’ve done — and also to begin to look ahead to who we continue to want to be.” n When & Where: Keep up to date on the Spokane Symphony’s 75th season, now moved to 2021-22, at spokanesymphony.org.

exhibit. create. inspire. www.emergecda.com | emergecda@gmail.com | @emergecda ANNUAL MANUAL 2020-2021 THE INLANDER |

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Local author Jess Walter’s latest novel is set in turn-of-the-century Spokane.

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ARTS

AND... ACTION!

In his new novel The Cold Millions, Jess Walter explores economic inequality, police brutality, and more through a thrilling story set a century ago in Spokane

J

BY DAN NAILEN

ess Walter’s 2012 novel Beautiful Ruins sprawled across continents and decades, and landed on The New York Times bestsellers list for 69 weeks, five of those at No. 1.

How best to follow up what for many writers would be a career-defining book? Do the complete opposite, of course.

Walter’s new novel The Cold Millions is set primarily in one location, his Spokane hometown, and takes place mostly over the course of a just few weeks in the early 1900s when the scrappy itinerant workers of a nascent labor movement and the region’s wealthy corporate overlords (and their supporting police department) clashed — on the streets, in the newspapers, even in Walter’s characters’ bedrooms. It’s a blend of fact and fiction, and a ripping read full of dirty cops and hitmen, sexy stage actresses and shady club owners, heroic idealists and disturbing double-crossers — all of them trying to make a go of it in Spokane when it was a boomtown in transition.

“After Beautiful Ruins, I kind of had this desire to write a big adventure story,” Walter says. “And I’ve never written a Western, but this felt almost as close to a Western as I could get.

“I think a novelist kind of owes it to him or herself to write about the most interesting period of her place or his place, and this just felt like when Spokane was so vibrant, and just humming with so much danger.”

Walter’s been entranced with that era for a long time, noting that “when you live in Spokane, it’s like the ghost of 1910 is everywhere.” He lives in a 1907 house; his grandfather arrived in the area by hopping a train, the preferred mode of transportation for The Cold Millions’ centerpiece brothers and impromptu activists, Gig and Rye; and, he comes from a “labor, Democrat family.”

“My dad worked at Kaiser, and it was just that kind of Wobbly period, when unions represented everyone.”

As The Cold Millions unspools, Montana brothers Gig and Rye Dolan show up looking for work, only to be swept up in a series of labor protests, and a police

investigation into an officer murdered while investigating burglaries in the posh Cannon Hill neighborhood. While Gig is stuck in jail as one of the protests’ alleged instigators, Rye finds himself released and suddenly caught up trailing famed 19-year-old activist and pioneering feminist Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, barnstorming the region from Missoula to Seattle to raise money for the labor cause. All the while Rye is trying to figure out how to get Gig out of jail, a pursuit that leads him to interact with mining magnates, hired thugs and an exotic dancer, Ursula the Great, best known for using a live cougar in her act.

Flynn is one of the real people dotting Walter’s fictional tale, as is acting Police Chief John Sullivan, and several more. Much of the dialogue spoken by those real-life characters comes right out of speeches and newspaper articles Walter dug into while researching.

Even though he grew up in the area, so much of the real local history never made it into his school classes or any “official” Spokane histories.

“There are real things that happened,” Walter says. “The book is framed by the deaths of two police officers, and they really happened.

And of course the labor riots with the Wobblies. But the rest is just speculation and fanciful creativity.”

Even so, that “fanciful creativity” of Walter’s brings The Cold Millions to such vivid life that you’d swear you were reading maybe the most exciting history book ever written. Not only does Walter’s research give his story incredible authority in relaying details about that era in Spokane, it also gives current residents exciting connections to a time not that long ago.

“I’m doing all this research, and I mapped all the places and I would just ride my bike to all the places that appear in the novel,” Walter says. “And I get to the part where John Sullivan, the acting police chief, gets killed and it’s 1318 West Sinto. And I hop on my bike and I ride by and I swear to God that house has not changed one bit. There might still be a bullet hole. I just lost my breath. This history, you just see it.” n The Cold Millions is being published by HarperCollins, and goes on sale Oct. 6, 2020.

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FOOD & DRINK

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No-Li’s John Bryant on how craft brewing binds our community together PAGE 101

Two new local eateries welcome food and animal lovers alike PAGE 66

A new Spokane company is bringing posh picnics to local parks PAGE 86

ANNUAL MANUAL 2020-2021 THE INLANDER |

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NOTABLE NEWCOMERS Meet five of the Inland Northwest’s newest food spots that everyone’s talking about

BY CHEY SCOTT AND DAN NAILEN

T

he upward climb of the region’s dining scene is still on. Nothing illustrates this better than the annual lineup of newly opened eateries from local chefs and restaurateurs, or diners’ excitement each time another new project is announced. Even though 2020 has thrown some major obstacles in these establishments’ way, the perseverance of owners and staff to keep pushing on through with grit and creativity is a clear testament as to why our dining scene continues to flourish so wildly. This shared trait brings a steady beacon of hope that these local businesses will see this setback through, too.

Gander & Ryegrass.

GANDER & RYEGRASS

I

nside a prime downtown Spokane spot best known as the former home of Santé Restaurant and Charcuterie, chef Peter Froese debuted his long-aspired inaugural restaurant to significant local anticipation in late 2019.

Described by the chef as “Italian-inspired longcourse meals,” Gander & Ryegrass is a carefully executed yet approachable and contemporary take on European dining.

Unlike traditional ala carte menus, Gander & Ryegrass focuses on fixed price, three-course meals with a handful of choices per course, and optional drink pairings. In addition to their course selections,

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guests are treated to a chef’s choice amuse-bouche bite, a plate of bread and butter before pasta, and a palate-cleansing intermezzo before entree service.

The more extravagant “marathon” dinner option, meanwhile, consists of 10 to 12 individually coursed or table-shared portions prepared at the chef’s whim, with a few dishes that typically overlap the three-course menu. Pasta is made fresh daily, and Froese continues to maintain Santé’s legacy of whole-animal butchery.

Since its debut, legions of customers have been impressed by meals at Gander & Ryegrass, leaving with the promise that each repeat visit will be both new and familiar as its menu is in a state of constant evolution due to seasonality and creativity.

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“I don’t want to show up every day and cook the same thing over and over,” Froese says. “I want to find things that are exciting to me, and sometimes that’s pulling great produce out of the garden or earth somewhere... I also don’t want to get stuck in a rut.”

New dishes and service hours — like grab-andgo sandwiches for lunch and the evening aperitivo hour, both introduced a few months into operations — are indicative of regular changes that Froese plans to keep both its menu and dining experience fresh. (CHEY SCOTT) 404 W. Main Ave., Spokane; ganderandryegrass.com, 509-315-4613

FOOD & DRINK

EYVIND / HUNT

I

t was a long wait for fans of Spokane chef Tony Brown’s innovative cuisine. The restaurateur first announced plans for his upscale, modern dining concept Eyvind back in early 2018; it and the more laid-back sister spot, Hunt, both debuted at the start of 2020.

The restaurant’s name (pronounced “eye-vind”) and concept was heavily inspired by the oeuvre of American artist Eyvind Earle, who famously painted ethereal background and concept art for some of Disney’s early animated films like Sleeping Beauty.

“I like the idea of having the name be inspired by an artist, because I think culinary arts, as an art, gets pushed to the back. A lot of people don’t think of it as an art; it’s just a way to cook and eat food,” Brown, 42, says.

“But I can be artistic in plating and flavor profiles in several different ways.

For dinner service, diners can expect a one-page menu of shareable appetizers and affordable entrees in the $15 range, along with a few desserts.

Weekday lunch fare consists of a variety of salads and sandwiches. Menus at Eyvind will be more consistent than at Brown’s popular small plates spot Ruins, which alternates cuisines each month, while highlighting seasonal ingredients and with a broad focus on vegetable-based dishes.

Eyvind’s seats around 50 guests at tables and two bars, including one that looks into the large, open-concept kitchen featuring a vivid, lime green — a color frequently used by Earle — tile backsplash above the stove.

For Hunt, the connected basement space below Eyvind, Brown partnered with building owner Jed Conklin to create a warm and rustic space with low, exposed ceilings and custom-built seating using wood salvaged from the upper floors of the 1905-built Bickett Building.

Hunt’s distinct menu theme is “elevated campfire food” and features game meats like elk, wild boar, rabbit, quail and trout.

“Downstairs is definitely meat-forward,” Brown notes. “It’s very rustic and hearty.” (CS) 225 W. Riverside Ave., Spokane; huntspokane.com, instagram.com/_ eyvind, 509-474-1262

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Find elevated campfire food at Hunt, just downstairs from Eyvind

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FOOD & DRINK “NOTEABLE NEWCOMERS,” CONTINUED...

OSPREY RESTAURANT & BAR

T

he newly remodeled and rebranded restaurant inside the Ruby River Hotel offers an osprey’s-eye view of the Spokane River.

Osprey Restaurant & Bar opened in early fall 2019 inside the downtown Spokane hotel formerly known as the Red Lion River Inn; its restaurant was Ripples Riverside Grill.

Hotel owners Jerry and Patty Dicker completely renovated the space overlooking the Spokane River directly east of the Division Street bridge.

Guests can enjoy expansive views of the Spokane River from the sleek and modern dining room’s picture windows while they sip and nibble.

In warmer months, don’t miss the chance to dine on Osprey’s renovated patio perched right on the riverbank and featuring lounge-style seating, fire pits, a stage for live music and easy access from the Centennial Trail below.

Osprey’s menu is described as “new American cuisine with international influences.” (CS) 700 N. Division St., Spokane; ospreyspokane. com, 509-326-5577

Heirloom Tomato and Bacon Panzanella at Osprey Restaurant and Bar ERICK DOXEY PHOTO

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SHAWN O’DONNELL’S AMERICAN GRILL & IRISH PUB

A

lot of restaurants talk a big game about being a “family” place, but you can take that idea a little more literally with the Spokane location of Shawn O’Donnell’s American Grill and Irish Pub which opened in late 2019 in the historic former home of Milford’s Fish House on North Monroe.

Shawn O’Donnell Sr., founder and namesake of the now four-location restaurant, rattles off all the family involved in the business, a crew that includes his wife, daughter, son and daughter-in-law. His partner and general manager of the restaurant’s first location east of the Cascades is darn near family, too. Chase Van Cotthem grew up neighbors with the O’Donnells in Everett and worked at the restaurants starting in high school up until moving to Spokane nearly a year ago to be closer to his wife’s family and find a more economical place to raise his young family.

The front of the house was essentially ready to go. O’Donnell and his family painted the walls and decorated using some of the incredible historic photos and memorabilia stashed in the Milford’s basement, as well as adding a distinctive Celtic flavor to the bar area. They also got rid of curtains and removed some walls that Milford’s had used to add an element of privacy.

From the menu, the corned beef and cabbage is a popular item, and the fish and chips is the best seller, made with wild-caught cod and hand-breaded daily. There’s a wide array of burgers and traditional Irish entrees like shepherd’s pie, as well as not-so-traditional items like an Irish whiskey mac and cheese and an Irish meatloaf made with ground lamb, beef and bacon.

The bar features no less than 18 Irish whiskeys, including flights, as well as several Scotch options, American whiskeys and beers on tap.

While the food and drink are certainly enough to warrant a visit, so is the chance to check out the restaurant’s historic building that first opened in 1925 as the New Transfer Market; there’s a photo near the front from back when it was a grocery store. (DAN NAILEN) 719 N. Monroe St., Spokane; shawnodonnells. com, 509-326-7251

WANDERLUST DELICATO

A

mber Park loves to travel the world and sample its diverse and unique cuisines.

With this wanderlust in mind, paired with more than two decades in the region’s food and beverage industry, Park decided to bring some of her favorite flavors to Spokane in the form of wine, cheese and cured meats.

Wanderlust Delicato opened in downtown Spokane along West Main Avenue in early summer 2019, offering tasting flights, bottles, cheese and meat to-go, cooking classes and other events, including a weekly jazz night and tapas showcase.

“When I travel, I like to find out what is unique to the area,” Park says. “So you hear a lot about terroir with wine, but it’s also the culture and history and geography, and all of that combined with wine and charcuterie and cheese. I like the connection of all three being about preservation, and they all happen to go amazingly well with each other.”

Park’s hope for Wanderlust is that it becomes a place for locals to shop, eat and learn.

For customers looking to take something new home, the shop offers wine by the bottle from across the world (as well as Washington state) that range from $20-$40. A cold case showcases both imported and regionally made artisan cheese and cured meats — serrano jamon, prosciutto di parma, capicola — that can be ordered by the pound or on snack plates served in-store.

One of Park’s favorite cheeses she’s stocked is the weinkäse lagrein, a German-inspired, semiaged cheese from Northern Italy that has an earthy, umami flavor.

“These are artisan cheeses and classic imports that people don’t carry in regular stores or are from small, hard-to-find locales,” she notes.

A limited food menu includes cheese and charcuterie plates, a combination of both and sides of olives, cornichon pickles, sliced baguette and crackers and dried or fresh fruit. Wanderlust’s Globetrotter baguette sandwiches include a Spanish-inspired bocadillo, the French-style, ham-andcheese jambon beurre, a caprese and one rotating special. (CS) 421 W. Main Ave., wanderlustdelicato.com, 509-822-7087

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FOOD & DRINK

US Hanging in there at Kitty Cantina.

Two new local businesses welcome food and animal lovers alike

BY CHEY SCOTT

D

uring its opening week, Spokane’s first and only cat cafe, Kitty Cantina, had a hard time keeping its cat room consistently “stocked.”

That week alone, 16 cats — mostly kittens — were adopted out of the new business that merges a modern coffee shop experience and cat adoption services through a partnership with the local nonprofit shelter SpokAnimal.

“We’ve done really good with cat adoptions,

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almost too good,” says Justyn Cozza, who owns Kitty Cantina with his wife Tori.

An urban trend that began in Asia in the early 2000s, cat cafes have since become popular in cities around the world. Part of the cafes’ draw, beyond helping pair adoptable cats with potential homes, is the chance for people living in residences where pets aren’t allowed to interact with these sort of communal animals.

To visit Kitty Cantina’s rotating lineup of resident felines, there’s a $8 cover charge for a 50-minute session, which includes a $2 drink credit, or a $1 credit for alcoholic beverages. The fee helps with the business’s regular overhead; most importantly the housing of the cats in their luxury, cage-free digs.

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The chic, black-and-white space features dozens of cozy cat beds and soft surfaces. Hexagon-shaped cat beds on the wall above a seating area are accessible via ramps and high perches. A swinging wooden bridge is suspended between two corners, serving as an aerial cat highway or an out-of-way napping spot, evidenced by Slinky’s personal preference one afternoon. The cats also enjoy plenty of sun-filled windows for both people and bird watching. Their litter boxes and food, meanwhile, are stored in an attached, closed room with a cat door.

Reservations to visit the cat lounge are recommended, since walk-ins are currently only available on Tuesday and Wednesday and when the lounge isn’t otherwise full (maximum capacity is six peo-

FOOD & DRINK ple), or there are no outstanding reservations, which can be made online at kittycantina.com. Groups can schedule private reservations ($140-$160), and an unlimited VIP pass ($120) lasts for a full year.

Customers can bring food and coffee from the cafe side of Kitty Cantina into the cat room, but staff are not allowed to go between the two spaces during their shifts. The cat area is always staffed for everyone’s safety.

“We don’t want this to be a petting zoo,” Tori says. “We don’t want a constant flow in here because that is not best for the cats.”

For that reason, Kitty Cantina’s cat room is currently closed each morning to give the cats a break from their ardent admirers. Those quiet times also let new arrivals from SpokAnimal acclimate to their surroundings and each other, Justyn explains, and when staff deep clean the cat room.

He and Tori plan for Kitty Cantina to regularly feature special needs or older cats to help expose them to more potential adopters who may better see past a cat’s lack of youthfulness or other differences in the lower-stress setting.

“It’s a lot easier for a family that might or might not be considering adopting to come and get a cookie or an Italian soda, and then they see these cats,” Justyn says. “And when they do meet them, because [the cats] are so comfortable here, they might bond more.”

land,” Tori says. “This is our family dream.”

H

appy hour’s going to the dogs (and cats) at the newly announced Bark, A Rescue Pub. The pub-meets-animal shelter concept is a partnership between owner Josh Wade, of Nectar Beer and Wine and Nectar Catering and Events, and the Spokane Humane Society.

The animal shelter-restaurant hybrid opened in late summer at the former home of the Blackbird restaurant in the historic Broadview Dairy building at 905 N. Washington St. in downtown Spokane.

Bark’s unique format allows guests to interact with adoptable cats and dogs before or after ordering food and drinks. The eatery is serving a pub-inspired menu in addition to supporting the Spokane Humane Society’s mission as an extension of its local adoption services. Animals are housed

away from food preparation and dining areas, and cared for by a designated team separate from the restaurant’s operations. A portion of proceeds from food and drink sales and reservation fees also support the humane society’s mission.

“We are excited to bring a new and unique restaurant experience to Spokane,” says owner Josh Wade. “My fiancé and I are dog and cat lovers. We have adopted several shelter animals over the years and love being their forever home. Bark provides animal lovers like us a fun interactive dining experience while knowing that we are supporting the Spokane Humane Society with each visit.” n SPOKANE KITTY CANTINA • 6704 N. Nevada St. • kittycantina.com • 509-558-7093 BARK, A RESCUE PUB • 905 N. Washington St. • barkrescuepub.com

E

ven when the cat room is closed or full, customers can still enjoy observing its mischievous residents through a windowed wall between the lounge and cafe.

For its espresso menu ($2-$4.25) filled with cat-inspired wordplay (“cat-uccino,” “meow-cha”), Kitty Cantina is serving DOMA Coffee. Beverage options also include Italian sodas, smoothies, energy drinks and kid-friendly sips like chocolate milk and hot chocolate. Craft beer from local breweries Lumberbeard and YaYa Brewing, as well as wine, seltzer and cider, is available for the 21+ crowd, with daily “happy meower” offering $1 off those options from 4-6 pm.

On the food side, the menu offers bagels ($3), breakfast sandwiches ($3.50-$4.25), oatmeal ($3.50) and a few simple sandwiches ($4.25-$7) like grilled cheese or turkey and Swiss. Baked goods — cake pops, cat-shaped cookies, muffins and sweetbreads ($3-$3.75) — are supplied by the locally operated Lilac City Bakery.

The Cozzas spent more than a year planning, securing funding and finding an ideal location. The couple and their 5-year-old daughter are longtime feline enthusiasts, sharing their home with two cats of their own, as well as frequent fosters from SpokAnimal.

“It’s been incredibly adorable to see little girls show up with cat clothes and cat ears on, and they are just pumped up like they’re going to Disney-

Bark has taken over the former Blackbird space just north of Riverfront Park ANNUAL MANUAL 2020-2021 THE INLANDER |

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FOOD & DRINK

DECADES OF DELIVERING THE GOODS Local delivery chains Pizza Rita and Pizza Pipeline have been sending tasty pies out across the region for 30 years

BY CHEY SCOTT

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FOOD & DRINK

aunched in the late 1980s, the Spokane area’s two largest and oldest locally owned delivery pizza kitchens are still going strong.

Pizza Rita, opened in 1989, has four locations across Spokane today and makes the pizza served in several urban high school cafeterias.

Its local counterpart and competitor Pizza Pipeline debuted the year before, in 1988, and currently oversees six locations in the Inland Northwest, including a franchise in Pullman.

No matter which of the two you’re most loyal to, both reliably bring piping hot and often affordably priced pies to local doors, and bellies. We sat down with co-owners of each to dig into their history, secrets to success and more.

P

Pizza Pipeline.

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izza Rita owner Brian Dickmann wants customers to call him.

His personal phone number is printed directly on coupons and is easy to find on Pizza Rita’s website. On the “contact us” page, beneath an old black-and-white photo of Dickmann next to his grinning eldest daughter, Rita, the pizzeria’s namesake (a play on “pizzeria”), is the heading “Contact Rita’s Dad.” “I’m on the phone a lot,” Dickmann notes. “My number is everywhere, and this is something pretty rare, but it’s easier for me. Like, if there is a [bad] Yelp or Google review, I’ll say ‘Hey, I’m sorry, give me a call or text.’

People ask why I put my personal phone number out there, but it’s not like someone can punch me through the phone.”

That’s not to say Pizza Rita gets an unusual amount of complaints, but rather an example of the Dickmann family’s commitment to customer satisfaction and business transparency.

“We welcome any pizza coupons, offers or specials, and always have — it’s not just ‘take’ or ‘accept,’” he says to emphasize the policy. “It’s printed right on the box.”

Dickmann and his wife June opened the first Pizza Rita location in a building near North Central High School that no longer exists. Today its four locations include downtown Spokane (STA Plaza), Spokane Valley (Pines Road), North Spokane (Wall Street) and central Spokane (Indiana Avenue). The North Wall store is busiest, Dickmann notes.

Dough for its pan-style pizzas is made on-site at each store.

“Technically it’s more like bread dough than classic pizza dough,” Dickmann notes. “We use a ton and a half of flour a week.”

Pizza Rita’s resulting pizza crust is perhaps its most distinguishing asset — thicker and more bready, as Dickmann describes, and with a toastier finish on the bottom.

Out of its many traditional pies and house specials, Dickmann says Pizza Rita’s pepperoni remains its most popular, followed by the infamous Five Pounder ($24) loaded with 11 toppings.

At the end of each day, whether he’s taking calls, slinging dough or making deliveries around town, being in the pizza business, for Dickmann, is about fun and

community connections.

“I have a degree in accounting and finance, but I wanted to work at a place where people want to be there.

Pizza is usually a pretty happy occasion, and even the shape of pizza is conducive to sitting around in a circle,” he reflects.

I

t may be counterintuitive to order pizza through a third-party delivery service from a local joint that’ll drive it directly to your door anyway — and for less — but Pizza Pipeline has good reason for being listed with Uber Eats and DoorDash.

“We don’t need it, but we want to make sure we’re in their network so people coming in from out of town can find us,” explains Pizza Pipeline co-owner Mike Kight.

Indeed, these third-party apps have resulted in travelers to the area ordering from the local chain who otherwise might have missed it.

After more than 30 years in business, Pizza Pipeline hasn’t stopped evolving and adapting to demands of the market and advances in technology that connect it with customers.

“The market trends are people’s taste buds,” Kight notes. “We haven’t changed the recipe for the pizza [sauce or dough], but we have changed the toppings, and move things in and out.”

He lists off a few trends that have come and gone over the years, including meatballs, linguica sausage, European-style pizzas and more.

“We’re always adapting flavor profiles,” he continues. “Right now our margherita is doing really well, and a surf-and-turf with shrimp. The margherita is just a fancy cheese pizza, and we never had it. But we said we could make it, and it seems to be working pretty well.”

The business also often experiments with non-pizza dishes, like its current promo offering a free half-pound of lil’ smoky sausages with any regular-priced pizza.

“Last year we did free popcorn chicken,” Kight says.

“We like to bring in different specials and promos to try things. If it works, great. If not, let’s try something else.”

Pizza Pipeline’s top-selling non-pizza item, of course, is Tricky Stix, a cheesy twisted garlic breadstick.

Kight and business partner Gene Boik opened the first Pizza Pipeline location in 1988, at the intersection of Sharp Avenue and Washington Street in central Spokane.

“It all started with a dream and a good recipe, I guess,” Kight recalls. “Now we have 100-plus employees and all the food is made fresh. We have a production facility in Hillyard, and they make, slice and divide and do that daily to ship it to stores.”

While it’s since moved on from that first address, Pizza Pipeline’s central hub at 1403 N. Division St. is the Bar, a full-service, dine-in restaurant and bar with a connected ordering and pick-up counter. Customers come there to watch games and play in twice-weekly pub trivia while enjoying slices.

“Pizza has been around for a long time,” Kight reflects. “Everyone has grown up with it. Millennials haven’t seen a generation without Pizza Pipeline. We try and have fun with it.” n ANNUAL MANUAL 2020-2021 THE INLANDER |

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FOOD & DRINK

NO. 1 NEAPOLITANS Inlander readers’ four favorite spots for wood-fired pies

THE FLYING GOAT

On any given night, the packed dining room at this family-friendly North Spokane pizza and craft beer spot in the Audubon-Downriver neighborhood is an obvious testament to its success, now 10 years in and counting. Serving up perfectly charred, woodfired artisan pizzas from a traditional Italian-inspired margherita to creative combos like the Fairview — heavy cream, cheese, back bacon and pears; our food editor’s all-time favorite — the Flying Goat has a pie to sate every taste, and then some.

VERACI PIZZA

Many recall back when Veraci was constantly on the move as a mobile oven, traveling from this event to that farmers market. Since 2014, though, it’s been easy to find any time, perched in the heart of Kendall Yards and right off the Centennial Trail. It’s even easier to find an excuse to grab a pizza or slice to go, and to enjoy a pie on the patio overlooking the Spokane River, pint in hand. Veraci’s handbuilt clay pizza oven churns out apple wood-fired pies — like the veggie-friendly Green Dahlia, topped with fresh tomatoes, mozzarella and red onion on a pesto sauce — every 90 seconds or so.

REPUBLIC PI

Fans know Republic Pi as the younger sister across town to the Flying Goat, as both are run by the same ownership group. The menus are similar, too, with several pies overlapping at each (Fairview, Waikiki, Dalton) but a careful study should be able to spot the outliers unique to each location, all with local landmark-inspired names. The Wilson, for example, with garlic cream, smoked chicken, Yukon potatoes and green onion, occasionally sneaks in as a rotating special at the Goat, but remains a menu mainstay at Republic Pi.

EMBERS BY THE LAKE

Veraci Pizza.

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YOUNG KWAK PHOTO

Tucked on the shores of Hauser Lake, northwest of Post Falls, this beloved local eatery made a graceful transition into new ownership when longtime customers Allison and Rob Burnett bought it in 2019.

The couple sensibly didn’t change much on the menu, which is revered for its made-to-order, thincrust pies like the roasted forest mushroom-topped “Allison Wonderland.” The only thing different in this example is that the pizza’s former name (“Alice in Wonderland”) was sweetly tweaked by Rob to pay homage to Allison.

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ACROSS THE GLOBE

The region’s restaurant scene represents international interest in diverse flavors

BY CARRIE SCOZZARO

Queen of Sheba’s Almaz Ainuu.

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YOUNG KWAK PHOTO

W

FOOD & DRINK

HAVE IT DELIVERED!

hen CAFE CARAMBOLA’S Colomba Aguilar first opened her North Idaho eatery 15 years ago, she remembers not being able to get ingredients for her unique blend of Latin American dishes. When she’d feature foods — quinoa salad with butter beans or quesadillas with pineapple salsa — no one would try them, she says.

“It’s changed a lot,” says the restaurateur, who is as much sought after for her cooking as her cooking classes.

Even the notion of “international” or “ethnic” cooking continues to evolve. There was a time, for example, when Italian restaurants might have been unusual in the Western United States, yet now they’re ubiquitous. The introduction of each new cuisine seems to fuel support for others like it and eventually people are clamoring for a THAI BAMBOO in their neighborhood — they’ve grown to four locations since launching in 2001.

Longtime food writer (and former Inlander food section editor) Ann M. Colford agrees. When she moved to the area from the East Coast in the early ’90s, Colford says, “there were fewer, shall we say ‘ethnic’ restaurants” than what she’d grown up with in the Boston area.

In Spokane, the ones that stood out were small, family-owned ones like a Vietnamese place on Hamilton, whose name escapes her but which made an impression for the food and generosity of service.

“The hospitality at these places was fabulous,” says Colford, who remembers doing an article about a cluster of international restaurants in Airway Heights.

“My theory is they’re surrounded by people who have traveled the world, at the air base, who want international flavors,” Colford says.

Other factors in opening up Spokane-area palates may include such events as Expo ’74, the prevalence of international programs in the region’s colleges, and the influx of people from other geographic regions and cultures, whether they be transplants or refugees.

That’s the case with FEAST WORLD KITCHEN, which opened last year as a business and cultural incubator of sorts. The downtown, nonprofit venue allows both transplants and refugees to share their cuisine and culture via a continuously rotating assortment of meals: Syrian, Indian, Afghani, Iraqi, Bhutanese, Senegalese and more.

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73

FOOD & DRINK “ACROSS THE GLOBE,” CONTINUED... our collective palates and encourage emerging chefs. D’BALI’S ASIAN BISTRO in Airway Heights has been a knockout hit with Korean-born owner, Jeannie “Mama” Choi and her pan-Asian dishes like Thai papaya salad and Hong Kong-style pork chops. And they’ve lent their facilities to others for popup Filipino, Indian and other cuisines.

Looking at a world map, some cuisines seemed to have gained a strong toe-hold in the Inland Northwest, particularly Asian, from CHEF LU’S ASIAN BISTRO, KIM’S KOREAN, KUNI’S THAI and the longstanding SUKI YAKI INN, which boasts more than seven decades downtown.

QUEEN OF SHEBA brought Ethiopian cuisine to downtown’s Flour Mill 10 years ago, introducing diners to an elegant coffee service and the unique, bread-like injera.

Although Fereshteh “Fery” Haghighi’s first Spokane eatery in 1980 highlighted French pastries, Iranian dishes like Persian lentil rice are part of her menu through her FERY’S CATERING business.

French and Southern Italian flavors can be found at FLEUR DE SEL, which Laurent

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Zirotti and his wife Patricia opened in Post Falls in 2008, earning Zirotti a James Beard Award nomination.

When Carly Lilly and George Skandalos opened SANGRIA GRILLE in 2001, they introduced Peruvian food like empanadas and saltado into the Moscow, Idaho, dining scene.

AZARS began as a humble family restaurant offering Greek and Mediterranean cuisine in 1980. Since then, various members of the family have branched out, adding more locations and the very popular Azars line of locally available hummus and dips.

Also Mediterranean, yet with more tendencies toward Turkish and Lebanese dishes, Raci Erdem made garlic-lovers out of Idaho diners to his WHITE HOUSE GRILL in 1996.

He has since added two restaurants: Oval Office, also in Post Falls, and the more recent Pentagon in Liberty Lake, Washington.

While only a handful of the numerous and diverse culinary experiences available to the region’s diners in years past, one thing is sure: Our restaurant scene has definitely gone global. n

Kung Pao chicken at Chef Lu’s Asian Bistro.

YOUNG KWAK PHOTO

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Fall-inspired charcuterie board from Coeur dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Cheese LINDSEY WESTWOOD PHOTO

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FOOD & DRINK

The Coeur d’Alene charcuterie board from Coeur d’Cheese LINDSEY WESTWOOD PHOTO

GET ON BOARD Go beyond the boring cheese plate, and embrace the charcuterie trend that’s taking Instagram by storm

BY OLLIE BRANSON

W

hether you’re looking for an at-home appetizer to impress your guests, an easy way to cater for a crowd, or a shareable meal to pair with a bottle of wine for date night, charcuterie boards are the next best thing. These luscious platters have everything from fresh cured meats, rich local cheeses, pickled veggies, delicious spreads and dips, and more. A whole new crop of Inland Northwest eateries and caterers have mastered this trend, offering boards and platters so amazing, you’ll find yourself pulling out your phone to shoot them before you reach in to start eating.

DINE-IN

Adam Hegsted’s WANDERING TABLE is beloved for its creative, seasonal menus, showcasing the region’s freshest ingredients. You’ll find a bevy of small plates designed for sharing on their menu, but their charcuterie boards are the ultimate shared delight — changing with the seasons or the chef’s whim. While the fruits and vegetables will change with the season (pickled apples, yes please!), you can always count on an assortment of well-sourced meats and cheeses.

1242 W. Summit Pkwy., Spokane Kendall Yards’ very own MARYHILL WINERY overlooks the beautiful Spokane River making for the perfect setting to taste wine and share plates. Not only does this charming winery have a superb wine

selection, they offer a quality menu of carefully crafted charcuterie boards and shareable plates. If you’re 21 and over looking for a sophisticated yet fun weekend outing, slip into Maryhill Winery for delicious treats on their patio.

1303 W. Summit Pkwy., Spokane PERRY STREET BREWING is definitely a crowd favorite to gather for quality craft beer and local cider.

This hip and happening pub has a locally based menu with an exception to their artful charcuterie boards containing specially sourced artisan meats and cheeses from New York’s famous Murray’s Cheese shop. Perry Street’s to-die for charcuterie platters are piled high with seasonal rich cheeses, pickled onions, freshly cured salami and marinated olives.

1025 S. Perry St., Spokane ANNUAL MANUAL 2020-2021 THE INLANDER |

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FOOD & DRINK

sharing the craft foods we love to eat a local brews we love to drink

on our beautiful patio

(208) 457-3610 • 120 E 4th Ave, Post Falls, ID 83854

The Board Spokane shows its stuff on Instagram, too

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CATERING

THE BOARD SPOKANE is a catering company owned by two fierce locals, Mckenzie Wilson and Allison Adebayo, dedicated to making your catered event a culinary experience to remember. Want a charcuterie spread that spans 9 feet? No problem. They deliver stunning displays (if you don’t believe us, stalk their Instagram account @theboard.spokane), complete with an excellent assortment of cheeses, meats, olives, baguette and crackers, plus a few unexpected twists like fresh honeycomb and their signature chocolate hazelnut dip.

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SAVOR BY BREE LUNDY is a small local catering company specializing in charcuterie and grazing tables featuring delicates like fresh, local cheeses and homemade huckleberry jam. From luscious charcuterie boards to go, grazing tables for large gatherings, Bree does it all — beer and wine pairings included.

Welcome COEUR D’CHEESE to the Inland Northwest’s charcuterie family! Established in 2019, Coeur d’Cheese is Coeur d’Alene’s very first charcuterie company. Head to their Instagram for photos of their artful charcuterie grazing boards and platters that will have you scrambling for an excuse to order one.

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The Hayden charcuterie board from Coeur d’Cheese

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SHOPS AND MARKETS THE CULINARY STONE makes gourmet eating easily accessible to all. This exceptional local shop offers rare speciality foods from around the world.

Shop their well-stocked deli case or the shop’s shelves, or hit the easy button and order one of their customizable meat and cheese trays catered to your personal budget.

2129 Main St., Coeur d’Alene WANDERLUST DELICATO is home to all things wine and charcuterie. From cooking classes, to wine tasting, and catering, this sweet local spot has it all — including a stunning rooftop patio option for private parties. Order one of their grazing tables, perfect for a big event, or pick up one of their picnic snack packs for a date in Manito Park. Inspired to make your own platter?

Shop their well-stocked deli case and let your creativity flow.

421 W. Main Ave. THE BUTCHER BLOCK AT HAY J’S, located in Liberty Lake, offers a wide selection of delicate hand-cut deli meats perfect for charcuterie boards, along with an extensive wine and craft beer selection to pair. In a hurry?

Pick up one of their charcuterie kits, and make entertaining your book club look effortless.

21724 E. Mission Ave., Liberty Lake Right in the heart of downtown Spokane, MAIN MARKET CO-OP is home to the best selection of local cheeses. Their selection is constantly rotating with the seasons, including a wide variety of specialty cheeses from local Brush Creek Farms, Lake Wolf Creamery, Ford Farms and more.

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Located directly off of I-90 in Coeur d’Alene, PILGRIM’S MARKET is a locally owned natural grocer and is a hub for the finest organic foods and fresh produce in the area. You cannot beat the quality of their heirloom tomatoes and fresh-baked loaves of bread. Not to mention, their ripe fruits and extensive meat and cheese selection to add all the color and variation you need for an at-home platter.

1316 N. Fourth St., Coeur d’Alene Known specifically for their exceptional coffee and remarkable wine selection, PETUNIA’S MARKETPLACE, offers a wonderful variety of pickled vegetables and local preserves. Located in a quaint, old home near Gonzaga, pick up some pickled goodies and a fabulous bottle of wine to take home.

2010 N. Madison St., Spokane n

where passion continues to be plated and poured

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2037 N Main St, Coeur d’Alene, ID IN RIVERSTONE ANNUAL MANUAL 2020-2021 THE INLANDER |

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FOOD & DRINK

The late Kay Porta poses for a portrait at Second Harvest YOUNG KWAK PHOTO

FOOD IS LOVE, FOOD IS HOPE Second Harvest celebrates 50 years of serving the Inland Northwest

BY THEA SKOKAN

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A

s the ’70s began, the conflict in Vietnam stretched into a second decade. The economy stagnated, and leaders began to realize hunger and malnutrition was an issue facing Americans, not just less fortunate countries. The White House Conference on Food produced a declaration demanding President Richard Nixon “immediately declare that a national hunger emergency exists.”

From there, a national movement to fight hunger began, leading to a revamp of the food stamp program and the opening of the first American food bank.

Here in Spokane, social worker Kay Porta noticed a troubling amount of people who needed food were still ineligible for food stamps. Porta saw an opportunity to unite disjointed local efforts, founding the Spokane Food Bank in 1971.

Fifty years later, Spokane Food Bank, now Second Harvest, is the leading organization in the fight against hunger in the Inland Northwest.

Second Harvest has worked towards Porta’s original purpose, serving as a backbone to the local food bank system, communicating with and distributing

to smaller-scale relief groups.

Since that vision took shape in 1971, Second Harvest has distributed more than 490 million pounds of food to help feed hungry children, families and seniors in Eastern Washington and parts of Idaho.

That’s enough food for more than 408 million meals.

Meeting needs of this caliber has required the organization to constantly evolve. In 1988, Spokane Food Bank was updated to Second Harvest after becoming a fully certified member of the national food bank network known as America’s Second Harvest.

With an updated name came a healthier outlook.

“We now see ourselves as part of a movement to help folks move from a state of hunger to one of health as there has definitely been a realization that low-income people disproportionately suffer the consequences of diet-related disease,” says Chief of Staff Drew Meuer.

Though fortunate enough to live in an agriculturally abundant region, a disconnect occurred

when clients were unsure how to use a raw squash or a bag of lentils in a meal, Meuer says.

Seeing this, Second Harvest transformed part of its warehouse space into a functional kitchen in 2015 and began offering weekly cooking classes with local chefs. The result — a fun and, most importantly, sustainable step towards lasting dietary changes.

A

ccording to Kathy Hedgcock, senior vice president of philanthropy, making sure children in the Inland Northwest are fed has been a driving force behind Second Harvest since its beginning.

In 2013, the Bite2Go program was launched with that in mind. Bite2Go was developed to help school children in need. The idea being that while schools may provide food during the week, many children lose that food security when they return home for the weekend.

Food security or insecurity is a prominent term in the vocabulary used

by Second Harvest employees and volunteers, a term that has pioneered a more nuanced idea of what hunger really means for people. “[The phrase] ‘food insecurity’ tries to encapsulate the idea that it’s not just a state of not having enough calories, but also the fact that you wonder at times if you’ll have enough food to eat three meals a day,” Meuer says. “It paints a picture of the ways in which circumstances change over time.”

The reality of food insecurity is that many people experiencing it may not even be at or below the poverty level.

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In recent months, even the National Guard has helped Second Harvest distribute food.

“It gets more complicated when you are in that gap where you don’t qualify for [aid programs], but you still don’t make enough income to put consistent food on the table,” he says.

The number of people falling into this category has grown significantly in the last couple of months.

In the midst of the global COVID-19 pandemic, Second Harvest is expecting a significant increase in the number of people they will be serving in the next six months, even in the next year to two years, Meuer says.

Following the recession in 2009 and 2010 when unemployment hit 10 percent, Second Harvest operations nearly doubled in size. Six months after the first case of the coronavirus case was documented in Washington, unemployment remains at 15 percent, a number Meuer says is not predicted to go down anytime soon.

“There are a lot of unknowns in the short to medium-term right now,” he says. “However, we look forward to celebrating our 50th anniversary with the community and our network of volunteers and donors who have made it possible1018 when it’s safe to do so.”

W Francis 99205 Spokane, Until then,WAoperations will stay rooted in the notions that drove Kay Porta to(509) open326-‐6794 Spokane Food Bank 50 years ago.

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FOOD & DRINK

BRING ON THE HOLLANDAISE

BY CARRIE SCOZZARO

T

hink breakfast and you think eggs, which do double-duty in eggs benedict.

The dish is generally attributed to a wily, yet unnamed Waldorf Astoria Hotel chef who whipped up the concoction for a grumpy (and allegedly hungover) New York City stockbroker named Lemuel Benedict in the late 1800s. Variations on the story are as abundant as variations on the dish, originally served thusly: English muffin, ham or Canadian bacon, poached egg, decadent hollandaise sauce (egg, butter and lemon). Diners have been ever grateful since. Whether you’re in need of a hangover cure or just a delicious brunch, here’s where to find some of the best benedicts around.

Its name says it all. BENE’S in Cheney has no less than 11 variations of eggs benedict, in half or full orders (but honestly if you can’t finish your meal, these reheat well, too so order up). Sun-dried tomato in the hollandaise in the grilled cheese benedict is a perfect pairing. The chorizo benedict brings south-of-theborder flavors while the “fireman’s” benedict has you hollering for water when you bite into this variation with smoked sausage, roasted peppers, jalapenos and Sriracha hollandaise. 24 W. First St., Cheney • 509-951-5207 FRANK’S DINER is a Spokane institution, especially the railcar diner location that is as much fun to visit as the menu is to peruse. For eggs benedict fans, Frank’s offers seven options, proof positive that hollandaise is a blissfully delicious sauce that can be skewed towards just about any cuisine from Creole to Florentine. Try the Irish Benedict with grilled rye instead of the English muffin,

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Bene’s Veggie Benedict.

TESS FARNSWORTH PHOTO

shaved corned beef, basted (versus poached) eggs, and hollandaise with tangy Dijon. 1516 W. Second Ave., Spokane • 509-747-8798 Brand, spankin’ new but from a familiar local developer, OSPREY RESTAURANT & BAR is just one of many reasons to visit this newest Ruby Hotel restaurant on the Spokane River. Another is eggs benedict (and bloody marys) served on their stunning riverside patio. Try the classic with ham or their twist on the dish with smoked salmon, cream cheese, poached egg, a dilly hollandaise and breakfast potatoes. 700 N. Division St., Spokane • 509-828-9429 Weekend brunch at ITALIA TRATTORIA feels like you’ve stumbled into a little oasis of Old World charm, right there in Browne’s Addition. Basil in the hollandaise adds an extra brightness to their eggs benedict Florentine, which features spinach, tomato, cage-free poached eggs and hearty home fries. 144 S. Cannon St., Spokane • 509-459-6000 You’d expect a restaurant with farm animals on its sign and adjacent to a large red barn to have excellent, egg-based breakfasts and you’d be right about CHOMPER CAFE. The Country Boy Benny is one of six benedicts on the menu and it bends the rules by subbing a biscuit for the English muffin and sausage gravy for the hollandaise. Or go for the vegetarian, with creamy avocado, spinach, tomatoes and a sprinkling of chives. 2345 W. Prairie Ave., Hayden, Idaho • 208719-0441 Breakfast all day. That’s the menu at THE BREAKFAST CLUB, which has to have one of the most unique variations on eggs benedict with their cheesestuffed French toast topped with bacon, eggs and hollandaise. The sweet-savory combo is a hit. All day long. 501 S. Main St., Moscow, Idaho • 208-882-6481 Some veggie benedicts make only a cursory attempt at replacing the juicy, salty ham in the traditional dish with something equally as good but DILUNA’S is all in. In addition to benny variations with salmon or crab cakes, their vegetarian eggs benedict is a heaping helping of grilled zucchini, tomato and seasonal local veggies. Call it veggie benedict surprise. 207 Cedar St., Sandpoint, Idaho • 208263-0846 n

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FROM LOCAL FARMS TO YOUR FORK

I

f you’ve been searching for something to push you outside of your comfort zone without having to leave the comfort of your home, look no further than community-supported agriculture (CSA). Working to create a simple farmto-table connection, members sign up to receive fresh, local produce and other goods during the growing season, while supporting the survival of local farmers.

The need to shop locally has only grown as communities struggle to cope in the midst of coronavirus, so here are four options to help.

Community-supported agriculture connects local farmers to local consumers

BY THEA SKOKAN

ROCKY RIDGE RANCH

Located just 30 miles from Spokane, Rocky Ridge offers three 12-week programs that vary by what’s in season. Members pick up a weekly or biweekly, reusable cooler on the South Hill. A variety of meats is also offered ($1,100/full). rockyridgeranchspokane.com · 953-0905 · annually $550/full, $300/partial (plus membership fee)

TOLSTOY FARMS

Tolstoy boasts 25 strong years of its CSA program, using sustainable farming methods made possible by CSA participation. Sourcing from their Davenport farm, weekly trips are made into Spokane for delivery and pick-up at the Spokane Farmers Market. tolstoyfarms.org · 725-3276 · annually $650/full, $400/half; $250/winter share

LINC FOODS

LINC works with 60+ local farms in the Inland Northwest, which gives you the option to not only buy fresh produce but also add locally produced eggs, cheese, meats, bread and artisan-made items to your order. Sign up for a LINC Box subscription, or simply order specific items through the LINC’s marketplace. Now in the age of COVID, they offer contact-free pickup at five different sites in Spokane. lincfoods.com/lincbox · 505-0446 · weekly $26.14/base share, $51.14/large share

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URBAN EDEN

One of the most affordable and closest options available, Urban Eden farm is just five minutes from downtown Spokane in Vinegar Flats. Members receive a weekly box from June through September with content that varies as the seasons change. urbanedenfarm.com · 953-7863 · annually $400/full

Spokane, USA! We’ve brought home 30+ International brewing medals from 7 countries.

Ireland• England •Germany •Belgium •Australia •japan

Big thank you to no-li’s amazing brewers, cellar, packaging and warehouse teams!

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FOOD & DRINK

POSH PICNICS A new Spokane business brings elaborate, customizable outdoor picnics to local parks

BY CHEY SCOTT

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mid the vibrant colors and fragrant aroma of Manito Park’s iconic rose garden, the luxurious picnic setup is inviting and summery, like a scene from the pages of a high-end lifestyle magazine.

A crisp white quilt is spread atop the lush green lawn and piled with plush pillows and cushions.

Atop the blanket, a low table at the perfect height for sitting on the ground is set with sparkling crystal goblets and tumblers and a delicate lace runner from end to end. A vase of fresh, coral-hued roses accented with sprigs of baby’s breath adds a pop of color to the arrangement of mostly white and pastel pinks.

The tableau is one of many offered by Pop Up

A.JO SCOTT PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTO

Picnic Spokane, a mobile picnic service that brings a chic outdoor dining experience to nearly any locale.

Founded by Rachel Killpack in spring 2019, the business offers thoughtfully curated dining settings for everything from weddings to baby showers, engagement proposals to birthday parties.

“Picnicking like this is quite popular in the U.K., and when you go over especially to the continent, and you go to France, you see lots of families enjoying picnics and it’s not just a rug on the ground, it’s a table and chairs and they really bring the whole dining room outside,” Killpack says. “It’s very European.”

So far this year, Killpack has styled a dozen

Serving breakfast and lunch items all day featuring seasonal local products and producers.

Brunch

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5002 N. Ferrall St. 1248 W. Summit Parkway Kendall Yards (509) 290-5952 theyardsbruncheon.com

509.868.0385

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FOOD & DRINK

“POSH PICNICS,” CONTINUED... or so private picnic dinners. The British transplant, a former teacher whose husband serves in the U.S. Air Force, was inspired to launch the business after seeing a friend’s similar operation in Australia, where her family lived before moving to Spokane a year and a half ago. The creative venture also pairs perfectly with Killpack’s love of the outdoors.

“I was following and watching what they did, and thought ‘I would love to be able to do that,’” Killpack recalls. “I did it as a family picnic first, and posted a photo on Facebook just to get feelers out and see if anyone would book it, and straight away I got bookings. I’ve been really busy ever since.”

Pop Up Picnic Spokane hosts intimate arrangements that can seat two people as well as large outdoor banquets for 30 guests and can set up picnics in public parks, at private venues like Arbor Crest Wine Cellars, or in clients’ backyards. The latter is a popular option this season and one that Killpack encourages due to COVID-19 restrictions.

“I think that adds to the experience,” she says of hosting a picnic at home. “You can enjoy it without interruptions and you’re guaranteed a spot.”

While Killpack only provides the physical

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An elaborate backyard soirée staged by Pop Up Picnic Spokane elements for a luxe outdoor dining experience — blankets, pillows, tables, place settings and festive table decor — she encourages customers to order food from local caterers or restaurants. Bites & Treats Catering is one local company she often suggests for its charcuterie-style graze boards.

Pop Up Picnic Spokane is essentially open as long as the weather allows, from late spring to early fall, but indoor picnics are also an option in the off-season. As the sole employee of her business — outside of help from her 15-year-old son, Will — Killpack can usually host just one event per day, and averages two or three a week.

Pricing starts at $99 for a picnic for two, and goes up to $450 for the largest option, seating 30 guests. Details on each booking option are listed at popuppicnicspokane.com. Each picnic is typically about two hours long, but can be extended or shortened. And if the weather doesn’t cooperate, Killpack doesn’t charge a cancellation fee; instead she’s happy to work with clients to reschedule for another time.

“You can’t always predict the weather, especially a month in advance,” she says. “And it won’t have

A.JO SCOTT PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTO

the same ambiance if we have to put a tent over it, either, so I try to get people to postpone if they can.”

While most picnics she sets up are within the Spokane area, clients further away can still book events with an added fee for the extra distance. Most locations are fair game, but Killpack asks that there’s nearby parking so she and her son don’t have to haul the setup too far. For spots more off the beaten path, she also offers a traditional picnic basket ($50) that’s easier to carry, along with blankets and a few pillows.

For picnics in public areas, however, she cautions that alcohol is usually not allowed.

K

illpack finds inspiration everywhere for new picnic themes, and currently has decor for setups that range from romantic to whimsical.

“I love the creative side of it, so I truly try to set it up so each picnic is a little different,” she says. “I have more of a little girl’s picnic with a teepee and all the bunting and things like that, but I always go with what the celebration is. I have all different colors of cushions, and I can do it really formal, or more relaxed and fun.”

The blankets, place settings and decor she

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FOOD & DRINK

Sweet

“POSH PICNICS,” CONTINUED... sources from various big box hobby, department and discount stores, but the low tables and all the cushion and pillow coverings were custom made

by Killpack.

“I am a very crafty sort of person, and I love making things,” she says.

“If someone came to me and said ‘Could you do a Harry Potter or Seahawks theme?’ or something like that, I can adapt and personalize.”

By sewing her own pillow coverings, Killpack not only saves money, but cleanup between events is a breeze since she can take off the cases and wash them, versus having to wash — and store — dozens of pillows in different colors and patterns.

“I would have to move houses if I had more cushions,” she says, laughing.

Next on Killpack’s schedule is a bachelorette party in a client’s backyard, and her first time ever setting up for a marriage proposal. Recent events she’s coordinated include a local woman’s celebration with friends for becoming free of breast cancer, and a lunch organized by a group of mothers of special needs children. Her first picnic of the year was indoors, a surprise planned by a father to celebrate his daughter’s graduation from Gonzaga University after the formal ceremony was canceled.

“He organized for me to set up a picnic in a lounge room for her and her roommates, and then got food delivered to them,” Killpack says. “I thought that was really special since their original plan was for him to fly here and they couldn’t do that because of the lockdown.”

For all of her events, whether a surprise for someone or a preplanned celebration, Killpack simply relishes being able to contribute to her clients’ significant life moments.

“It’s really rewarding, and for people who have a reason to celebrate, you are planning part of that celebration and it’s really satisfying.” n

Handcrafted Daily Ice Cream

Follow Pop Up Picnic Spokane on Facebook (@popuppicnicspokane), Instagram (@pop_up_picnic_spokane) and at popuppicnicspokane.com.

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South Hill 1001 W. 25th Ave 509.535.7171

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www.sweetfrostingsbakeshop.com

Pop Up Picnic Spokane’s Rachel Killpack

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YOUNG KWAK PHOTO

reats

Classic French Pastry • Casual Dining Espresso • Beer • Wine

Award winning pastry, breakfast & lunch served daily.

415 W. Main Ave. • (509) 624-2253 • MadeleinesSpokane.com DINE-IN, TAKE-OUT AVAILABLE • See our website for current hours

Made in Spokane 509-484-6454 1419 E Holyoke Ave Spokane, WA

hallettschocolates.com 7.5” wide by 2.37” high

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Linger over a glass of rosé at Winescape on Spokane’s South Hill

BY CARRIE SCOZZARO

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JILL POLAND PHOTO

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3.65” wide by 2.37” high

FOOD & DRINK

ine is as much about the visual as it is about the taste. As wonderful as it is to procure some of our favorite wines at local grocery and specialty stores, there’s nothing quite like sampling your favorite wine — or discovering a new one — in one of our region’s many wonderful wineries and tasting rooms.

Driving up to TOWNSHEND CELLARS feels a little like Sonoma, yet instead of grapevines, you’re surrounded by evergreens on the nearby tree farm and Green Bluff’s varied fruit orchards continuously cycling from leafy green to blossom to fruit. The patio beckons under the everchanging canvas of Eastern Washington skies, perfectly paired with a glass of chilled rose.

When the weather cools, step inside the recently updated tasting room, a modern space yet warm with wood and soft seating for a glass of bold red or their late-season ice wine.

Tucked into a gentle slope in the rural farmlands of Spokane’s South Hill, WINESCAPE WINERY is a newer family operation that values the easy ebb and flow of living and working in the countryside. Be here in the evening for an unparalleled view of the night sky and a glass of their luscious Marmot Incarnate or the award-winning sangiovese rose.

Another Napa Valley-like experience awaits at ARBOR CREST, with its long, sloping drive up Fruit Hill Road to the nearly 100-year-old Italianate Cliff House and estate grounds with 360-degree views of the nearby river, mountains and prairie. Make a reservation for an extraordinary Mediterranean-in-

Drive-thru Espresso, Housemade Baked Goods, Bagel Breakfast Sandwiches, Paninis, Wraps maplestreetbistro.com | 5520 N Maple Street | (509) 328-0473

Open Daily | Full Bar 818 W. Sprague Ave | 476-0650 9602 N. Newport Hwy | 467-0292 NudoRamen.com

Open for Dine In and Take Out Brunch

10a-2pm Sat & Sun

Townshend Cellars in Green Bluff has an expansive outdoor patio

CLARIN JOY PHOTO

Hamilton & Sharp in the GU District 509-474-0584 • logantavernspokane.com ANNUAL MANUAL 2020-2021 THE INLANDER |

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“WINE WITH A VIEW,” CONTINUED...

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VANESSA SWENSON PHOTO

fluenced dining experience, thanks to a new collaboration with celebrity chef Chad White. Look for events, like yoga and mimosas, live music and art festivals or schedule a small-party tour of the estate, including a personalized wine tasting and complimentary commemorative wine glass.

Urban wineries like downtown Spokane’s BARRISTER WINERY provide a different sensory experience, replacing the twittering of birds with a sonorous hum of passersby in hidden courtyards amongst the concrete. Located in the historic Chronicle Building, TERRA BLANCA’S Spokane tasting room features wines from their Red Mountain estates and outdoor seating in the courtyard near artist Harold Balazs’ fountain sculpture. OVERBLUFF CELLARS in the charming Cracker Building has a modest patio, while in Kendall Yards, MARYHILL WINERY offers views of the river from their large outdoor patio. Pop over for a light bite and glass of their pinot noir, or settle in for live music and great people-watching of the nearby trail. You’d never know BRIDGE PRESS CELLARS has such a large patio, until the music starts, of course. Join them for a weekend meal, glass of wine and some of the best live music in town, when allowed by state guidelines.

Somewhere in between an urban vibe and rural feel are wineries like LIBERTY LAKE WINE CELLARS, where easy access from the highway and pretty views combine. In North Idaho, visit CDA CELLARS, a popular place for paint nights, live music and — more recently — their large patio for a plate of gourmet goodies and a glass of award-winning wine.

And for tasting rooms that also involve a lovely drive, make plans to visit the Palouse-viewing opportunities at MERRY CELLARS in Pullman, Washington, and COLTER’S CREEK modern, semi-urban patio in just across the border in Moscow, Idaho, both within an easy 90-minute drive of the Spokane-Coeur d’Alene corridor. n

& PE;ARL UIINA RE;STAURANT �

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Brunch, Lunch & Dinner Served Daily

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www.cloverspokane.com | 509.487.2937 913 E Sharp Ave, Spokane |

LOCALLY OWNED | LOCALLY MADE | LOCAL INGREDIENTS

CURRENT HOME: 1003 E. Trent #200 | SPOKANE | 509.489.2112 ANNUAL MANUAL 2020-2021 THE INLANDER |

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FOOD & DRINK NO-LI MANGO HARD SELTZER

LOCAL GOODS While shopping local is definitely in vogue right now, our Inland Northwest community brings a spunky new twist to this trend with one-of-a-kind locally made products

BY OLLIE BRANSON

There are few businesses that work to make our community better (in so many ways), than No-Li Brewhouse. From producing award-winning products to helping to feed families in our community, No-Li simply does good work. In 2019, they got into the hard seltzer business. This year, they stepped up its seltzer game adding “a little slice of paradise” to its collection with the new Day Fade Mango. This refreshing, tropical seltzer is perfect for a hot summer day spent on Lake Coeur d’Alene or tanning poolside. Find these six-pack canned seltzers at Safeway, Albertsons, Total Wine, Rosauers and Super 1 for $10. nolibrewhouse.com

SNACKTIVIST FOODS ROSEMARY GARLIC FOCACCIA BAKING MIX

In the heart of downtown Coeur d’Alene sits the gluten-free, vegan hub that is Snacktivist Foods. Whether you are gluten-free or not — try the Gluten-Free Rosemary Garlic Focaccia. Enjoy it with a warm soup in the fall, dip it in olive oil and balsamic vinegar as an appetizer, or throw it on the grill and make it a pizza! Pick up one of these mixes from Rocket Market, My Fresh Basket, or Pilgrims Market. $10 for a 12-ounce package.

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snacktivistfoods.com

SPICEOLOGY SIX PACK BEER RUB

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Based right here in Spokane, Spiceology, brings new innovative flavors to tables all over the country, offering a wide variety of 250+ spices, blends, rubs, powders and salts (I’m just scratching the surface here). One of its newest additions is its Six Pack Beer Rub Sampler. This set of beer-infused rubs covers the whole flavor spectrum from a Hickory Peach Porter rub to a Jalapeno Lime Pilsner rub. Starting at $70, order online or pick it up at the Kitchen Engine. spiceology.com

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THREE BIRDIES BAKERY “SWEET TWEETS” SUBSCRIPTION BOX

Three Birdies Bakery bakes and decorates some of the most extravagant cookies you have ever seen (if you don’t believe us, check out her Instagram @threebirdiesbakery). Summer 2020, Three Birdies introduced Sweet Treats Cookie Subscription Boxes. Sign up, and you’ll get a batch of cookies at the beginning of each month, with the quantity of your choice (six to 24 cookies) at $3 each. Each cookie box has a different theme. For instance, September is “Back to School” (sort of). To order, visit Three Birdies Bakery on Instagram or Facebook.

4

CHURCHILL’S STEAKS AT HOME

Churchill’s Steakhouse, the epitome of Spokane’s fine dining, is known for its unmatched prime steaks and memorable dining experience. Though dining out isn’t an easy option amidst COVID, Churchill’s is selling its exceptional steaks to be delivered to your door or picked up. A variety of cuts are available and range in price from $57 to $119. churchillssteakhouse.com

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SPOKANDY CHOCOLATIER SEA SALT CARAMELS

Some of the finest chocolate produced in the Pacific Northwest has been locally made and produced right here in Spokane for over 100 years. Spokandy ensures the quality of its sweet treats by practicing the very same candy-making traditions as they did when the store opened in 1913. Along with its mints and Murphys that we’ve all come to love, Spokandy sells a whole line of caramels, from butter rum, Kahlua coffee and huckleberry vanilla. Order online or head downtown to grab some caramels for $3.25 apiece in the store. spokandy.co

Thank you for

INSIDER INSIGHT

RICKY WEBSTER From decorating cakes in front of a Michaels craft store as a teen to helping open a super swanky Los Angeles hotel, plus wins on a couple of network TV baking shows, RICKY WEBSTER has done it all. The chef, who found his calling in the world of food after working at a French bakery in New York City at 18, has since landed in Spokane, where he’s become a familiar and friendly fixture in the local food scene. Three years after arriving in the Inland Northwest to take an executive chef position at the now-defunct Hotel RL, and then a consulting role with food supplier Sysco Spokane, Webster is now mapping out plans for his own pastry and cheese shop concept.

Supporting

We’re here for you rocketspokane.com | @therocketbakery | 509-927-2340 MILLWOOD | 1ST & CEDAR | SOUTH HILL | WALL ST | GARLAND | SPACE STATION

BRANCHING OUT “I’ve been with Sysco for two years now, which has really allowed me to ground myself and grow. It’s made me realize that I do want something of my own, and I want to do that in the community that has accepted me and has given back and jumped on board with my crazy ideas. It’s been a very feel-good place to be, and to have my family live with me — my boyfriend, our two dogs and four chickens — it’s been a lifestyle change from that L.A. mentality.

There is a sense of peace and calm; I can have this balance here.

And the food community is still growing, it’s such an exciting time to be here. I want to contribute to that again on a personal level.”

PERFECTLY SMOKED BBQ SERVED ON A TRAIN

THE FUTURE OF DINING “Who knows what is going to come, and who knows how things are going to develop [after the pandemic]. I’ve seen friends and loved ones and people I look up to close restaurants and lose jobs.

We’re all in this together and we’ll get through it and find that new normal. It’s going to be a change in the industry, and that change was coming regardless, with the minimum wage hikes and small margins. There will be some fine dining establishments left, but a ton of quick-service that gets going because of the demand and price.”

DINING AREA OPEN:

Tues-Thurs 3-8pm Fri & Sat 11am-8pm CURBSIDE PICKUP AVAILABLE

Follow us on Facebook for

HAPPY HOUR

SPECIALS! Happy Hour Daily 3-6pm

11027 E Sprague • 509-710-3426 • SmokeRidgebbq.com

SHARING THE BOUNTY “I grew up in a situation that wasn’t necessarily ideal; we had a lot of hardships, but one thing my parents always made sure of was that there was food at the table. I think that’s why it’s so important to me now to nourish my community through the food that I give. When I moved here and was evaluating where I was, I wanted to give back and make sure people who are food insecure have that to come home to. I can’t imagine a child coming home from school and not having dinner or food over the weekend.”

— CHEY SCOTT

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Revival Tea Company goes from online sales to opening a downtown Spokane tasting room

BY ARCELIA MARTIN

D

A Hibiscus Cosmopolitan artfully mixed at Revival Tea

HECTOR AIZON PHOTOS

rew and Cerina Henry had never considered themselves tea lovers.

Sure, they were drinking three to five cups a day, but the Spokane couple had their eyes set on opening up a distillery in town. They’d been traveling back and forth to Ireland to research distilleries and then had an epiphany.

“We realized that we drink way more tea than whiskey,” Drew Henry says. “But tea is not sexy, even though it’s the number two drink behind water. So we were like ‘Oh my gosh, what if we took what we know from whiskey and put it into tea.’”

In 2018, the couple launched Revival Tea Company as an online venture, exclusively selling their signature spiced chai blend. Within the first 90 days, they say, they’d shipped their chai to 24 countries and almost every state. They next launched a Kickstarter campaign to attract more attention, raising about $5,000. The money raised was used for preorders, allowing the company to distribute its first wave of chai tea.

“Word spread like wildfire because when people get a tea they like, they start to talk and tell their friends about it,” Henry says. “Our online business just exploded, so we said ‘OK, maybe this is something we’re going to have to jump on a little quicker.’”

Revival began selling its spiced chai at wholesale, which is now served at coffee shops across the Pacific Northwest. The chai is made of nine ingredients: black tea, cinnamon, ginger root, wild and raw flower honey, cloves, allspice, cardamom, fennel and black peppercorn. The honey adds more sweetness to their blend than most chais, creating a bolder and more complex tea, Henry explains.

7.5” wide by 2.37” high

A NATTY DINER AND LIQUOR BAR FEATURING A CURATED MENU OF NORTHWEST-INSPIRED CONTEMPORARY AND CLASSIC AMERICAN FARE, CRAFTED COCKTAILS, AND SPOKANE’S BEST WHISKEYS

415 WEST MAIN AVENUE  SPOKANE, WA  DURKINSLIQUORBAR.COM  509.863.9501

TAKE-OUT AVAILABLE

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SEE OUR WEBSITE FOR UPDATED HOURS

Early this year, the local tea company began serving its chai alongside more than 30 other teas in a downtown, speakeasy-inspired tea room nestled between Durkin’s Liquor Bar and Sweet Peaks Ice Cream. The couple wanted a basement space to best match their brand’s vibe.

“The big thing is we want tea to be really approachable,” Henry says. “We want to make it a very accessible experience, as tea can be very overwhelming or even intimidating, and we don’t want it to be that way.”

The basement space wasn’t on the market when the Henrys were looking for a brick-and-mortar location, but Drew knew the owner of the building that was built in 1910 by Spokane liquor tycoon James “Jimmie” Durkin. During Prohibition, the main floor served as a soda fountain to front for the bar in the basement. The couple signed a 15-year lease as their way of showing that Revival Tea is here to stay.

Teas the company uses are purchased through tea brokers, who buy fair trade and organic tea on behalf of Revival, as well as directly from tea farmers.

“All of our teas come from the very small tea leaf at the top of the plant that’s called the flowery orange pekoe,” Henry says. “So, the higher you get, the more nutrients you get from the part of the plant. All of our tea comes from that.”

At Revival’s storefront, which is open to in-person service at half of its normal capacity and with many other public health guidelines in place, traditional tea is served by the cup ($3.50) or as tea service for two ($8.50). While wanting to focus on tea, the tearoom plans to also serve gluten-free muffins from the local Made with Love Bakery and Walker’s gluten-free shortbread cookies imported from Scotland. The spiced chai is also offered on nitro ($4.50), which Henry compares to the creaminess of Guinness beer.

Mocktails ($5) are also on the menu, like an Earl Grey old fashioned made with a bourbon extract, simple syrup, bitters, fresh orange peel and cinnamon.

Happy hour is offered every night from 4-6 pm with tea mocktails for $2 off.

With original wood flooring and dark leathered decor, the cozy basement tea shop makes customers feel like they’re entering a well-kept secret.

“People can come after work and if maybe they don’t want to drink, they can have fun, and have a cool place to conversate,” Henry says. “So we’re doing a lot more than just hot tea.” n Chey Scott contributed to this story.

Revival Tea Company • 415 W. Main Ave. • Open daily 9 am-6 pm • revivalteacompany.com • 315-8099

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hile the COVID-19 pandemic threw a major obstacle in the tea shop’s way just weeks after their February opening, Henry says Revival Tea’s roots as an online retailer was a boon for sales during the shutdown. The downtown shop was able to remain open for to-go orders and local online pickup, and began offering free shipping on orders from non-local customers.

“During the shutdown, online sales just went completely insane,” Henry says.

“We used it as an opportunity to gain more customers, and just as soon as places could be open again we saw a sharp decline in online sales as people started to come in more.”

Overall, Henry estimates Revival Tea is seeing about half its projected sales volume had there not been a global pandemic, but “for us that is a lot better than the alternative; a lot of places are struggling and we’re not struggling.”

Just before the mid-March shutdown, the Henrys purchased a machine to bag their teas into individual servings, a process that before was done by hand and only for some of its tea blends. Now all of Revival’s teas are sold both in loose-leaf form and in single-serving bags.

post & riverside downtown spokane

cochinitotaqueria.com 509.474.9618 happy hour 3-5:30 & taco tuesday 3-close

full bar dine in takeout delivery ANNUAL MANUAL 2020-2021 THE INLANDER |

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CURBSIDE PICKUP OUTDOOR SEATING • INDOOR SEATING

McClainsPizzeriaSpokane.com

BOOZE & BEANS Cheers to our local drink producers raking in all kinds of accolades this year

BY OLLIE BRANSON

OPEN Sun-Thu 11am-9pm / Fri-Sat 11am-10pm

Pizza • Calzones • Growlers • Bottled & Can Beer

10208 N Division • 509-368-9045

A

lthough 2020 hasn’t been the easiest year for businesses to navigate, the past year did give us a lot to celebrate. Many of our local wineries, distilleries and coffee roasters received the recognition they deserve.

Let’s toast to them!

WINE

Order Online for Pick Up! go.Lavutogo.com/qqsushi

1902 W. Francis Ave • Spokane • 509-279-2721

MORE THAN JUST A SPORTS BAR

A pandemic couldn’t stop the 2020 Cascadia International Wine Competition, and that was good news for a handful of Inland Northwest wineries that took home medals at the June wine competition. In addition to being selected as Wine Press Northwest’s Pacific Northwest Winery of the Year, Clearwater Canyon Cellars out of Lewiston, Idaho, was selected as the best red wine/best of class in the Cascadia competition for its 2018 carménère and captured another half-dozen gold and silver medals. Winescape Winery also earned top accolades at Cascadia with a rare double gold award for its 2019 Sangiovese Rosé. Nodland Cellars captured two gold medals for its Bad Attitude Red Wine and syrah, while Liberty Lake Cellars earned a gold for its Bud Burst Red Wine, and three silver medals. The good news just kept coming for Maryhill Winery at the 2019 Washington State Wine Competition, where it earned two best of class awards for its 2017 viognier and the 2016 merlot, in addition to nine other gold medals. Making a good year even better, winemaker Richard Batchelor became the three-time winner of the INDY International Wine Competition’s Winemaker of the Year Award.

Townshend Cellars in Greenbluff received a different kind of recognition — becoming the first-ever Washington Winery to be a member of 1% for the Planet, and is working towards a better future as an environmentally sustainable wine company.

SPIRITS

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During the midst of a worldwide pandemic, Dry Fly Distilling stepped up to serve our community creating “Spokanitizer” sanitizer, and distributing it for free. In addition to earning good local karma, the Spokane institution earned five 90+ point scores from Tasting Panel, including a 95 point rating for its Straight Wheat Whiskey Cask & Release Pelican Brewing. Wine Enthusiast piled on with four 88+ ratings. Up North Distillery brought home an extensive list of medals for its Barrel Aged Apple Brandy from the 2020 American Craft Spirits Association, the 2019 National Honey Boards Spirits Competition, and the 2019 American Distilling Institute, along with a few other big-name competitions.

COFFEE

Roast House is known for sourcing strictly organic coffee and focusing on traditional, ethical ways of cultivating and roasting its beans, but it continues to make a name for themselves nationally for brewing a damn good cup of coffee. Roast House brought home six medals from the 2019 Golden Bean North America Competition (aka the world’s largest coffee roaster competition). Indaba took Spokane by storm starting in 2009 and since then has become a popular favorite. In April of 2020, Indaba was recognized by the Coffee Review as a top-scoring coffee roaster for their Ethiopia Hassen Ware Akrabi blend. n Tamara McGregor also contributed to this article.

INSIDER INSIGHT

JOHN BRYANT Now nearly a decade into his stewardship of No-Li, owner JOHN BRYANT has continued to help foster a strong craft brewing scene in Spokane — all while pumping out award-winning brews and, recently, even hard seltzers. From his Brewhouse on the Spokane River, he’s also made No-Li into a local force for good.

SPOKANE IS A DESTINATION “Our local community possesses an abundance of character, creativity, imagination and talented local artists,” says Bryant, who feels No-Li is privileged to be part of a thriving scene for food, music, the arts and craft beer. “Since the earliest Spokane breweries in the 1880s, we’ve toiled and grinded away from the larger metropolitan cities, and we’ve collectively built a spirited community that appreciates shared sacrifice and total commitment.”

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“Craft brewing helps to bind a community together,” Bryant says.

“It gives us a sense of local place and pride.” Creating a living wage, adding to the tax base, contributing positively to the overall culture of community and operating with a spirit of giving back more than they take are all priorities, says Bryant, who is looking for the ideal downtown Spokane site where No-Li can build a new regional production facility. “No-Li is committed to developing 100 local jobs in the trade of beer making and community development.”

FOCUS ON THE COMMUNITY “The pandemic has shown our Spokane community pulling together,” Bryant says. “Spokane continues to demonstrate its blue-collar trades roots with a depth of character and a lunch-pail work ethic. These are qualities that have shaped a spirited Spokane community that competes for the future.” No-Li, he says, is committed to Spokane’s future, raising $40,000 for Big Table, for example, and supporting Spokane Food Fighters as well as a meal program for local Logan Elementary. More recently they raised money for the city of Spokane Human Rights Commission and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center. “Spokane is a fabric of collaborations and partnerships,” he says, noting that it has taken many hands to build this character. “It is truly a ‘stay strong together’ sense of place.”

— CARRIE SCOZZARO

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NIGHTLIFE

Michael Rapaport, Jay Pharaoah, Shawn Wayans: thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just a handful of the big names scheduled to make Spokane laugh in the coming year

Where to party with pride in the Inland Northwest

When the music returns, find your fix at these local clubs

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PLAY IT AGAIN

The hits keep on comin’ with these local musical institutions

BY NATHAN WEINBENDER

E

ven before a pandemic struck, Spokane’s music scene was constantly gestating. A band forms. A band breaks up. Two guys from that band start another band. Lather, rinse, repeat. But then there are those groups that stick with it, who might have a couple minor lineup changes or stylistic tweaks here and there, but continue to deliver trusty jams throughout the years.

So here are a few of our favorite Spokane musical institutions, the bands and solo artists who have stuck around and become old reliables. COVID-19 or not, these are the groups that have shown they can stand the test of time. This is hardly a comprehensive list by any means, but hopefully it points you in the direction of some new bands you’ve never heard of.

Flying Spiders.

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SOUL PROPRIETOR

NIGHTLIFE RON GREENE

CARY FLY BAND

PJ DESTINY & JAMSHACK

WORKING SPLIFFS

FLYING SPIDERS

This R&B collective has the kind of long history typical of local bands: They started some 25 years ago, played regularly as the in-house band at the old Ridpath Hotel before finally slowing to a stop.

They picked up again about a decade ago, and their nine-person lineup tends to fill a whole stage with lively covers and a few originals.

Ace guitarist PJ Destiny has been a staple of the regional music scene for decades, and now he performs alongside his son Jimi in the three-piece JamShack. The band has had regular gigs at the Coeur d’Alene Casino for years, with a deep songbook of classics and contemporary hits that’ll keep you dancing late into the night

INTO THE DRIFT

Husband and wife duo Dave and Laurel Ducet found their voices entertaining audiences for years on cruise ships. They’ve since traded in their sea legs for regular gigs at casinos, clubs and VFW halls all over town, and they bring their close musical chemistry to songs you already know every word to.

Citing a broad range of influences from Prince to Sarah MacLachlan, this soulful guitarist has firmly established himself as one of the most reliable local entertainers in the biz. Ron Greene has released several albums and plays multiple times a month, both as a solo artist and with his namesake rock band Gre3ne.

In case their name wasn’t already a dead giveaway, this local mainstay is all about chill vibes and grooves. The Spliffs started as a reggae act back in 1999, but their sound has evolved since then and they now incorporate elements of R&B, ska and jam rock. Put on your finest tie-dye and enjoy.

SAMMY EUBANKS

Spokane audiences love the blues, and because they’re so discerning, you should consider their endorsement of guitarist Sammy Eubanks a big deal.

He’s arguably the region’s most celebrated blues musician, a prolific live musician who has won his fair share of awards from the Inland Empire Blues Society.

Speaking of blues, Cary Fly has been bringing it to Inland Northwest audiences for years, bouncing around and playing in various bands as far back as the ’70s. Though he’s best known for playing on the bluesier side of things, his namesake band can just as easily pull off old time rock ’n’ roll, R&B and country without much effort.

Founded in 2010 by late music journalist and Spokane scene champion Isamu Jordan, this local collective continues on with a wild fusion of hip-hop, funk, psych-rock, R&B and live beatboxing. Their gigs aren’t as frequent as they used to be, which makes a Flying Spiders sighting all that more special — keep an eye out.

ROBERT VAUGHN

If you’ve dined in Beverly’s, the swanky restaurant and bar at the top of the Coeur d’Alene Resort, in the last 30 years, the odds are good that you’ve heard Robert Vaughn. This one-man band provides the perfect atmosphere for your evening, and he can usually satisfy a request with a songbook that’s as varied as any karaoke bar.

Ron Greene.

CREATIVE LIFE SPOKANE PHOTO

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NIGHTLIFE

CHRIS RIESER AND THE NERVE

Chris Rieser has been a part of the Spokane scene for years now, having moved to the area in the ’70s and playing as a duo with fellow musician Jay Rawley for the past 20 years. This trio that bears his name has been entertaining audiences for nearly as long, having performed at venues that aren’t even around anymore. But they’re still rockin’.

JUST PLAIN DARIN

Darin Hildebrand got his musical start in a Seattle metal band called Kidd Robin, but he branched out on his own — his stage name really underlines that sense of independence — around the start of the new millennium. Since then, he’s played countless shows around town, with multiple gigs a week at restaurants, bars and clubs in both Washington and Idaho.

DONNIE EMERSON

Donnie Emerson is one of the few Spokane musicians who has actually had a hit song: His sun-dappled ballad “Baby,” recorded with his brother Joe as teenagers back in 1979, has been covered and evangelized by indie musicians, and even recently appeared on Big Little Lies. He’s still playing regularly as a solo artist, often with his wife and collaborator Nancy Sophia, and you might get lucky and hear that great old song.

MOJO Donnie Emerson.

JEFF FERGUSON PHOTO

Based out of Post Falls, Mojo bills itself as “the party band.” And party you shall: Mojo brings the hits, and they’ll even give the audience the rock star treatment with the opportunity to sing on stage along with the band. Having performed at every type of gig in the last 15 years, they know how to keep a room grooving deep into the night. n

Y

ou don’t have to wander too long before finding some live music in the Inland Northwest.

Regardless of what you’re craving — rock, pop, country, metal or maybe a little of everything — there’s somewhere for you to hear it.

LUCKY YOU LOUNGE

GO OUT AND LISTEN

Where to get your live music fix

BY NATHAN WEINBENDER

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Browne’s Addition, 1801 W. Sunset Blvd.

This hip nightlife spot in the Browne’s Addition neighborhood is relatively new, but it has already booked such legacy acts as Son Volt and Mudhoney alongside a slew of up-and-comers. The 21-plus club offers a 300-cap room and a full-service restaurant, as well as a basement that hosts DJs, dance parties and free shows.

THE PIN

Downtown Spokane, 412 W. Sprague Ave. Climb up the stairs at this all-ages venue in the heart of downtown and you’ll find a variety of music most nights of the week. The Pin has a reputation for metal, hardcore and hip-hop, but it has branched out with indie rock and singer-songwriter acts, as well as weekly drag shows that draw a crowd.

THE BIG DIPPER

Downtown Spokane, 171 S. Washington St. The blue brick building on the corner of Washington and Second is a Spokane institution, having served as a venue off and on for three decades. Welcoming all ages and all genres, the Dipper delivers everything from rock to reggae to rap, and even the occasional comedy show or staged reading.

THE HIVE

Sandpoint, 207 N. First Ave. Over in Sandpoint, this downtown venue leans toward R&B, funk, blues and jazz. The place has become known for its after-parties during the annual Festival at Sandpoint, and for their dedication to quality sound.

NASHVILLE NORTH

Post Falls, 6361 W. Seltice Way Your inner cowboy’s gonna yee-haw when it sees this stateline country bar, which is notable for its large floor space, regular ladies’ nights and line dancing. Put on your finest Stetson and kick up your boots. n

INSIDER INSIGHT

MATT MEYER

Before a pandemic silenced the music and stopped all the shows, MATT MEYER took over as the director of entertainment at the Spokane Public Facilities District (PFD), charged with booking the Arena and the First Interstate Center for the Arts with the best entertainment he can find. It’s a job perfectly suited to a guy who has made a career of booking and managing events not only for the PFD, but for the Spokane Shock, Gleason Fest and even his own music festival, Tinnabulation.

MAKING THE MOST OF THIS TIME While Meyer spent the first part of the pandemic rebooking shows, he’s also been using this time to put together a wish list, with the goal of eventually programming more acts at the FICA than we’ve seen in years past. “We’ve never put the effort into actually going out and actively booking that venue with bands and artists that could and should be coming through the area. So ironically, right now I’m putting together a wish list for both venues.”

LOOKING BEYOND ROCK ’N’ ROLL

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When it comes to booking bands for either venue, Meyers starts by looking at the data. “The hard part about my job is not to take my personal preferences and push them,” he explains. “I can see what’s being played here locally within our [designated market area] and I compare that with what’s happening on the national level.” He’ll also look at streaming numbers. “Everyone knows that rock and country works in Spokane. But right now we’re willing to start taking a little bit of a risk on some of the newer artists and genres that are popping up.”

BACK TO THE FUTURE “The next year is gonna be very interesting. And I don’t think that I’m done moving shows to be quite honest.” Meyer and his team are working through creative configurations and seating options to allow more social distancing. “I think it’s just a matter of time and working collaboratively with not just the artists and agents, but at the local level with the health department and finding the best and safest way to do this so we can get shows and entertainment back up and going.”

— TAMARA McGREGOR

SUPPORTERS OF THE 2020 DRINK LOCAL CAMPAIGN

Dry Fly, No-Li, Townshend, One Tree and the Inlander are working together to spread the word that drinking local has a very positive and lasting effect on our community.

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NIGHTLIFE

Sativa performs at nYne Bar in Spokane

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NYNE BAR & BISTRO

With its sleek industrial style, open floor plan and garage style doors opening onto a streetside patio, nYne Bar & Bistro can be packed with late night partiers without feeling overly crowded. nYne hosts a variety of weekly events, including game nights on Tuesdays, karaoke on Wednesdays and trivia on Thursdays. But it’s on Friday night where you can see hosted drag shows, with local queens sashaying all over the club’s elevated stage, followed by late night dancing featuring a diverse array of Spokane’s best DJs. Downtown Spokane, 232 W. Sprague Ave.

THE GLOBE BAR & GRILLE

The historic Globe building has sat on the corner of Main and Division since the dawn of the 20th century, opening originally as a hotel and serving as a multipurpose retail space for generations. Now it’s home to two of the city’s preeminent gay hangouts, one of which is the appropriately named Globe Bar & Grille. A longtime tavern that has changed owners several times, it is now run by Scott Willburn and caters to LGBTQ+ customers with regular drag shows hosted by Spokane’s premiere drag emcee Nova Kaine.

Downtown Spokane, 204 N. Division St.

THE BLIND BUCK

PARTY WITH PRIDE Spokane’s LGBTQ-friendly night spots offer dancing, drinks and drag queens

BY NATHAN WEINBENDER

M

ore and more businesses have become vocally supportive of the LGBTQ+ community in recent years, but the spaces specifically catered to queer customer bases are still commodoties in the wild. Here’s a rundown of the gayowned bars and clubs that are making downtown Spokane a more rainbow-tinged place, offering drinks, karaoke, DJs late night dancing and drag performances.

Just next door to the Globe is the Blind Buck, which has the same owners as its neighbor and has developed into something of an annex attached to the Globe. It isn’t a huge hangout space, but it has gained a reputation as one of downtown’s most beloved gay bars. The Buck hosts RuPaul’s Drag Race viewing parties, bingo nights and Saturday drag shows, as well as regular drag brunches, where you and your friends can enjoy breakfast foods and mimosas while being entertained by local drag queens. During the summer months, sit on their rainbow-colored patio and live your best life.

Downtown Spokane, 204 N. Division St.

THE PIN

This music venue, tucked away in an upstairs corner of a brick building on West Sprague, has long had a reputation for hardcore, hip-hop and metal shows.

But the venue has diversified its schedules since longtime booker Chelsey Heidenreich took over as owner of the business in 2018, and the Pin’s calendar regularly features drag shows. The Haus of Voodoo drag collective is the primary “cast” at the Pin, featuring queens who subscribe to a more outthere style, and they also have open mic-style shows for up-and-coming drag performers looking to try out the stage. The Pin is also the only all-ages venue in town that puts such a spotlight on drag shows.

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NIGHTLIFE

LAUGH IT UP

Now more than ever, we could really use a good joke

BY DAN NAILEN

Y

ou probably noticed an uptick in stand-up comedy specials on Netflix and Amazon Prime while the world was living an unusually locked-down life. Watching comedians on TV can be a great salve during troubled times, but they don’t capture the energy and joy of seeing really funny people perform in person.

Spokane and its surroundings, thankfully, have a slew of great spots where you can catch national and local talent. In the months ahead, there are some serious laughs in store for the Inland Northwest.

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Piff and Mr Piffles II. The SPOKANE COMEDY CLUB is a natural place to start, thanks to their weekly showcases and special one-night-stands. They have a fall packed with big names, from Michael Rapaport (Oct. 1-3), former SNL star Jay Pharoah (Oct. 23-25) and Brian Posehn (Nov. 12-14) to Chris Hardwick (Nov. 19-21), Shawn Wayans (Dec. 4-5) and Pauly Shore (Jan. 21-23).

You can also catch one-off comedy shows at venues typically dedicated to live music. The KNITTING FACTORY in downtown Spokane is hosting the Pump and Dump Show starring Amy Albert and Jill Bartlett (May 1, 2021), a comedy show/singalong/ game show aimed straight at the moms in the audience.

The BING CROSBY THEATER in Spokane also regularly hosts stand-up shows, and on Jan. 23 will feature two shows by Nate Bargatze, a breakout comedy star who’s a favorite of Jim Gaffigan and Marc Maron. And Piff the Magic Dragon, star of Season 10 of America’s Got Talent, swings by the Bing March 26.

The MARTIN WOLDSON THEATER AT THE FOX also brings in its fair share of comedy. This year they have the comedy duo of Kristin Hensley and Jen Smedley, better known as #IMomSoHard, arriving Oct. 22 to take their popular Facebook web series to

CHRISTOPHER DEVARGAS PHOTO

the stage. And the FIRST INTERSTATE CENTER FOR THE ARTS also packs the place for some big-name comics; this fall they’ll welcome Jo Koy on his “Just Kidding” world tour Oct. 24. In 2018 Koy was named “Stand-Up Comedian of the Year” at the Just For Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal.

You don’t have to go big to get some laughs, though, thanks to local comedy talent and rooms that book both locals and regional touring comedians. The Best Western Plus Coeur d’Alene Inn has been hosting a regular “Comedy Night at the Inn” for years. The Spokomedy comedy group hosts showcases and special nights like Drink N’ Debate at venues like the VIKING, BLACK DIAMOND in Spokane Valley and NYC PIANO BAR in Coeur d’Alene.

NEATO BURRITO and RED DRAGON regularly welcome comedians for open-mic nights.

And if you love the live-without-a-net style of improv comedy, head to Spokane’s Garland District for one of the Blue Door Theatre’s weekly shows, including adults-only performances for late-night crowds. n All dates are accurate as of press time, but are subject to change based on the region’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.

Drink Local DRINK LOCAL Now available in your local stores!

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SHOPPING

Trovato Interiors.

Local shop owners up their online game in response to the global pandemic PAGE 114

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What local, independent bookstores really bring to the community

Look to these 6 kitchen stores to inspire your inner chef

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SHELTERING IN PLACE

SHOPPING

There’s nothing like a pandemic to make you look at your home or apartment in a whole new way.

BY TAMARA McGREGOR

W

hen the shelter in place orders came in March, schools closed. Restaurants, shops and work sites were shuttered and all of a sudden we found ourselves at home. All the time.

While some embraced yoga pants and dry shampoo, many also found their attitudes about their home shifting as weeks stretched into months. They looked at their kitchens and patios and saw projects they’d put off for years. They indulged in Netflix binges on their sofa and then started browsing online for a new sectional, or ottomans. They bought new throw pillows and turned at-home offices into camera-ready Zoom studios.

While our local brick-and-mortar shops were still ordered to be closed, national online retailers like Wayfair saw a massive spike in business. “The thing about Wayfair is they’ve never been profitable,” explains Heather Hanley, who owns two local furniture stores the Tin Roof and Reskued. “So COVID might actually make them profitable.” As the stayat-home orders were rolled out across the nation, Wayfair saw the demand for kitchen items, bedding, towels and desks surge. Their second-quarter earnings report showed “unprecedented demand” and “record numbers of new and repeat customers.”

For smaller Spokane businesses like the Tin Roof, the pressure was now on to meet customers in new ways, while the stay-home orders remained in place. That meant connecting over the phone with old customers, and using platforms like Instagram and Facebook to give showroom tours or show off new merchandise. As restrictions began to lift, Hanley says customers were avoiding long shipping delays and buying items right off her showroom floor. They were also choosing to shop local to avoid customer service headaches. “I think people are more interested in shopping local, not necessarily because they want to support local business, but because they know if they have a problem somebody is there to support them,” Hanley says. “With the bigger companies like Wayfair, you just hear horror stories about customer service these days because quite simply, they don’t need you. They don’t need your business. They have plenty. Whereas I do, I need your business and I need to keep you happy. I

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don’t have an infinite supply of customers like they do.”

As the pandemic persists, Hanley says it continues to shape buying patterns. She says she’s seen renewed interest in purchasing American made products and high-quality, long-lasting furnishings.

She’s seeing customers wanting to invest in their homes. “We are spending all our time at home, so instead of going out to eat they want their experience to be like that of going to their favorite restaurant.

Their house has to be a retreat.” Hanley says she’s also seeing the pandemic shape where people live — citing a surge of new clients who’ve recently moved here from out of town.

W

hen Jacki Reed and Kim Mehaffey opened Savvy Home in downtown Spokane’s Carnegie Square in June 2019, a pandemic was never part of their business plan. Nine months into running their decor and lifestyle boutique, the governor’s orders closed their doors to customers.

“We were just starting to build a following and gaining momentum when we had to shut down,” explains Reed. “Now we’re just trying to adapt to what shopping looks like now.”

Reed’s skills as a former photographer came in handy as the duo took their store online. Now you can buy directly from the shop on both platforms, and they’ve also had success scheduling Facetime appointments with clients, to help them with small projects like restyling their mantles to designing entire living rooms.

For people who are watching their budget, Reed says swapping out some small items can have a big impact. “You can refresh with pillows or artwork or bring in new candles and really enliven your space.”

Some of the biggest sellers during the pandemic have been pillows, area rugs, art, and small items for home entertaining.

For a duo that opened their business hosting events in their shop, they’ve missed some of the personal interaction with their customers. “It’s nice to have people back in. It’ll be nice when you can actually see people smile again and you can see an entire face.”

Until that time, they’ll meet customers online, in the shop or curbside, and acknowledge that sometimes a rearranged home can feel like a rearranged life.

F

or Bridgit Wilson, principal interior designer at Nook Interiors, the spring was nerve wracking.

Remodels were stalled due to stay at home orders, and sourcing materials became more challenging. But then the dam broke open. “People were just stuck in their house,” she explains. “They’ve had to cook every single day in their kitchen. And before did you really have to? No. Then they are realizing how much their kitchen is driving them crazy, their bathrooms are driving them crazy.”

Business picked up, and hasn’t slowed down since. Most of the clients she’s working with are building new homes or starting major remodeling projects. “They’re huge remodels and really high end. Nothing’s stopping anyone.” Many of the contractors she’s working with are now booked a year out. What’s also surprised Wilson, is the large number of new clients she’s taking on who have moved to the area from Seattle and California. “It’s been great for me, but I’m shocked,” she adds. “I didn’t think that was going to be the result of this.”

At a time when there is so much uncertainty in the world, controlling your own environment and creating a sense of peace at home is one thing people can control. “I think it’s huge,” Wilson explains.

“If you have good design, there’s balance and repetition. That’s very soothing, because we want that order. Not everyone knows how to put that together, but your mind wants that.”

Wilson is curious to see how the pandemic impacts the future of design. “I think it’s an exciting time to be in design. I think there’s going to be a revolution,” Wilson says. She went on to explain how what we learned about germs over 100 years ago during the Spanish flu essentially inspired the modern-day bathroom. “I think we’re going to see a whole different design movement after this — of houses and commercial spaces. I think everything is going to change. It’s going to be exciting.” n

SHOPPING

Trovato Interiors flaunts its European-inspired style.

ERICK DOXEY PHOTO

READY FOR A REFRESH? If it’s time for you to reevaluate or redecorate your home, here are some local resources you can turn to

BY TAMARA MCGREGOR

FURNITURE 1900 HOUSE AND HOME This Francophile’s dream is tucked away in a warehouse district in downtown Spokane on Pacific and Browne. You’ll find furnishings, table runners, barware, candles and other accents inspired by the rustic, French countryside, along with trained designers who can help you pull together a cohesive look. 114 W. Pacific Ave., Spokane

ENNIS FINE FURNITURE Ennis has been furnishing some of Spokane’s finest homes for more than 50 years. Staff designers will help you select fabrics, finishes and furnishings, no matter how big or small your decorating needs are.

8313 N. Division St., Spokane

MADISON COUNTRY Shabby chic and modern farmhouse style are always in fashion at Madison Country. Shop here for slipcovered sofas, rustic farmhouse tables, antique-inspired buffets and a massive selection of faux florals. The shop transforms with the seasons, so be sure to stop by when you need a new Thanksgiving centerpiece or want to spruce up your Christmas decor. 2928 N. Madelia St., Spokane

MADISON HOME Madison Home sells high quality, heirloom furniture in a variety of styles, most of which are American-made. With a higher price tag comes an even higher level of customer service — the store offers in-home consultations, accessorizing services and real estate staging. 2826 N. Ruby St., Spokane

RAIL CREEK FURNITURE CO. Look to family-owned Rail Creek Furniture Co. for truly unique, one-of-a-kind pieces, with an emphasis on rustic and industrial-inspired furnishings.

Follow them on social media and you can take advantage of their deal of the week, and score a

leather sofa for under $500 or creamy white accent chairs with nailhead details for only $139 each. If you find a better price online for an item you’re looking for, they’ll beat it. 1801 E. Sprague Ave., Spokane

RESKUED Reskued is the clearance shop for its upscale sister store, the Tin Roof. Turn to Reskued for high-quality furniture at an extreme discount — like 40-70 percent off designer styles for your living room, bedroom, dining room or home office. Accessories like area rugs, lamps, and art are discounted up to 90 percent. Just know that with prices that good, inventory turns over quickly. So if you see something you want on their Facebook page, don’t wait.

1702 E. Riverside Ave., Spokane

RUNGE FURNITURE COMPANY Family-owned Runge Furniture has a massive showroom full of appliances and furnishings in a wide variety of price ranges. With a bevy of nationally recognized brands including Ashley, La-ZANNUAL MANUAL 2020-2021 THE INLANDER |

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Boy, Hooker and Flexsteel, they also offer a wide variety of styles. Hunting for a bargain? Don’t miss Runge’s Clearance Center for deep discounts. 303 E. Spokane Ave., Coeur d’Alene; Clearance Center, 2424 N. Fourth St., Coeur d’Alene

SAVVY HOME This on-point home decor and lifestyle boutique in downtown Spokane’s Carnegie Square is one of the newest shops in Spokane, opening in June 2019.

Owners Kim Mehaffey and Jackie Reed pack a lot of style in this small store, selling sofas, benches, poufs and tables, along with exceptional accessories that will help you entertain like the Barefoot Contessa.

Shop the store, browse online or you can set up a private Facetime shopping session or even schedule small after-hours shopping parties (as COVID-19 restrictions permit). 1407 W. First Ave., Spokane

THE TIN ROOF It’s fun to find some inspiration on the Tin Roof’s Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest accounts. Browsing the artfully arranged vignettes in the showroom will also help you reimagine your home. But just know that online and in-person, you’re only seeing the tip of the iceberg of what the Tin Roof offers.

Work with one of their designers (a complimentary service offered at the store), and the options are endless. Most of the sofas, chairs and tables you see at the store can be custom ordered in a variety of finishes and fabrics. Need help pulling an entire look together with paint and lighting? They can help with that too. 1727 E. Sprague Ave., Spokane

SHOPPING TROVATO INTERIORS We first discovered Trovato Interiors on social media. Their posts popped up in our stream and the images looked like photos you’d see in Architectural Digest. While they are fun to follow on Facebook, it’s even better to browse this Spokane Valley store.

The main showroom is beautiful, but then you weave around what was an old home, exploring room after room. It’s like getting to visit your stylish friend’s house and getting to take home what you like. Much of the decor is European influenced — pottery from Portugal and Italian-inspired settees.

Owner Susan Usai also blends in extraordinary items she finds at estate sales, like 200-year-old Wedgwood Botanicals china with the new Norwalk and Bramble furniture, so you can create a room that looks collected, unique and anything but homogenous. 9919 E. Sprague Ave., Spokane Valley

WALKER’S FURNITURE AND MATTRESS Walker’s started as a small family-owned furniture store back in Spokane in the ’80s and has expanded to 15 locations throughout Eastern Washington, North Idaho and Oregon, with its selection of classic and contemporary styles at a variety of price points.

Part of their success can likely be attributed to a commitment to having the most affordable everyday prices (and they’ll price match if you find one lower). 15 E. Boone Ave., Spokane; 14214 E. Sprague Ave., Spokane Valley; 7224 N. Government Way, Dalton Gardens, Idaho

HOME DECOR FIG TREE HOME DECOR Is your mantle looking ho-hum? Are you so over the accessories on your entry table? Maybe you’re shopping for a hostess gift. The Fig Tree, one of the newest home decor shops in Spokane, can set you up with the accessories you need, along with offering a smattering of stylish furniture pieces. 2 W. Third Ave., Spokane

HURD MERCANTILE & COMPANY A short and scenic drive through the rolling wheat fields of the Palouse will lead you to one of the best home and garden shops in the area. This massive store (8,000 square feet!) is exquisitely merchandised with themed vignettes perfect for outfitting a shabby chic cottage or a rustic lake cabin. 30 S. First St., Rockford, Wash.

LUCKY VINTAGE AND PRETTY THINGS Waco, Texas, has Joanna and Chip Gaines. Here in Spokane, we’re lucky to have the likes of Celeste Shaw, whose restaurant Chaps, and shop Lucky Vintage have inspired people here to blend the old with the new, and find beauty in unexpected items. This charming and cheerful shop in Vinegar Flats showcases the work of a wide variety of vendors, selling everything from extraordinary natural wreaths, to pottery, candles, original art, and much more. Their Fall Fest is an event not to be missed. 1406 S. Inland Empire Way, Spokane

MIX IT UP While Mix it Up is one of our go-to gift shops, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t treat yourself to something from this ever-tasteful shop. They always stock a beautiful array of tablecloths, dishes, and barware, plus pillow, candles and all the small, fun decorative items that make a house a home. 513 E. Sherman Ave., Coeur d’Alene

WHITE BRICK INTERIORS White Brick showcases the work of small makers and artisans at this ever-so-stylish shop in Coeur d’Alene’s Riverstone Village. Fans of modern boho style or the clean lines Scandanavian design will appreciate the abundant selection of artisan-made accents, like pottery, planters, baskets, pillows, poufs and vases. 2055 N. Main St., Coeur d’Alene n

The Tin Roof.

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HOME COOKING A half dozen local shops that will inspire you to indulge your inner chef KITCHEN ENGINE

The Kitchen Engine in Spokane’s historic Flour Mill has been a beloved destination for chefs and wannabe chefs since 2006. They have all the gadgets, cookware and the top brands you’d expect, along with some of the best live demos and cooking classes around. Coffee lovers will particularly appreciate their hands-on coffee lab. 621 W. Mallon Ave., Spokane

THE CULINARY STONE

From kids classes to primers on Korean barbecue and cake decorating, the Culinary Stone has a truly remarkable year-round calendar of classes. Book one or simply draw inspiration from this large shop’s expansive array of cookware, place settings, inspired ingredients and even an olive oil tasting bar and an artisan deli full of gourmet meats and cheeses. 2129 N. Main St., Coeur d’Alene

THE DINNER PARTY

To be clear, the Dinner Party isn’t a traditional kitchen shop. Don’t look here to find a Le Creuset dutch oven or a garlic press. No, you come here to browse the eye-popping tablescapes they put together. The linens, place settings, glassware and accessories here are drop-dead gorgeous and will have you fantasizing about

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The Culinary Stone your next dinner party. They also carry an impressive international wine collection, and host regular tastings. 3510 N. Government Way, Coeur d’Alene

MIGLIORE OLIVE OIL

Migliore means “the best” in Italian, and this Coeur d’Alene shop prides itself on sourcing the best olive oil and other fine delicacies it can find. While you can order off their website (if need be during a pandemic), it’s way more fun to taste your way through this shop. There are more than a dozen different flavors of olive oil and 20+ varieties of infused balsamic vinegars all available for sampling. Pro tip: Try the butter flavored olive oil with some truffle salt. It’s dreamy on popcorn.

512 E. Sherman Ave., Coeur d’Alene

MICHLITCH SPOKANE SPICE CO.

Michlitch is where hunters go for the spices they need to make their own jerky and where foodies turn to for the smoked seasonings, spices and meat grinders they need to make and stuff their own sausage. They even offer a monthly sausage-making class. This stalwart of Spokane since 1948 also makes a variety of rubs for grilling, brines and cures. 130 N. Stone St., Spokane

SPICE & VINE MERCANTILE

Want to impress your guests with a beautiful, flowering tea? Or are you making a recipe that calls for Szechuan peppercorns? Look to Spice & Vine Mercantile in the Spokane Valley. They routinely stock more than 100 types of loose leaf tea and an impressive array of exotic spices and artisan salts, plus imported oils and vinegars. 328 N. Sullivan Rd., Spokane Valley — TAMARA McGREGOR

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Echo Boutique.

A ONE WOMAN’S TREASURE Local consignment shops offer low prices without skimping on style

BY THEA SKOKAN

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shley Brownlee, owner of GARLAND RESALE, knows exactly what makes a good consignment sale, and chances are you know it too.

“We all have that item in the deep dark corner of our closet that you don’t wear but you don’t want to get rid of,” Brownlee says.

Her downtown Spokane store sells high-end women’s brands like Anthropologie, Free People, and Lululemon along with locally made earrings and other goods.

There are a variety of reasons people become invested in the practice of consignment and resale.

For some, it’s the satisfaction of hunting for that perfect item, for others, it’s the environmental impact. Regardless of motivation, the price is an added benefit for all, and the reason consignment shopping may begin to rise in popularity in the coming months.

Coronavirus has forced the closure of many local businesses and with it more and more people are losing jobs. Facing the reality of economic hardship

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means knowing that necessities don’t stop being necessary, they just need to come cheaper than before.

Enter resale and consignment shopping — for quick cash or cheaper fashion that doesn’t forfeit the look, there are a lot of local options.

FRINGE & FRAY, owned by Grace Johnson, is a local resale boutique in downtown Spokane’s Carnegie Square that is committed to offering quality goods at affordable prices. If quick payment is what you’re looking for, this is the place to go. Differing from a traditional consignment shop, Fringe & Fray buys their items outright rather than paying the client once the item sells. Though the percentage of money received may be slightly less, there is the added benefit of being paid upfront.

There are a few things you can do to make your items more desirable and make the most money off your “deep, dark closet” items.

“I always recommend looking into what the store you are consigning to actually sells,”

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Independent since 1978

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Johnson says. “You’ll have better luck when you bring stuff in to sell.”

Each store tends to have its own niche. Brownlee wants to promote female empowerment, selling goods made locally by women and aiming to sell clothes that’ll make women look and feel their best for less.

“I just want girls and women to feel as beautiful as they can in their own skin,” she says. “If I can help them express themselves and make them do that by providing an excellent assortment of used clothing, shoes and accessories, I think I’ve achieved my goal.”

For others, creating an environment in which people may not even realize it’s a consignment shop has become a point of pride. Boasting 70 percent off retail pricing, ECHO BOUTIQUE in downtown Spokane is a great example of this. Its floor-to-ceiling picture windows draw in tourists and pedestrians with perfectly styled, on-trend outfits. The shop sells a mixture of upscale consigned items for far more reasonable prices than you’d pay for these name-brand jeans, purses and sweaters brand new.

When the pandemic began in early March, most of these shops moved online and were forced to close, dropping sales significantly. Now, most have reopened but sales are not increasing, something Johnson and Brownlee both attribute to caution.

“There’s fear out there still and people just aren’t back to living like they were before,” Johnson says.

Fringe & Fray has been in business for over 10 years, with last year being their best year so far. Even this year started off really strong for the shop, according to Johnson. Because of this and the growing need for more economical clothing options, she is feeling hopeful.

“We have hope that the future will bring good things,” Johnson says.

“For now, we just continue to offer what we think are great items at great prices.” n Also try: The Reclothery, 914 S. Monroe St., Spokane • ZipperZ on Garland, 913 W. Garland Ave., Spokane • Beau Monde Clothing Exchange, 250 W. Prairie Shopping Center, Hayden, Idaho

BY

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LOCAL AND ONLINE Local businesses adapt during the pandemic and expand online offerings

BY THEA SKOKAN

L

abeling online shopping as “retail therapy” is a move we’ve all made to justify not only the hours spent scouring store websites, but also the detrimental damage done to our bank accounts.

Now, in the midst of a pandemic, shoppers have even more justification for their online or Instagram purchases, beyond wanting a little boost. Now they can tell themselves, “I had to online shop, I’m supporting local businesses.”

COVID-19 meant shuttering local brick and mortar stores throughout Eastern Washington and North Idaho. For locally owned bookstores, boutiques, furniture stores and the like, the prolonged closure had the potential to turn into permanent closures.

For many shop owners, the only way to remediate massive business losses was to adapt and move products online.

While moving online offered the potential to expand their shop’s geographic reach, many local owners found themselves quickly trying to navigate without a marketing team or stable of web designers and programmers to support them.

“I actually did it all myself,” says Amy Driscoll, owner of BOUTIQUE BLEU in Kendall Yards. “When COVID hit we realized we had to focus on the website. All in all it took maybe four days just to make sure everything was on there.”

Driscoll says because they were having to take photos of each item of clothing and upload them as soon as possible to maximize profits, some aspects of an online shop had to be overlooked.

“It wasn’t perfect. On our website I’d have one picture of something, where, really, on a website you should have like five or six from different angles,” she says.

Trish Thoen, owner of downtown Spokane clothing boutique CUES, says the launching of their website in July meant not only extra work but competition with their own storefront for products,

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as they don’t have separate inventory for their online presence.

“We’re not like Amazon where we have hundreds of styles and choices,” Thoen says. “We might only have one or two sizes and when it’s gone, it’s gone.”

FROM HERE, a local retail shop for Terrain, is normally an experiential storefront. Like many of Terrain’s galleries and programs, the shop is an aesthetically pleasing showcase for local artists and, according to operations director Jackie Caro, a part of why people choose to buy.

Moving online meant forfeiting some of that environmental influence, but what they gained, she says, is the potential for sales outside of Spokane.

“Since moving online, we are starting to see people all around the country start to buy,” Caro says. “There’s people ordering Spokane stuff in New York and Austin, Texas, and all these different places. It’s kind of fun to see people responding and wanting to support.”

Boutique Bleu has seen similar success, even using Instagram to promote and directly link products to the website. Eventually, Driscoll says she would like to have separate inventory for the online shop as it is already like running a second store.

Between all three stores, there was general agreement that this step had always been in the back of their minds, but the pandemic turned general musings into necessities for survival. With that being said, now that the transition has been made and storefronts are beginning to reopen, these local businesses believe they will continue to utilize their online presence.

“Everyone needs to adapt if we are going to survive,” Thoen says. “So, if this is the way that we’re going to have to do it, I’m willing to take the chance.” n

SHOPPING

Boutique Bleu owner Amy Driscoll took her shop online when the pandemic shuttered stores

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4,000 Holes.

SPIN CITY T Perusing the bargain bins of the Inland Northwest’s best record stores

BY NATHAN WEINBENDER

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here was a time, not so long ago, when vinyl records were merely antiques. Think about how many old record collections were sold on the cheap at garage sales, or left to collect dust in attics, or merely thrown away.

But vinyl collecting has come back in a big way, and the format that was once eclipsed by the advent of CDs has made a total 180. Per the Recording Industry Association of America, CD sales have been

DEREK HARRISON PHOTO

plummeting while vinyl sales have actually gone up, and vinyl will soon be outselling CDs for the first time since the mid-’80s.

If you’ve hopped on the wax lovers bandwagon recently, then you need to bulk up that collection, and the best way to do that is spend an afternoon thumbing your way through the vinyl bins in Inland Northwest record shops. Here’s a rundown of where you can buy, and what makes each store tick.

SHOPPING

4,000 HOLES

North Spokane, 1610 N. Monroe St. Regularly voted by Inlander readers as the region’s best record shop, 4,000 Holes is a music lover’s paradise. First opened in 1989, it has been selling new and used record discs and tapes from its Monroe Street location since 2004. Owner Bob Gallagher has been the store’s primary employee from the beginning, curating a diverse inventory and an array of Beatles memorabilia, and he knows which box has your newest vinyl treasure in it.

GROOVE MERCHANTS

Garland District, 905 W. Garland Ave. This cozy shop in the equally cozy Garland neighborhood, a continuation of sorts from an old Monroe Street store, has some of the best “new arrivals” bins in town. It’s also where you can go if you’re thinking about starting a collection and need some analog gear to start listening at home.

Regardless, you’ll be walking out with something to add to your collection.

THE LONG EAR

Coeur d’Alene, 1620 N. Government Way The oldest operational record store in the area, owners Terry and Deon Borchard started their indie musical emporium in California in the early ’70s and moved to Idaho in 1985. They’ve watched firsthand as the music industry has evolved from vinyl to tapes to discs to MP3 and back to vinyl again, and their knowledgeable staff has stayed on board for years. If anyone can point you in the direction of your new favorite artist, it’s them.

RECORDED MEMORIES

University District, 1902 N. Hamilton St. Here’s another long-standing music haven, and it’s one of those floorto-ceiling record stores: You’re going to need a whole afternoon to adequately browse, because you’ll likely stumble upon a corner filled with stuff you want. Covering the walls are owner Richard Terzieff’s snapshots of himself with dozens of famous musicians, so you know you’re dealing with a true music obsessive.

RESURRECTION RECORDS

Northwest Spokane, 1927 W. Northwest Blvd.

This tiny storefront tucked away on Northwest Boulevard has a deceptively eclectic vinyl collection and its large wall of cassettes, and owner Mike House is also known to stock oddball retro equipment on occasion.

He’s running a label out of that store, too, and has released dozens of garage, punk and psych-rock tapes for more than a decade now.

TOTAL TRASH RECORDS

Browne’s Addition, 1601 W. Pacific Ave. After selling his bar/record store Garageland a few years ago, JJ Wandler planned to leave vinyl behind. But that didn’t last long, and much of his wax inventory went into this newer shop, which sits on the edge of Browne’s Addition in a former hair salon. It may be named for a Sonic Youth track, but Total Trash sells much more than rock, and you might come across a rare and out-of-print title amongst the old reliables. n

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NOT YOUR GARDEN VARIETY

B

eyond being beautiful, indoor plants have been proven to boost your mood, reduce stress, increase productivity, and clean indoor air. Whether you have a green thumb or can’t keep a cactus alive, these exceptional local shops can help you reap all the benefits of growing houseplants.

PARRISH & GROVE

If you’re concerned you have a black thumb, not a green one, that’s OK. You can confess your sins to the staff at Parrish & Grove and they’ll absolve you of your guilt and give you the advice you need to be a more successful plant parent. They have all you need, from the containers, pebbles, sands and tiny plants to create your own terrarium and when a pandemic isn’t in play, they host fun workshops, as well. This small shop doesn’t have a huge inventory, but if there’s something you want that they don’t have in stock, they will find it for you.

19 W. Main Ave., Spokane

PLANT FARM

The Plant Farm has one of the biggest indoor plant selections in the area. Shop here when you decide you have to have one of those fiddle leaf figs you see in all the interior design magazines or when you want to create your own succulent garden. Their selection of pots and containers is as impressive as their variety of plants. In November, take the poinsettia tour, and see acres of every variety of the traditional Christmas plant.

14208 E. Fourth Ave., Spokane Valley

FERN

Ask a question, any plant-related question, and the knowledgeable staff at Fern will know the answer. What plants will survive in low light? They know. What are the best plants for ensuring better indoor air quality? They can tell you. And when you admire a beautiful flowering plant that looks like it’s a cross between a calla lily and an orchid, they’ll tell you it’s carnivorous and explain exactly how it captures and eats flies. They are also always happy to help you transplant your plants into a new pot for free. Join the plant club and you’ll receive a plant every other month for a year, plus five percent off purchases and a birthday gift. They also do free consults for your home or business. For larger, more showy plants, shop the new Coeur d’Alene location.

1516 W. Riverside Ave., Spokane; 211 E. Lakeside Ave., Coeur d’Alene

RITTERS

Ritters has been keeping Spokane green for more than 70 years.

Their massive selection spans from novelty air plants that look like underwater creatures to indoor trees that require vaulted ceilings.

If you want to take a stab at creating a living wall or even want to grow your own lemons indoors, you’ll find what you need here, plus some of the prettiest pottery in town. Join their garden club for only $50 a year, and you’ll get access to monthly classes (transitioning now to virtual sessions as a result of COVID-19) that tackle a variety of topics from houseplant 101, to how to grow tropical plants like bird of paradise or hibiscus indoors. Club members also get discounts on purchases and unique specials.

1601 W. Pacific Ave., Spokane

The Plant Farm has an abundant selection of plants and pots

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LITERARY SURVIVORS Even as bigger bookstores go out of business, local independent bookstores manage to cling on

BY DANIEL WALTERS

B

ack in February, I got Ben Lerner’s latest critically acclaimed novel, The Topeka School.

If I bought it on Amazon, I would have been met with a cold and efficient algorithm that would recommend that I buy, among other things, the same novel I just bought. If I bought it at Barnes & Noble, I would have been greeted with a warm customer-facing interaction that included a soft “Ooh, I hear this one’s good” by the cashier.

But instead, I bought it at Auntie’s, one of Spokane’s beloved independent bookstores. The employee eagerly ran to bring me to the shelf where the book was kept and chattered away about how much she loved this book, and also a lot of Ben Lerner’s other books, and how she’s also read so many other great books this year and she’ll totally tell me about them too if I wanted her to!

And right there, there’s the difference. That’s the magic of the independent bookstore. It’s not in the prices or the efficiency or the products they stock, it’s in their scrappy passion. That’s why, even as Amazon wreaks havoc on the industry, big book

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retailers like Borders have gone under, somehow Auntie’s has clung on.

So has Merlyn’s, the comic book store and game shop also owned by Auntie’s owner John Waite. In fact, it’s hitting its 40th anniversary.

“One of the dirty secrets,” of independent bookstores, Waite says, “is they don’t make any money.”

He says he doesn’t draw a salary from either location.

“We don’t have corporate needs, we don’t have shareholders, we can move in a dime. Like if something’s happening, we can shift in a second and make changes,” Waite says. “If I had to do something radically different tomorrow to survive, I’d do it.”

And that’s exactly what independent bookstores have had to do the last 10 years. They don’t just sell books, they sell what’s known in the business as “sides” — T-shirts and socks and candy and posters, ways for people to show off their love of Edgar Allen Poe or Jane Austen or Harry Potter.

They’re not just selling books, in other words.

They’re selling people the brand of “book-reader.”

“I’m kind of a snobby purist, but you can’t stay in business by being that,” Waite says.

He adapts. He makes compromises.

“I’m not a big capitalist guy. I don’t believe in that world. So for me, for my own personal satisfaction, I need to have an artistic side for what we do.”

What makes independent bookstores each unique is how they curate for their own community,” says Melissa DeMotte, owner of the WellRead Moose, an independent bookstore in Coeur d’Alene. “We pick every single book. It’s an art and a science.”

DeMotte says shoppers in Coeur d’Alene don’t just respect the bookstore’s selections — they will call and ask questions about what specific employees recommend: They might wonder, say, what book does “Derek” like? He’s always had good taste.

“They know we’re going to have books they’re not going to find at Target and Costco,” DeMotte says. That includes local books by local authors.

3.65” wide by 2.37” high

AUNTIE’S BOOKSTORE 402 W. Main Ave., Spokane auntiesbooks.com

MERLYN’S COMICS & GAMES

Downtown 1105 N Lincoln St (509) 290-6366 Northside 12501 N. Division St. Suite 3 (509) 868-0846

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2048 N. Main St., Coeur d’Alene wellreadmoose.com

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521 S. Main St., Moscow bookpeopleofmoscow.com

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405 N. Fourth Ave., Sandpoint

Auntie’s Bookstore.

YOUNG KWAK PHOTO

“We are the venue that will care about them,” Waite says. “Some guy in New York isn’t going to care about some author in Spokane.”

Both Waite and Demotte were interviewed during the coronavirus pandemic, when the future of independent bookstores, like many local businesses, was looking shakier than ever. But even amid all the uncertainty, it’s become clear just how essential the bookseller business is.

Amazon, Walmart and Barnes & Noble stock books. But places like Merlyn’s and the Well-Read Moose and Auntie’s offer something else. They offer community.

Merlyn’s has a game room, where groups play games like Magic: The Gathering and lengthy Dungeons and Dragons sessions. But Waite doesn’t rent the game room out. He just opens it up. The point of bookstores, after all, isn’t as much about profit as it is a place where we can discover — and even tell — new stories. It’s a place where the craziness of the outside world can be set aside, and a world of plot structures and game rules, where things actually make sense.

“We always call ourselves an island of normalcy in an insane world,” Waite says. “It’s definitely a place where you can escape the bullshit of reality.” n

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THE NORTHWEST I GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING Stay connected with the Inland Northwest and help small, local businesses grow with a subscription box

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Mariah and Gary Bailey

YOUNG KWAK PHOTO

n the midst of a worldwide pandemic, Mariah and Gary Bailey both lost their jobs. Mariah worked in the restaurant industry and Gary worked in design and marketing. With their experience, the pair was planning on launching a food distribution company for area restaurants within the year. However, mid-planning, it became clear that COVID-19 was hitting the restaurant industry hard. Mariah and Gary took a step back to reassess. While shouldering their own losses, the couple noted they weren’t the only ones struggling.

Some of their favorite local businesses were rapidly losing sales due to store closures, canceled craft fairs and shuttered farmers markets. Then inspiration, and determination kicked in. According to the Baileys, they set out to create a way for these businesses to stay afloat, and “to build a business that was lucrative and would be able to sustain growth during COVID-19.”

The result — INW Trading Co. (inwtradingco.com) — is a subscription box company that focuses on connecting customers with small, regional businesses. Subscription boxes are a hot commodity

these days that have been embraced nationally with companies like Fab-Fit-Fun and Box of Style. The contents of these boxes comes as a wonderful surprise each month with your subscription, never leaving you disappointed. The idea to “create something that was going to give back to the local and regional economies and not give money to booming businesses like Amazon” was really important to Mariah, something that not many subscription box companies offer.

Keeping the contents of their boxes local and handmade, Mariah hunts down and selects items from local artisans ranging from Spokane, Walla Walla and Yakima with the hope of expanding to places like Montana and Idaho. Meanwhile, Derek works on the design and marketing of their product. With the option of three different sized boxes containing contents from five to 10 different makers each month, these boxes offer anything from soaps, to cardstock, to candles, and other high quality goodies from around the area, making for a wonderful surprise each month. With the goal in mind to have a bit of a theme for each month, the contents of their first month’s box sent in July was more Spokane focused, in hopes of telling their story. The August box was designed to support artisans of color or businesses run by people of color.

INW’s smallest box contains a few, larger items starting at $30 a month, the standard box consists of more items at a variety for $40 a month, and the big box contains a wide variety of large and small contents at $50. The company hopes to expand their business to an online e-commerce store, giving their customers the ability to select specific products to add to their box each month. n

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VINTAGE PILGRIMAGE Eighteen years and counting, the Farm Chicks Vintage & Handmade Fair remains a beloved local tradition

BY CHEY SCOTT

M

emories of the Farm Chicks Vintage and Handmade Fair are joyfully scattered throughout my home, each serving as a warm reminder of the yearly treasure hunt.

There’s the indigo mudcloth pillow on the sofa, a piece I’d long pined for before finally purchasing. Atop our midcentury coffee table is a vintage cocktail tray from a local vendor, Raising the Bar. In the kitchen, a little white ceramic apothecary vessel became the perfect countertop pinch salt well, and in the hallway by the bedroom are framed illustrations from an antique bird book. Many other treasured

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Welcome to the happiest show on earth. KATELYN JENNINGS PHOTO pieces are displayed in every room of the house, and I fondly remember the jubilant thrill of discovering each at the annual vintage fair, held every June for 18 years now. I’ve always loved vintage and “old” things, and eagerly await the annual trip my mother and I take to the Farm Chicks Fair.

These sentiments are perfectly fitting with Farm Chicks founder Serena Thomspon’s nickname for the beloved Spokane event: “The Happiest Show on Earth.”

“It’s been such a fulfilling part of my life to be able to do something creative and something to

be embraced,” Thompson reflects. “It’s just a really happy feeling.”

While 2020’s Farm Chicks Fair was canceled due to COVID-19 — it would have been the 18th year of the show and the 20th iteration of the event which began in 2002, initially with two shows a year — the 2021 event is set for June 5-6 at the Spokane County Fair & Expo Center.

E

ach year, the Farm Chicks show invites nearly 300 vendors from around the Pacific Northwest and beyond to fill the Spokane County

Farm Chicks founder Serena Thompson

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SHOPPING “VINTAGE PILGRIMAGE,” CONTINUED... fairgrounds’ exhibit halls with creatively curated booths full of vintage and antique goods of all kinds: furniture, dishes, rustic farm tools, salvaged architectural pieces, clothing, art, textiles and more.

The thrifted, vintage-meets-modern look in home decor remains a top lifestyle trend, and the show continues to attract about 20,000 shoppers each year across its two-day run.

“I do feel really proud of the growth that we have seen with the vintage community, and to think that I have had a part in that is just a really proud feeling,” Thompson says, reflecting on the increase of vintage shops opening in the Inland Northwest in the past five years.

Many curators, including several of these local stores and their respective sellers, return to the Farm Chicks Fair year after year, along with a handful of newcomers. “Every year there is a small number of turnover and so there are some fresh spaces and different things,” Thompson says. “It’s a nice variety of having the people that have been there and also having some new selection of things.”

To make finding favorite vendors easy for shoppers, most perennial curators can be found in the same booth space on the event floor each year.

One of my personal favorite non-local vendors is Fun Junk from Olympia, which sets up a large booth offering jewelry made from salvaged materials (like old typewriter keys), along with miscellaneous paper ephemera (antique book pages and botanical prints), textiles and more in the back of the exhibit hall’s main atrium. Thompson says other popular longtime participants who travel to the show from outside of Spokane include Uber Chic, which sells benches upholstered with vintage fabrics, and jewelry artist and architectural salvager Lisa Souers, who’s traveled from Yakima to participate in the fair since its early days.

B

esides the anticipation for shoppers to discover what vendors bring each year, another highlight of the Farm Chicks Fair is the event poster art and Thompson’s focal installation at the main entrance, a popular backdrop for photos.

“The themes each year are really a fun thing, and they always come from some part of my life,” she says. “So one year I had a county fair theme, and that was influenced by when I was a child I sold mud pies to earn money to go to the fair.”

“The entryway display is always based on that as well,” she continues. “So it’s a fun way to carry

through the theme and give it more meaning. I think it’s something the shoppers have really come to enjoy and it sets the tone for the event.”

In 2019, for example, the event had a Parisian floral theme. The entry display featured a pale blue vintage station wagon filled to the brim with fresh flowers, spilling out of its hood and windows.

Though most of us experience the Farm Chicks Fair from the shopper’s perspective, the days leading up to the massive event are just as exciting, Thompson says.

“I will say the first one to two hours is, like, super serious, and people are just plowing forward,” she explains. “But then it really starts to calm down and people go around and hug each other because we see each other, for the most part, once a year.”

“It’s hard to describe the camaraderie behind the scenes, but I think the shoppers feel that kind of in the air,” Thompson continues. “There is this happy, positive spirit and it really comes out.” n The Farm Chicks Vintage & Handmade Fair • June 5-6, 2021 • $8/day; 12 and under free • Spokane County Fair & Expo Center • 404 N. Havana St. • thefarmchicks.com

Some 300 vendors attract 20,000 shoppers to the Farm Chicks Fair every June. KATELYN JENNINGS PHOTO

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SHOPPING

3.65” wide by 2.37” high

YEAR-ROUND I

STYLE

f you can’t wait until June to get a dose of vintage charm and farmhouse flair, you can still get your fix and find many of the Farm Chicks’ vendors at local shops around the region. Plan your own weekend of exploring, or just take it one shop at a time. Here are four stores to work your way through until the “happiest vintage and handmade fair in the country” returns to Spokane in June.

MIDTOWN MARKET

It’s not unusual for out-of-town shoppers to visit Midtown Market’s booth at the Farm Chicks show and their store in Coeur d’Alene. Last year, this charming treasure trove doubled its square feet and now carries about 80 different vendors, including eight to 10 vendors that Farm Chicks devotees will recognize from the show. If you have more time to treasure hunt, make sure you explore the neighboring vintage and thrift shops. 1003 N. Fourth St., Coeur d’Alene

BOULEVARD MERCANTILE

Farm Chicks weekend typically means double duty for the folks at Boulevard Mercantile, as well. They are usually carefully curating a space on the show floor, while also seeing a spike in shoppers at their brick and mortar location. If you need another excuse to browse their artful vintage, salvage and antique vignettes before Farm Chicks weekend, know that they moved to a location in spring 2020, to add more square footage, and showcase finds from even more vendors. 1012 N. Washington St., Spokane

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9919 e Sprague Ave • Spokane Valley WA 99206

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PAINT IN MY HAIR

The vendors at Paint in My Hair excel at breathing new life into old things.

They can take a dated garage sale coffee table and transform it into something that would work in one of the tastefully staged homes on the HGTV show Fixer Upper. In addition to miraculous transformations (many as a result of the skilled use of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint), a broad variety of vendors also sell everything from handmade jewelry to collections of antique milk glass. Allow plenty of time to browse here, and to check out neighboring shops like Chic & Shab. Paint in My Hair is located in one of the city’s best districts to thrift, junk and antique. 3036 N. Monroe St., Spokane

TWO WOMEN VINTAGE GOODS

Dianna Chelf and her daughter Fielding started Two Women Vintage Goods out of their barn in Spangle. As self-described “nutty collectors” the Farm Chicks vintage market was a perfect fit to showcase their finds. Now, you can see their latest discoveries and treasures all year round at their shop located in the historic Sprague and Union District. There’s much to see here — so take your time, and take advantage of the store’s in-house coffee shop. 2021 E. Sprague Ave., Spokane - TAMARA McGREGOR

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SHOPPING

LOCAL GOODS

Everyone deserves to treat themselves right now. Here’s our guide to some great locally sourced items that’ll lift your spirits.

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SPOKANE PARKS VINTAGE CALENDAR

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HOMEMADE MASKS

The latest form of fashion has come in a form that none of us expected — handmade face masks. With these floral beauties made by local seamstress Conifer DeFour, protecting yourself and expressing yourself come together.

Stop by Boutique Bleu in Kendall Yards to get yours. $10.50.

TERRACOTTA EARRINGS

When you look good, you feel good, and these earrings are sure to make you feel your absolute best. Cut and shaped by hand, creator Jenna Wilson made these clay earrings to reignite her passions and hopes they’ll do the same for you. Find them at From Here, Abode, Ritters, Lolo and Garment District, or on Etsy. $20-$30.

In a collaboration with Spokane Parks and Recreation, local artist Chris Bovey has created a beautiful tribute to Spokane’s best parks in the form of a 2021 calendar. The vintage style of these colorful prints will instill nostalgia and warm feelings in anyone flipping through the pages. Now available at Atticus Coffee & Gifts and online at vintageprint. us. $15.

MARBLE COASTER SETS

Enjoying local art and simultaneously protecting your furniture from drink rings? Yes, please! Orion Original Designs Marble Coaster Sets will brighten any tabletop with their unique color schemes and patterns. Each is hand-painted and finished with a durable topcoat that can withstand hot and cold drinks. Order now from orionsoriginaldesign.com. $45.

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KNIGHTLIGHTS SOY CANDLES SPOKANE PARKS COLLECTION

Nothing smells better than fresh air during a walk in the park, unless you have a candle named after your favorite park in your living room! The Spokane Parks Collection features fragrances ranging from fresh and fruity to warm and cozy, each with an accompanying park. Bring the scent of Manito Park into your home with a quick stop at From Here or a visit to their website knightlightscandles.com. $12-$30.

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TRISHA WATSON’S NATURAL WONDER HYDRATION CLEANSER Perfect for a night of pampering, this nutritive and hydrating cleansing milk will leave your skin feeling wellnourished. Trisha Watson’s Natural Wonder Hydration Cleanser is made with three types of organic teas and a variety of supportive vitamins.

Order a bottle online at trishawatson.com or grab one in person at From Here. $40. n

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Karlee Orvik and Kendric DeMonnin say “I do” at Beacon Hill Catering & Events. IFONG CHEN PHOTO

LOVE IN THE TIME OF COVID Coronavirus has wreaked havoc on brides, grooms and the entire wedding industry, but love prevails

BY CARRIE SCOZZARO

W

hen it comes to planning a wedding, in addition to all the other details — food, flowers, the guests — the weather can be a real gamechanger, especially for outdoor events. This year, however, the threat was more than just a passing shower; COVID-19 was (and remains) the perfect storm of uncertainty and potentially dangerous conditions which has impacted would-be wedding parties and planners alike.

SCALING BACK

Janele Vogt got engaged this spring and lucked into a Labor Day opening at a local country club. In May, however, she and her family canceled out of an abundance of caution, whittling the guest list of 300 to a mere 30. Instead of the formal to-do, they’re holding the wedding in her mother Lisa Vogt’s Spokane-area backyard.

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Although it was not what was originally planned for her daughter’s “big day,” says Lisa Vogt, there was an upside.

“These two wonderful people have found each other, the wedding will take place and will be celebrated with style,” she says.

The downside?

“The responsibility of hosting a wedding is very real,” whose stresses now include keeping people safe and navigating health and safety restrictions, says Vogt, who pulled it together in less than three months.

The key was in staying flexible, Vogt says, something she learned while running YMCA’s Camp Reed with her husband for 16 years.

“We learned to keep nimble and keep smiling.”

Although more modest in scale, the Vogt’s wanted the event to be memorable and manageable both. They used local vendors, renting some items, borrowing others, and improvising with thoughtful touches like a family photo table and dessert table from the mother of the groom. Their neighbors pitched in, too, offering parking spots and electrical outlets.

The people were the most important focus, Vogt says.

“We have older relatives who will be attending with compromised health situations so that was the priority.” They also live-streamed the event to those who cannot attend.

Another focus: The dress.

“That is one of the biggest things you dream about,” says Cassie Cleary, whose Honest in Ivory provided Janele Vogt’s wedding dress.

Cleary knew early on that online shopping for bridal dresses tends to be low.

Brides and their families want that experience, she says, noting that they added a new service allowing brides to book the entire bridal shop for their fitting.

“We have to try new things because who knows when we’ll be back to the old model,” Cleary says.

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“LOVE IN THE TIME OF COVID,” CONTINUED...

ADAPTING TO THE NEW NORMAL

For many industries, the rollercoaster caused by the virus has been amplified by state-mandated restrictions.

Some clients have simply moved venues, from an informal setting, like the Vogts did, or to neighboring states such as Idaho where there are few safety restrictions, which is frustrating for them, says Beacon Hill Catering & Events co-owner Ellie Aaro.

Some stayed, though. After tirelessly revamping the seating and food service Beacon Hill celebrated right along with one bridal couple on what was their first and only “normal” event of the summer. Then revised state guidelines “wiped out the industry,” Aaro says.

The silver lining, Aaro says, has been long-standing clients and others in the industry pulling together to help each other out.

SAVING THE DATE

Event planner Jaime Johnson has seen an increase in off-peak wedding — Thursdays are the new Saturday for exchanging nuptials — as well plenty of cancellations and postponements.

She’s also seen an increase in micro-weddings this year to be followed by a larger celebration later, often with the bride not posting photos on social media to preserve the specialness of both events, says Johnson.

Brides planning not one but two events has prompted many to rethink the kind of dress they purchase, says Cleary, who recently opened Dearly Consignment Bridal Shop next door to Honest in Ivory. Some brides are looking for dresses that can be easily altered. Others want one that makes a bigger statement.

“They want all the fanfare,” says Johnson of the wedding couples she’s seeing. And they still want a summer wedding, even if it’s a year (or two) from now.

“People are trying to hold true to at least the idea of the original date,” Johnson says.

Some couples, however, are just trying to move forward as best they can together, like the one that has had to move their wedding three times so far.

“They say ‘love wins’ and it really does,” says Johnson. n

Karli Kunz models one of Dearly Consignment’s wedding dresses. MADISON EMILY HARE PHOTO

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SHOPPING INSIDER INSIGHT

TAMMY SCHNEIDER TAMMY SCHNEIDER started the Bridal Festival at the Coeur d’Alene Resort 30 years ago and eventually added a second event in the Tri-Cities. After much success, the Bridal Festival then reached Spokane, holding fashion shows and exhibitions highlighting bridal trends and fashion. The Bridal Festival typically has two events per year, in January and fall, both of which draw thousands of curious customers through the door, as well as hundreds of wedding professionals and vendors. Like everything else, however, COVID has thrown a wrench in its plans. Schneider weighs in on what this means for the Bridal Festival as well as bridal trends in general.

THE FUTURE OF THE BRIDAL FESTIVAL Following the guidelines of the state has been tricky, considering the festival is a social gathering of up to 3,000 people. According to Schneider, they’re going to have to make some big changes if they want to continue with their Fall show in the future; it was canceled for 2020. The next fest is scheduled for Jan. 9-10, 2021, at the Spokane Convention Center.

“I don’t see COVID going away any time in the near future. It’s gonna be a learning curve for all of us.”

Sho 3131 N. Division St., Spokane, WA Mon-Fri 10-5:30pm Sat 10-4pm | 509.324.8612

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WEDDINGS IN A PANDEMIC What about people that just want their ideal wedding, even during trying times?

“It can be heartbreaking and stressful. People have to cancel or downsize,” she says. “I know someone who’s postponing until next summer. For those that aren’t, the wedding party will probably have to be spaced away, there won’t be any dancing and the amount of people present will be reduced to around 50.”

SILVER LININGS The Bridal Festival has a long history and Schneider doesn’t plan on stopping.

“I really truly do feel good about the recovery from COVID,” she says. “Everyone is stepping up and we’re trying to make it work. It’ll be a new world for the bridal fair, but this is just a new world for all of us. One day at a time.”

— JEREMEY RANDRUP

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#1 Golf Course in Idaho that you can play – Golfweek Magazine, 2019

Voted the Best Idaho Course - Golf Advisor’s Golfer’s Choice, 2020

Circling Raven Golf Course Circling Raven offers an enthralling 18 holes to conquer.

Enjoy the scenic beauty of our championship course, nestled among 620 acres of wetlands, woodlands and Palouse grasses.

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Mount Rainier National Park.

Farmgirlfitâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Jaunessa Walsh talks about finding community through fitness

Seven waterfalls to put on your hiking bucket list

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GO CHASING WATERFALLS The region’s best views for those who love it when rivers go vertical

BY DANIEL WALTERS

SPOKANE FALLS

LOCATION: Spokane DISTANCE FROM SPOKANE: My man, it’s in Spokane.

BEST VIEWING: Spring How many cities can boast the existence of a roaring waterfall raging directly in the middle of its downtown? You’ll never know, because why would you ever leave Spokane with falls like these? Sure, you can walk across the bridges and get a gander at some of the falls from above at Riverfront Park. But the real secret viewing spot is at Huntington Park, Avista’s unparalleled vertical park below City Hall. In the spring you can stand in the spray below the Monroe Street Bridge, gazing up and marveling at how lucky you are to be living in such a city.

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PALOUSE FALLS

LOCATION: Palouse Falls State Park in Franklin County DISTANCE FROM SPOKANE: 104 miles BEST VIEWING: Spring Dubbed the official waterfall of Washington state, Palouse Falls plunges nearly 200 feet into a gorgeous mossy basin. Viewing the falls is just a short wildflower-packed jaunt from the road near Washtucna. Pack a lunch and make a day of it.

Wanna really do things right? Try to hit the Palouse Falls a little bit before sunset, where the colors are the deepest and the light is the richest. The drive, filled with the Palouse’s rolling agrarian landscapes, is nearly as beautiful as the waterfall itself.

Downtown Spokane Falls

NICK BROMMER PHOTO

HOG CANYON FALLS

LOCATION: Fishtrap region, southwest of Cheney DISTANCE FROM SPOKANE: 30 miles BEST VIEWING: Spring or Fall Spokane County’s equivalent of Palouse Falls is Hog Canyon Falls. A short hike opens up onto a stellar view, where Hog Canyon Falls plunges 50 feet into the gorgeous basin below. Just don’t get cute by trespassing to get closer to other parts of the falls. That’s a good way to get yourself in trouble. And while the hike itself is easy, navigating to the falls is another matter. We got lost when we tried to drive there and ended up on a dirt road, where we ended up seeing some cattle making love and had to backtrack.

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Liberty Lake Falls. NICK BROMMER PHOTO

LIBERTY FALLS

LOCATION: Liberty Lake Regional Park DISTANCE FROM SPOKANE: 20 miles BEST VIEWING: April through November Liberty Lake isn’t all wealthy suburbs. It’s also got a killer natural park, that boasts of an 8.4-mile hiking trail loop. Take the steep hike and be rewarded, not only with the sight of some truly tall trees, but one of those classic waterfalls with Liberty Creek’s frothing water babbling over rocks and logs.

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INDIAN CANYON MYSTIC FALLS

LOCATION: Western Spokane, near Indian Canyon Golf Course DISTANCE FROM SPOKANE: 3 miles BEST VIEWING: Fall or Spring The hike is a little less than a mile, but know that, when the waterfall is at its most impressive, you may have to vault over the creek a few times. Ultimately, the waterfall may be small, but it’s beautiful. Savvy hikers also know there are two nearby caves worth a bit of spelunking.

UPPER PRIEST FALLS

LOCATION: The tippy top of the Idaho Panhandle, just south of the Canadian Border DISTANCE FROM SPOKANE: A 139-mile drive, including a brief foray into Canadian territory BEST VIEWING: The summer, when the snow has melted and before it returns Is there a waterfall worth driving three hours and hiking on an 18-mile round trip to see? It just may be North Idaho’s Upper Priest Falls, a 40-foot waterfall nestled away in a dense, verdant forest teeming with wildlife. Bring your hiking shoes, camera, bear spray and sense of awe.

SNOW CREEK FALLS

LOCATION: The Selkirk Mountains, near Bonners Ferry DISTANCE FROM SPOKANE: 104 miles BEST VIEWING: Spring Once upon a time, I took this hike on one hell of a first date. Snow Creek Falls gives you two waterfalls from the price of one. It’s barely more than a 2-mile hike near Bonners Ferry to see both the Upper Snow Creek Falls and Lower Snow Creek Falls. You don’t have to kiss under the stars in a nearby meadow after it stops raining that evening, but I highly recommend it.

ALSO TRY:

Granite Falls, Priest River, Idaho Grouse Creek Falls, northeast of Sandpoint, Idaho.

Horseshoe Lake Falls, northwest of Pend Oreille County Park, Washington n

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SERIOUSLY FUN Cornhole isn’t just a backyard game anymore.

Here’s where to play in the Inland Northwest

BY WILSON CRISCIONE

F

Tuesday night cornhole at Mickduff's Beer Hall in Sandpoint.

or MickDuff’s Brewing Company manager Mack Deibel, cornhole started out as a way to get people to drink more beer. It was good for business when customers would spend hours tossing bags around and refilling their beverages in the beer hall, he says.

But it didn’t take long before he started taking cornhole seriously.

“It did turn into a passion for me. And I saw that passion in other people’s eyes,” Deibel says. “I started a league three years ago, and I said, ‘This is something. There’s growing momentum with it and let’s just ride the train.’”

It’s people like Deibel who have transformed cornhole from a backyard barbecue game to a professional sport aired on ESPN. A decade ago, it was rare to see a tournament or a cornhole league locally. Now, a place like MickDuff’s in Sandpoint, Idaho, is the center of a local cornhole movement.

“I believe I am the godfather of cornhole in the Inland Northwest,” Deibel says.

In Sandpoint, the tournaments Deibel puts on are now affiliated with the American Cornhole League, the league you might see on TV. 7B Baggers — formerly Sandpoint Idaho Cornhole — also runs a league that lets people play all year round and improve their game, sometimes against an actual ACL pro.

“We have the best players in the Inland Northwest playing in Sandpoint,” Deibel says. “If someone wants to get better, come to Sandpoint to play cornhole.”

If that’s too far of a drive, however, there are other options. Bars all over the area have cornhole sets. Spokane Cornhole runs a league at Players and Spectators in Spokane Valley a few nights per week throughout the year, and it’s only $5 to play. Beth Cunningham, who runs Spokane Cornhole and West Plains Cornhole, says she wanted to get a league going so that the regular cornhole players in the area could play more consistently. And they’re trying to set up tournaments to get more kids to play, too, she says.

“Anyone can play and anyone can win,” Cunningham says. “We want to get young people playing it and you don’t have to have a beer in your hand.”

In the Post Falls and Coeur d’Alene area, Justin Carpenter started a league at the Filling Station restaurant in Post Falls. They play two or three times per week, and hope to start more tournaments in the fall and winter, as long as it’s allowed during the pandemic. He says he was motivated to start 208 Cornhole because of how much he loved playing himself.

“The only place to play in tournaments was in Sandpoint or Spokane, so a lot of us wanted to play in tournaments a little bit closer,” Carpenter says.

Still, any local cornhole player aspiring to be anything will want to play in the Sandpoint Cornhole Classic traditionally held in September. Last year, it was considered a Mountain North Conference tournament for the American Cornhole League, meaning players could earn points for ACL by playing and it’s open to 11 Western states.

If you can’t wait for tournaments to get your cornhole fix? There’s always a local bar or restaurant. At MickDuff’s, there’s an “open court” every Tuesday all year, Deibel says.

“Whether it’s league play or not,” Deibel says, “there’s people playing.” n For updated information on where to play cornhole locally, check out Sandpoint Idaho Cornhole, Spokane Cornhole and 208 Cornhole on Facebook.

PHOTO COURTESY OF 7B BAGGERS CORNHOLE

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SWINGING O YEAR-ROUND Golf simulators across the Inland Northwest are giving golfers options off the course

BY DAN NAILEN

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Scarlett's Golf Experience features three 16 x 9 golf simulators. KENNY PRENTICE PHOTOS

ne of the blessings for golfers living in the Inland Northwest is the chance to hit the links nearly every month of the year — especially if you don’t mind swinging the clubs in gloves, a stocking hat and a few layers. But even the most hearty of duffers can be foiled by a particularly tough winter, leaving their clubs to collect dust in the garage for months on end.

Thankfully, there’s been a mini explosion of golf simulators popping up in the region, catering to everyone from the serious low-handicapper to the novice up for taking a few hacks along with a few cocktails. Here’s a handy guide to where you can try for some birdies indoors:

GOLFTEC

This is the place for serious golfers looking to step up their game, although their golf pros can certainly get a beginner off to a strong start, too. Personal coaches, video replays of your swing and establishing personal game plans all come together here, and they’ll even take the lessons to a real course, too, so you can put your GOLFTEC-added skills to the test.

1207 N. Washington St., Suite 2, Spokane

TOPGOLF SWING SUITE

The Topgolf Swing Suite offers something a real round of golf can’t — a way for both experts and beginners (and their kids) to play and have fun at the same time. Up to eight people can play at a time, they’ll provide all the equipment you need, and you can even enjoy food and beverages, including cocktails, while you bump your favorite tunes.

314 N. College St., Northern Quest Resort & Casino, Airway Heights

TOPGOLF SWING SUITE

What, you thought Flying Squirrel was only good for its trampoline park?

Au contraire! You can reserve the swing suite for small private parties and host your own virtual major championship while your kids bounce themselves senseless nearby. That’s a win-win.

Flying Squirrel, 15312 E. Sprague Ave., Spokane Valley

SCARLETT’S GOLF EXPERIENCE

This 21+ Post Falls spot brings Inland Northwest golfers to no less than 87 world-class PGA courses — virtually speaking, of course. Grab a beer or glass of wine and get ready to test your game against Pinehurst, St. Andrews, Torrey Pines one of the other courses you’ve only seen on TV. You can also get lessons from the resident PGA pro, or join a league.

4254 W. Riverbend Ave., Post Falls, Idaho n

509.238.4126 • www.cattales.org

17020 N Newport Hwy • Just North of Spokane

By Appointment Group Tours • Closed on Mondays ANNUAL MANUAL 2020-2021 THE INLANDER |

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CLIMB TO THE TOP

The Spokane Mountaineers’ Mountain School is no day hike

BY QUINN WELSCH

P

eering out over the Columbia Icefields from the summit of Mount Athabasca, Li Ciavola feels a sense of euphoria and accomplishment. A high that’s both physical and emotional overcomes him as he looks across the frozen landscape in Alberta.

“It’s one of the most gorgeous vistas you’ll see,” he says. “It looks like Antarctica. It’s just stunning. It’s a really otherworldly experience. It almost feels like you’re on another planet.”

He roped up with his team at about 12:30 that morning in May 2019 and worked his way to the nearly 11,500-foot summit until 9 am. The experience marked the culmination of three months of intense physical and mental training that Ciavola had signed up for with the Spokane Mountaineers.

The local recreation organization offers a number of classes that vary in intensity and expertise. But Mountain School is one of the more advanced classes, says Ciavola, a recent graduate himself who was also recently named vice president of the organization. The way he describes it, the Spokane Mountaineers provides anybody (regardless of their training level) the next step in their outdoor recreation skillset.

M

Mountain School students scale Mount Athabasca in Jasper National Park in Canada.

ountain School begins with an application period that opens in November. Only about 40 of the most qualified applicants are accepted into the school, which begins in February, Ciavola says.

“Our ideal Mountain School applicant is an experienced backpacker looking to progress into alpine territory,” he says.

Classes occur multiple times each week, usually around 6 pm during the weekdays and early in the morning on weekends, both outdoors and in the classroom. Mountain School covers everything from clothing and packing, to snow camping, to crevasse rescue, to rock climbing. Students can expect outdoor classes to locations like Minnehaha State Park and Stevens Peak, including three overnight trips.

The trip to Mount Athabasca is the last test.

“It’s a full-on course,” Ciavola says. “It’s more intense than a full-on semester of a college course.”

Students are asked to study intensively from a 400-page textbook Mountaineering: Freedom of the Hills,

PHOTO COURTESY OF SPOKANE MOUNTAINEERS

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which Ciavola describes as “the book.”

“You can’t just show up and half-ass it and graduate,” he says. “Mountaineering is a sport where you choose your own destiny. You set your own teams and routes and you shoot from the hip on these mountains. We want them to understand the gear systems they have before they summit Mount Baker or Mount Rainier."

The school is tough, but it’s designed to teach each student how to be prepared for anything.

“Mountaineering itself is a sport of risk management,” Ciavola says. “What Mountain School does is teach you the risks you’re going to take and how to minimize those risks in every situation.”

Tuition for Mountain School is $325, but that doesn’t include the costs of gear, “And to be honest, it’s not an inexpensive sport,” Ciavola says. Students can expect to pay about an extra $1,000 for gear, he says. However, they might be able to get by with only a few hundred dollars if they wanted to rent gear, he says. To be accepted to the school, students also need to pay $50 for the yearly membership with the organization.

That said, the students can expect classmates from as young as 16 to as old as 60, says Ciavola, 31.

Rich Bennett, who has been chairman of the Spokane Mountaineers’ Mountain School for the past 13 years, says classes have been split pretty evenly between men and women since he directed the school in 2005 and 2006. Since that time, he says he’s seen a major boom climbing.

I

nterestingly, the organization was founded by a group of librarians in 1915 originally as a women’s group called the Spokane Walking Club. But they allowed men to join the group in 1916. Over the next few years, the group began to take on bigger adventures in the outdoors and eventually renamed themselves the Spokane Mountaineers in 1921.

Today, there are about 800 members, according to Ciavola.

In addition to pioneering outdoor recreation in the Northwest in its early years, the organization has been an advocate for wilderness conservation in the region as well, providing financial donations to conservation organizations such as the Spokane Riverkeeper, Dishman Hills Conservancy and Lands Council, among others.

Ciavola says the Mountaineers also contribute to trail work and clean-up programs in the region.

“I think the purpose of the Mountaineers and the purpose of Mountain School is, in general, we want people to understand the freedom you can feel as a competent outdoors person. That sense of self-sufficiency and accomplishment you can feel by accomplishing outdoor feats is irreplaceable in the world,” Ciavola says. “We’re an outdoors organization focused on personal growth as much as wilderness conversation, and that’s a rarity.” n

BACKPACK SCHOOL

Do you want to go to Mountain School but are unsure if you qualify?

Start with the Spokane Mountaineers Backpack School. The program is open to just about any skill level, says Li Ciavola, vice president of the Spokane Mountaineers.

“If you’ve never spent multiple days in the wilderness, Backpack School is a great way to start,” he says.

The class covers what kind of “gear systems” are essential to extended stays in the wilderness, including clothing, cooking and protection, as well as route planning and navigation.

“We would happily accept anybody who’s completed Backpack School into the Mountain School program,” Ciavola says.

— QUINN WELSCH

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STILL GOING STRONG AND ACCEPTING NEW MEMBERS!

202 W 2ND AVE, SPOKANE, WA (509) 455-9596 • WILDWALLS.COM

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INSIDER INSIGHT

JAUNESSA WALSH

Back in 2011, a 27-year-old JAUNESSA WALSH and her business partners had an idea for a strength training studio in the Inland Northwest.

What emerged was Farmgirlfit, a no-nonsense fitness studio in Spokane and Coeur d’Alene that caters to women, especially those who are new to fitness, says Walsh, “head boss lady” of the studio.

Don’t let its name fool you. You won’t find any hay bales here.

Pre-pandemic, she was looking at franchising Farmgirlfit. Those plans are currently on hold as many small businesses are simply trying to stay afloat in the wake of COVID-19. Since then, Farmgirlfit has survived by adapting and by leaning into the community it’s helped establish over the last decade.

FITNESS STUDIOS AND GYMS BRACE FOR THE NEW NORMAL Pre-workout health screenings. No more child care. Ten-by-ten workout squares. Virtual offerings. Limited sessions and class sizes. These are just some of the changes Farmgirlfit has had to make during the pandemic.

Under these circumstances, the fitness studio can stay afloat, Walsh says, but she’s not expecting to go “back to normal — maybe ever.”

“I think best case is next spring,” she says. “Anytime there’s a struggle or a challenge, it forces you to get creative. For us, it makes us look at where we provide value to our customers.”

FOCUSING ON COMMUNITY, MORE THAN EVER

PHOTO COURTESY OF SPOKANE MOUNTAINEERS

Farmgirlfit’s community is what drives it, Walsh says. When she co-founded the studio, Walsh says a major goal was to create a supportive environment for women without gimmicky trends.

“It’s creating an environment that’s specifically welcoming to women that hasn’t been before,” Walsh says. “That’s where it was rooted. Providing access to women who haven’t had it.”

In return, Farmgirlfit’s regulars have continued to support the studio.

SHIFTING AWAY FROM THE FITNESS “AESTHETIC”

The Inlander’s guide to Winter Sports Look for it monthly October - February

A major part of creating a supportive environment is moving away from preconceived notions of what fitness looks like, Walsh says. There’s no taping and measuring at Farmgirlfit.

“That is so common in the fitness industry. It really preys on people’s insecurities,” she says. “We’re about something bigger and about appreciating who you are as a person.”

That’s something that seems to be catching on nationally, too.

“I do think the fitness industry is slowly but surely getting better about the focus on aesthetics. It does seem like there are more trainers and gyms in studios that focus on the whole person,” Walsh says. “A healthy body comes in a lot of different shapes and sizes.”

— QUINN WELSCH ANNUAL MANUAL 2020-2021 THE INLANDER |

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THE SKI BUM’S GUIDE TO BARGAIN HUNTING Balling on a budget this ski season

BY OLLIE BRANSON

S

ki season is what gets us all through the cold Inland Northwest winters; however, skiing and boarding can prove to be pretty expensive hobbies. You have to get all of the gear, not to mention the expensive passes. When it comes to buying or renting skiing or boarding equipment, the deals can make a difference.

Season pass holders at 49 not only get inclusive access to the mountain’s Nordic Trails, but they are also rewarded with two or three free tickets from partner ski hills (Bluewood, Loup Loup Lost Trail, White Pass and Mission Ridge).

PASSES WITH BENEFITS

Season passes always seem like a good idea if you’re an avid mountain goer during the winter.

However, these are easily one of the priciest elements of the ski season, especially if you love the epic snow at Schweitzer like me. Luckily, Schweitzer offers an early bird special each year up until May. Get up to $150 off of regular-season prices and $450 off of their late-season offer.

All of our local mountains offer great season pass discounts. Mt. Spokane provides a summer sale until Sep. 10, offering passes at a deep discount, along with special rates for college students, military members and senior citizens. Mt. Spokane also offers a family discount. With the purchase of two regular-priced passes, all youth passes are $50 off. You’ll save more than $300 if you purchase your season pass at Silver Mountain before July, and you’ll also receive inclusive access to its awesome indoor waterpark. Lastly, Lookout Pass, home to some epic Idaho powder, offers all-season passes on sale until Oct. 31, including a college pass for only $99.

The Powder Alliance season pass is one of the greatest deals for a ski bum. If you haven’t heard of it, well strap on your skis and get ready. The Powder Alliance is made up of 19 ski mountains that span the globe from Canada to Chile. Here in the U.S., you’ll find member mountains in New Mexico, Alaska, Montana, Colorado, California, Oregon, Idaho and Washington. Purchase a season pass to any of these mountains and get three free lift tickets to each member resort on the weekdays and half-off on the weekends, with the exception of holidays.

This deal provides a total of 54 free lift tickets to some epic mountains. This year, the Powder Alliance swapped Schweitzer for Silver Mountain.

Enjoy a trip up one of the world’s longest gondolas, then make plans for a budget-friendly ski trip to member mountains like Bogus Basin, Whitewater or Timberline.

Buy a combo season pass to 49 Degrees North and Silver Mountain and you get access to two mountains for one great price.

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PASS DEALS AND DISCOUNTS

SKI SWAPS

For the past 55 years, Mt. Spokane has hosted the largest ski gear and equipment event in the Pacific Northwest, aka the Ski Swap. This is an event you never want to miss, with up to more than 22,000 items collected and sold each year, covering the bases to any and all winter sports. Seventy percent of the gear is collected from more than 20 shops in the area, used and brand new, the other 30 percent is brought in by individuals. Regardless of where the gear originates, you can find one-of-a-kind items and brand-new equipment all in one place for amazing prices. Notwithstanding any schedule changes related to COVID-19, this year’s sale is scheduled Oct. 31-Nov. 1 (admission $5 at the door) at the Spokane County Fair and Expo Center.

North Idaho’s largest winter sports gear sale, Winter Swap, is hosted by Lookout Pass and Silver Mountain at the Kootenai County Fairgrounds. Plan to stop by the Winter Swap Nov. 7 ($5 admission fee) to grab some gear and ride the mountain in style.

SUPER SALES

If you’re a skier or boarder around the area, you’ve definitely already paid a visit to Spokane Alpine Haus. But for those of you who haven’t, the Alpine Haus, located on the South Hill, has some of the sickest gear along with all the latest and greatest skis and boards. As you likely know, good gear doesn’t come cheap, which is why the Alpine Haus’s end-of-the-season sale is a must. Grab anything from skis, boots, helmets, snow clothes, and everything else in between for marked down prices starting in March. The Alpine Haus also offers a junior buyback program and season leases at amazing prices with a crew that never fails to ensure their customers are fully equipped and ready for the snow.

Spokane’s oldest ski shop, The Sports Creel, specializes in ski equipment sales and services. Not only do they sell leftover skis from the past season for 50 percent off during the off season, they offer a “Trade In, Trade Up” program for both juniors and adults as well. Bring in a pair of skis and trade them for a new set, bring in a pair of outgrown boots and get a good deal on new ones. For 60 years and counting, this is a deal you don’t want to miss, especially for the juniors outgrowing their gear at a rapid pace.

Stores like Rambleraven and Play it Again Sports sell gently used equipment for some great prices. Pop into Rambleraven anytime from early fall to late March to get some screaming deals on all things snow related.

The Ski Shack located in Hayden, Idaho, specializing in tune-ups, repairs and rentals also offers discount lift tickets to some of North Idaho’s best mountains, Schweitzer, Silver and Lookout Pass. n

Colville, Washington

INSIDER INSIGHT

DAVE SCHAUB The Inland Northwest Land Conservancy helps “permanently protect lands that are essential to life in the Inland Northwest.” Executive Director DAVE SCHAUB keeps the organization working smoothly, overseeing the team of 10. They work with private landowners and communities in the Inland Northwest to identify and recognize which lands mean the most to the people.

The organization started in 1991 and has protected 22,000 acres of land in Eastern Washington and North Idaho over the last 30 years. These lands include areas like wheat farms in the Palouse and working forests run by timber companies. The organization also helps turn land owned by the city of Spokane into spaces that can be enjoyed by the public, like parks.

CONNECTING WITH PEOPLE Schaub works closely with the people involved with the Inland Northwest Land Conservancy. The group is a nonprofit, so Schaub prioritizes the importance of making human connections with donors.

“We go on hikes to get together in person and just keep people updated on the progress, as well as working with landowners.”

Although Schaub says each project is in essence “a real estate deal,” the negotiations are personal and involve a connection between the two parties.

Our Good Nature Just 70 miles North of Spokane, surrounded by National Forest and minutes from Lake Roosevelt. 27 Campgrounds at Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area.

Don’t miss our Home for the Holidays Christmas Tree Extravaganza

NOV. 21 THRU DEC. 12 • Camping

• Hunting

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986 South Main St, Ste B Colville, WA 99114 (509) 684-5973 Visit us online for trail maps & outdoor recreation information:

www.colville.com

STEWARDSHIPS & LAND PROTECTION The Inland Northwest Land Conservancy uses specific roles in their Conservation and Land Protection Team to target the importance of conservation in their work.

One role of the team, the “stewardship,” is specifically implemented to monitor protected properties to ensure agreements are being upheld, and to lead enhanced projects like trail building and habitat restoration.

POPULATION GROWTH AND CLIMATE CHANGE The growing population of the Inland Northwest is putting pressure on its pristine, seemingly untouched natural areas. Schaub emphasizes “the solutions to climate change lie in intact natural lands — working forests. Our forests are breathing out fresh oxygen every day.”

The area is unique in that it thrives in a crux between the sagebrush and desert plateau environments along with rich Palouse soils and thick northern Selkirk forests.

— LIZZIE OSWALT

(509) 534-4554 2925 S Regal St - Spokane, Wa 99223 ANNUAL MANUAL 2020-2021 THE INLANDER |

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cda4.fun for more events, things to do & places to stay.

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Countless Ways to Play

There are only four seasons, but there are thousands of ways to enjoy them in North Idaho

Fall

Just because summer is over doesn’t mean lake life needs to end. September and October offer some of the most peaceful, serene lake days of the season. Pull out your water skis and glide on glass. Boat, kayak, paddleboard — soak in the midday sun.

As the days shorten, and bright pops of fall color begin to dot the surrounding mountainsides, take one last adrenaline-pumping single-track ride down SILVER MOUNTAIN — voted the best bike park in the Northwest — or opt for a more leisurely family-friendly ride down the crown jewel of rail-to-trail adventures, THE HIAWATHA TRAIL, which is at its scenic peak in September. Hike at MINERAL RIDGE, one of the many hikes in the area and be rewarded with exceptional lake views for your effort. Get one last thrill on a wooden roller coaster at SILVERWOOD THEME PARK.

Come for the vibrant fall colors, and then stay and truly taste autumn, as DOWNTOWN COEUR D’ALENE celebrates the season with a series of mini events, specifically designed to limit crowds and prioritize social distancing, while preserving many beloved Coeur d’Alene Traditions, such as OKTOBERFEST (Sept. 18-19) HARVEST FEST (Oct. 2-4) and APPLE PALOOZA. Fall fashion will be on full display at the diverse array of boutiques and specialty shops in the heart of DOWNTOWN COEUR D’ALENE. Start at the COEUR D’ALENE RESORT PLAZA SHOPS and then travel down Sherman Avenue, where you can get a taste of Italy at MIGLIORE OLIVE OIL, a dose of Irish culture at ALL THINGS IRISH, and then finish off a pint at the CROWN & THISTLE, a traditional Britishstyle pub.

SILVER MOUNTAIN RESORT

FAMILY ADVENTURE AWAITS 1hr east of Spokane

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silvermt.com

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Winter

While the calendar proclaims the official start of winter on Dec. 21, DOWNTOWN COEUR D’ALENE begins its transformation to becoming a winter wonderland the Friday after Thanksgiving. Santa’s arrival is celebrated with tremendous fanfare, including a charming parade that culminates with fireworks and a lighting ceremony that illuminates more than 1 million lights that make up the largest on-the-water holiday light display in America hosted by THE COEUR D’ALENE RESORT.

Dickens carolers serenade guests, and festive holiday decorations transform the Resort into a magical holiday destination.

A fleet of merry CRUISE BOATS departs every evening through the holiday season to view the impressive display. Priceless memories are made when the boat arrives at Santa’s workshop, and to the delight of all the children on board, he calls them each by name, ensuring they have not landed on the naughty list. Book your cruise as part of a family getaway package at THE COEUR D’ALENE RESORT, where elves will deliver milk and cookies to your door,

One of the most incredible spectacles of the winter in Coeur d’Alene is the annual RETURN OF THE EAGLES to Lake Coeur d’Alene. Each winter from November through February a migrating population of bald eagles arrives in the area to feed on spawning kokanee salmon. Take a scenic drive from downtown Coeur d’Alene towards Higgins Point, and spot the eagles from the shore, or book one of the many EAGLE WATCHING CRUISES that depart from the Coeur d’Alene Resort.

Want to ski with Santa? You can always find him on the slopes of SILVER MOUNTAIN on Christmas Eve. Ride the world’s longest gondola to the top of the mountain, and then enjoy an abundance of glades, bowls and chutes. A vibrant village is nestled at the base of the mountain, with plenty of ski-and-stay lodging, not to mention SILVER RAPIDS, the mountain’s indoor waterpark.

your outdoor

ESCAPE A NORTHWEST ADVENTURE Where the great outdoors meets uncompromised luxury.

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844.255.1273 cdaresort.com ANNUAL MANUAL 2020-2021 THE INLANDER |

165

cda4.fun for more events, things to do & places to stay.

COEUR D ’ ALENE

Spring

Swing into spring at one of the

and inverted loop, and then does the whole sequence again —

the days grow longer and warmer,

also available for families with younger children. On the cooler days

world’s top golf destinations. As

treat yourself to a round of golf at THE COEUR D’ALENE RESORT

GOLF COURSE and its legendary floating green or venture to the

wetlands, woodlands and Palouse grasses at CIRCLING RAVEN GOLF COURSE. Need more than 18 holes? STONERIDGE, a destination golf

course in Blanchard, has an extra gambler’s hole just to keep things

backward! Magic shows, train rides and a bevy of other rides are

in spring, families will love the tropical temperatures inside RAPTOR

REEF, the indoor waterpark at TRIPLE PLAY FAMILY FUN PARK. Hours of

entertainment, from bumper cars, laser tag, and mini-golf are also sure to delight.

interesting.

Culture blooms every spring in DOWNTOWN COEUR D’ALENE, when

A whole season of fun gets started at SILVERWOOD THEME PARK

second Friday, locally and nationally acclaimed artists display their

every spring. The Northwest’s largest theme park boasts over 70 rides and attractions. Its TREMORS coaster is consistently rated one of the top wooden roller coasters in the country. Ready to

face your fears? Summon your courage and board AFTERSHOCK,

a hanging coaster that launches you forward through a cobra roll

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ARTWALK returns in April and continues through the fall. Every

work at dozens of Coeur d’Alene galleries, shops, restaurants and

businesses during this free, family-friendly event. Spring also brings a fresh round of productions, from Broadway-quality productions

by COEUR D’ALENE SUMMER THEATER to more intimate, productions at LAKE CITY PLAYHOUSE.

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Summer

Summertime is playtime

COEUR D’ALENE ADVENTURES or simply explore the water lilies and

there’s no better way to

your own. Carve out your own place in the sand at CITY BEACH or

in Coeur d’Alene and

enjoy the Lake City, than from the water. Rent a boat from RESORT

wildlife in Cougar Bay (or anywhere else you’d like on the lake) on

RENTALS and explore Lake Coeur d’Alene’s 125 miles of shoreline, or

jump from the rocks at TUBBS HILL. Thankfully longer days mean more time to pack in more fun. BOULDER BEACH, SILVERWOOD

Pontoon boats perfect for family floats, to sport boats built for fun,

wave pools, high speed water slides and splash zones.

for you.

Outdoor concerts and festivals abound — from live music

Up for some adventure? Get a bird’s eye view of the lake as you

the Green, the region’s premier outdoor art festival. Every June, eye-

take-in breathtaking views of Beauty Bay as you scream down

CAR D’LANE and in August, classic boat lovers can marvel at all the

better yet, invest in years of summer fun and buy your own. From

let the experts at HAGADONE MARINE guide you to one that’s right

THEME PARK’S outdoor waterpark is open all summer long, with

overlooking the lake every Friday night at the Buoy CDA to Art on

soar 500 feet above the water with COEUR D’ALENE PARASAIL or

popping vintage cars flood the streets of downtown for the annual

seven ziplines with TIMBERLINE ADVENTURES.

vintage Chris Craft and Stanwood boats on display at THE COEUR

Want to get even closer to the water? Swim. Paddleboard. Kayak.

Canoe. Book a guided paddle with ROW ADVENTURE CENTER or

D’ALENE RESORT’S CLASSIC BOAT FESTIVAL.

Clearly this city was built for year-round fun.

Just North of Coeur d’Alene in beautiful North Idaho

R E S E R V E YO U R T I C K E T S O N L I N E

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ANNUAL MANUAL 2020-2021 THE INLANDER |

167

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Oden Bay

Sunnyside

Sandpoint

Contest Point

Newport

29 miles Dover

Anderson Point Springy Point

WARREN ISLAND

Fry Creek Gamlin Lake

Comeback Bay

Piccard Point Elliot Bay

Garfield Bay Shepherd Lake

Green Bay

• Lake Pend Oreille is the largest lake in Idaho at 43 miles long, and up to 1,150 feet deep — making it the fifthdeepest in the nation.

Denton Slough

Mineral Point

Clark Fork Talache Indian Point Windy Point

Deadman Point

Johnson Creek Rec. Area

Clark Fork River

Kilroy Bay

Maiden Rock

Cocolalla

MEMALOOSE ISLAND

Long Point

Mirror Lake

Cocolalla Lake

East Hope

SAMOWEN PARK

Sagle

ROUND LAKE STATE PARK

Hope

Bottle Bay

WASHINGTON

ol

Lake Pend Oreille

Ponderay

SANDPOINT AIRPORT

Your place at the LAKE for all seasons!

Granite Point

Whiskey Rock

Evans Landing

Coeur d'Alene 25 miles

Cedar Creek

Cape Horn

Bayview FARRAGUT STATE PARK

Scenic Bay KOOTENAI COUNTY

BONNER COUNTY

Lakeview

Buttonhook Bay

LEGEND PUMP OUT STATION SPORTSMAN ACCESS BOAT RAMP PUBLIC TOILET BOAT FUEL

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ANNUAL MANUAL 2020-2021 THE INLANDER |

169

MARK’S MARINE, INC.

� Hayden - 5 Miles

Post Falls

Lake Coeur d ’Alene Alene �

Spo

kan e

Spokane - 20 Miles

Coeur d'Alene

Rive

r

Fernan Lake

Cougar Bay

Arrow Point

Neachen Bay

Echo Bay Mica Bay

Beauty Bay

Wolf Lodge Bay

Gotham Bay

Turner Bay

LEGEND

• 'Coeur d’Alene' is French for "Heart of an awl"

PUMP OUT STATION SPORTSMAN ACCESS BOAT RAMP PUBLIC TOILET BOAT FUEL

Carlin Bay Black Rock

CAMPGROUND OVERNIGHT PUBLIC MOORAGE/DOCKS BEACH

Half Round Bay Powderhorn Bay

Rockford Bay

• Lake Coeur d’Alene is 185 feet deep, 25 miles long and has 125 miles of shoreline

Thompson Lake

Blue Lake Swan Lake

Windy Bay Bell Bay

Harrison Slough

Cave Lake

Anderson Lake Mowry Point

Me L

Harrison Black Lake

Spokane Point

Lake Highlights Lake Cruises Eagles at Wolf Lodge Bay

Hidden Lake

Chatcolet Lake

Tubbs Hill

HEYBURN STATE PARK

St. Joe River Plummer

170 | T H E I N L A N D E R A N N U A L M A N U A L 2 0 2 0 - 2 0 2 1

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Round Lake

Parkline

S t. Maries �

Harrison

Benewah Lake

8 Miles

St. Joe River

ST. MAR MUNICI AIRPO

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ANNUAL MANUAL 2020-2021 THE INLANDER |

171

SOCIAL DISTANCING

Perfected

Kevin Hansen (208) 428-0505 • (208) 290-2319 nldock@frontier.com • Lic # RCE-4625

(208) 443-2432 • ElkinsResort.com

Escape Reality

Your new home away from home is a beautiful 90 minute drive from Spokane and Coeur d'Alene... trade the city lights for a staycation with a different view Offering memories by the night packages, golf stay and play packages and nightly get a way packages Hill's Resort - Making Memories that Last a Lifetime www.hillsresort.com 208-443-2551

172 | T H E I N L A N D E R A N N U A L M A N U A L 2 0 2 0 - 2 0 2 1

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IDAHO

Docks - New, Rebuild & Removal • Pile Driving • Waterfront Enhancement

Priest Lake

LEGEND PUMP OUT STATION

Golf Course

SPORTSMAN ACCESS BOAT RAMP

BUY NE

PUBLIC TOILET

UPPER PRIEST LAKE

BOAT FUEL CAMPGROUND OVERNIGHT PUBLIC MOORAGE/DOCKS BEACH

Priest Lake

Thoroughfare (2 mi.)

ROUND OF GOLF

Lion Head Campground

GET NE FREE

Beaver Creek Campground

MUST PRESENT COUPON. ONE COUPON PER PERSON PLEASE. EXPIRES END OF 2021 SEASON.

NORTH IDAHO’S HIDDEN GEM FEATURING

Distillery Bay

SANDBAGGERS BAR AND GRILL

Huckleberry Bay

8 MILE ISLAND

KALISPELL ISLAND BARTOO ISLAND 4 MILE ISLAND

25 miles �

MILE MARKER 27 ON HIGHWAY 57

Indian Creek

Cape Horn

Priest River

208.443.2525

• Priest Lake is over 300 feet deep and 25 miles long with over 80 miles of shoreline

Nordman

State Launch Ramp

NOW OPEN UNTIL 9PM FOR DINNER!

• Huckleberry picking is a favorite pastime for both humans and the local bear population.

CAVANAUGH BAY AIRPORT

Outlet Bay County Docks & Ramps

Coolin

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A N N U A L M A N U A L 2 0 1290--22002201 T H E I N L A N D E R |

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E V EN T S

ALL YEAR

MAY - OCTOBER

Your Support is More Important Than Ever

TOURS DEPART EVERY 30 MIN & LAST 1 HR AND 15 MIN

Open 7 Days a week

May 1st - Oct 15th

providence.org/givingewa

SEPTEMBER

SEPTEMBER

208-752-5151 509 Cedar St, Wallace, ID SilverMineTour.org MAY-SEPT-OCT 10 TO 2 • JUNE-JULY-AUG 10 TO 4

SEPTEMBER

WONDERS OF THE WORLD

Annual Fall Clearance

many items 50% off

SEPTEMBER 1ST -30TH OCTOBER

OCTOBER

fULLY virtUaL toUr at:

SpokaneFestivalofHomes.com SEPTEMBER 25TH – OCTOBER 4TH NOVEMBER

Holiday SALE

OCTOBER is

November for programs & events, visit:

MAY

spokanearts.org/artsmonth/

SpokanePottersGuild.org

MAY

MAY

SPOKAN SPRINGE’S TRADITI ON

Spokane’s Celebrated Run/Walk • 44 Years and Counting

SUNDAY MAY 2ND, 2021 May 1st 2021 • Brownes Addition 174 | T H E I N L A N D E R A N N U A L M A N U A L 2 0 2 0 - 2 0 2 1

WWW.BLOOMSDAYRUN.ORG

MAY 14, 2021

DAVENPORT GRAND HOTEL

cceasternwa.org/gala

ANNUAL MANUAL 1889 Salvage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135 1st Ave Coffee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 2 Loons Distillery. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 3 Ninja’s Curbside & Catering. . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Abi’s Ice Cream . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 Apex Cannabis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183 Art Spirit Gallery, The. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Atomic Threads Clothing Boutique. . . . . . . 137 Audrey’s Boutique. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144 Auntie’s Bookstore. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122 Avista. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Barn and Blossom. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129 Bide & Burgeon. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121 Bloem. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145 Bloomsday Association. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42, 174 Boo Radley’s/ Atticus Coffee & Gifts. . . . . . 146 Bottle Bay Brewing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111 Cannabis & Glass. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180 Canopy Credit Union. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Carolyn’s Cake & Candy Supplies. . . . . . . . . 122 Cat Tales Zoological Park. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157 Cataldo Catholic School. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Catholic Charities Eastern Washington. . . . 174 Charley’s Grill & Spirits. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 Chic & Shab. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135 Christian Youth Theater. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Cinder. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .176 City of Spokane Parks and Recreation. . . . 153 Clearwater River Casino & Resort. . . . . . . . 102 Clover. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 Cochinito Taqueria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 Coeur D’ Alene Arts & Culture Alliance. . . . . 54 Coeur d’Alene Casino. . . . . . . . 65, 117, 148, 188 Coeur d’Alene Convention & Visitors Bureau . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164-167 Colville Chamber of Commerce. . . . . . . . . . 163 Crafted Tap House & Kitchen. . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 Crepe Cafe Sisters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 Custer Enterprises. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Dogtown Taphouse & BBQ. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 Doma Coffee Roasting Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 Dry Fly Distilling. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71, 95

Durkin’s Liquor Bar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 El Que. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101, 174 Elk Public House. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Elkins Resort. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143, 172 Emerge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Fery’s Catering. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142 Fieldhouse Pizza & Pub. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 French Toast. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122 Fringe & Fray. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147 Garland Resale Boutique. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145 Giant Nerd Books . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147 Gilded Unicorn. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Global Credit Union . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Gonzaga Preparatory School. . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Green Light. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185 Habitat For Humanity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Halletts Chocolates & Coffee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 Henderson Dip. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146 Hill’s Resort. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143, 172 Honey Eatery and Social Club. . . . . . . . . . . . . 171 Horizon Credit Union . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Hummingbird Eclectic Boutique. . . . . . . . . 147 Incrediburger and Eggs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 Indaba Coffee Bar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 Inland Northwest Research. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Inland Northwest Trading Co.. . . . . . . . . . . . 144 Iron Goat Taphouse and Kitchen. . . . . . . . . . 111 Jema Lane Boutique. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145 Kiemle & Hagood Property Management. 139 Kitchen Engine. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139, 174 Kizuri. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146 Knife River Prestressed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries. . . . . . . . . . . . . 133 Laguna Cafe. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 Le Catering. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143 Legend Performance Marine. . . . . . . . . . . . .168 Liberty Lake Wine Cellars. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111 Liberty Park Florist & Greenhouses. . . . . . . 129 Logan Tavern. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Lolo Boutique. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145 Madeleine’s Cafe & Patisserie . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 Maple Street Bistro. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

Mark’s Marine. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171 Maryhill Winery & Bistro. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71, 75 Max at Mirabeau Park Hotel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 McClain’s Pizzeria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 Michlitch Spokane Spice Company. . . . . . . 146 miFlavour. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 Mom’s Custom Tattoo & Body Piercing . . . . 49 Mountain Lakes Brewing Company. . . . . . . . 111 Myrtle Woldson Performing Arts Center. . . 53 Namaste Foods. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171 No-Li Brewhouse. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71, 85 Nordman Resort. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173 North Spokane Women’s Health. . . . . . . . . . 12 Northern Lakes Dock and Barge . . . . . . . . . 172 Northern Quest Resort & Casino. . . . . . . 4, 89 Northwest Museum Of Arts And Culture. . . 44 Northwest Seed And Pet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129 Nudo Ramen House. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Numerica. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 nYne Bar & Bistro. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102 Pearl China Restaurant. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 Piece of Mind Cannabis North . . . . . . . . . . . 179 Plese Printing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Poole’s Public House . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101 Post Falls Brewing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 Priest Lake Golf Club. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173 Providence Health Care Foundation. . . 29, 174 QQ Sushi & Kitchen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 Reece Boutique. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131 Republic Kitchen+Taphouse. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 Reskued. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123 River Park Square. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112 Rocket Bakery. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 Roger’s Ice Cream & Burgers . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 Royals Cannabis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187 Runge Furniture. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127 Savvy Home. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131 Scoop, The . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 Sculptured Gardens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129 Selkirk Neurology, PLLC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Sierra Silver Mine. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174 Sip ‘N Paint Studio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Sleep’s Cabins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169 SmokeRidge BBQ. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 Snow Eater Brewery. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 South Hill Grill. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101 Southern Specialties. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147 Spice and Vine Mercantile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145 Spokane Alpine Haus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163 Spokane Arts Fund. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55, 174 Spokane Children’s Theatre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Spokane Civic Theatre. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Spokane Convention Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141 Spokane Home Builders Association . . 21, 174 Spokane Potter’s Guild . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47, 174 Spokane Symphony. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Spokane Transit Authority. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Spokane Tribe Casino. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10,11 STCU. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Sweet Frostings Blissful Bakeshop . . . . . . . . 90 Sweet Lou’s Restaurant & Bar. . . . . . . . . . . . 101 Swinging Doors, The. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 The Square Keg. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 Timberline Adventures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Tin Roof. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 Toker Friendly. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181 Tomato Street. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 Tracy Jewelers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131 TreeHouse Club. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184 Trovato Interiors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137 True Legends. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 University of Washington. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Vertical Options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Vine & Olive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 Wandering Table. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 Washington Trust Bank. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Well Read Moose. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137 Whiz Kids. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147 Wild Walls. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160 Wishing Tree Books . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145 Wonders Of The World . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139, 174 Woops! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 Yards, The. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 Yuppy Puppy, The. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147

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GREEN ZONE

Dogtown Pioneersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Rodney Boast on how innovative approaches to the industry are introducing new customers to cannabis

From creams and ointments to cannabis-infused lemonade, where to find some of our favorite locally produced products

PAGE 179

PAGE 178

As worldwide pandemic persists, edibles sales surge PAGE 182

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GREEN ZONE

LOCAL GOODS From creams and ointments to vape carts and lemonade, cannabis connoisseurs have a wide variety of local producers to turn to

1

2

RAY’S HUCKLEBERRY LEMONADE

Dogtown Pioneers’ line of THC-infused drinks come in a range of doses, from 25-100 milligrams of THC and a wide variety of flavors from mango and strawberry to dragonfruit lemonade. But nothing says Spokane summer like some huckleberry lemonade. Buy it at Apex Cannabis, Cinder, Treehouse Club, Satori, Lucid, Lucky Leaf and the Green Nugget.

BODHI ELEMENTS

Joint pain, arthritis, eczema — fans of Bodhi High’s topical transdermal cream use it to treat all of these ailments and other aches and pains. The high potency CBD cream produced in Spokane Valley is made with all organic ingredients, including shea butter, coconut, vitamin E, eucalyptus and cannabis oils. Buy it at Cinder, Locals Canna House, Lovely Buds, Lucid, Sativa Sisters, Top Shelf, the Green Nugget and Lucky Leaf.

5

LILAC CITY PINK LEMONADE

Pink Lemonade is a new offering from artisan grower Lilac City Gardens based in Airway Heights. The sativa strain has a citrusy aroma, and offers a happy, giggly high. The premium flower comes in beautiful sealed glass jars ranging from one-eighth of an ounce up to a half-ounce. Buy it at Cinder, Satori and Apex Cannabis.

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BLUE ROOTS CANNABIS CO. DO-SI-DOS

This Airway Heights based producer makes a wide variety of products that range from cake bites and cannabis salt, to resin and terpene icing. Whether you choose the vape cart (pictured) or go another route, its Do-Si-Dos strain is popular for its sedative effect that will have users melting into their couch (and staying there). Get it at Satori, Lucky Leaf, Apex Cannabis, Smokane and the Vault Cannabis.

VIRGINIA CO. INFUSED JOINT

What makes the Virginia Company’s flower so different is the way it’s grown.

The plants are essentially turned upside down, with the roots suspended in the air instead of being grown in soil. That means less contaminants and a super pure product. The other thing that makes their joints so special — they are infused with cannabis oil for a potent punch. Find them at Satori, Sativa Sisters, Lucky Leaf Co. and Greenlight. n

3

GREEN ZONE INSIDER INSIGHT

RODNEY BOAST DOGTOWN PIONEERS is a large cannabis producer located north of Spokane, which you likely know for its line of cannabis-infused beverages: Ray’s Lemonade. As chief of operations, Rodney Boast has helped guide the drink to ubiquitous status in the cannabis world over a relatively short time. Production of Ray’s Lemonade has increased fivefold in the past two years, with 44,000 bottles now produced monthly. So, we asked him to share a few secrets to cannabis success.

MASTER YOUR CRAFT Working in cannabis presents some unique challenges. “It’s a very exciting industry. It’s so new and growing so fast. I think people can get to where they try to do too many things at once and they bury themselves,” Boast cautions.

A desire to push the young industry forward has caused a massive increase in the quality and variety of products available today. Though that desire can be detrimental if it isn’t focused.

Boast’s advice is to do what you do best.

“Don’t expand beyond that until you’re doing it as good as you possibly can.”

THE STIGMA FADES, BUT STILL REMAINS Step into your local dispensary and you’re just as likely to see patrons in a suit and tie as you are in tie-dye. It’s not just legalization at work broadening the cannabis consumer base, Boast believes edibles are playing a role as well.

“There’s so many more discreet options out there now,” Boast explains. “With a drink or edibles, people are able to use cannabis without the stigma.”

The smell of cannabis is strong and distinct, and many consumers don’t want anything to do with it. Innovative approaches and products like Ray’s Lemonade, which look and taste like a bottle from a grocery store shelf, are helping to normalize recreational cannabis use.

“As we progress and you have more acceptance in the community,” Boast says of his customers, “you’re seeing more of the golden age folks.”

— WILL MAUPIN

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N

SUPPLEMENT TO 2020-2 THE INLANDER 1 EDITION 1

5/8/20 11:54 AM

imes are stressful, what with a virus rampaging, people dying, hospitals being overloaded, the economy imploding and unemployment soaring. For people who are already a bit uptight, it can take general anxiety and turn it into a psychological nightmare.

Here’s the good news: Weed can help you relax. Here’s the bad news: Weed can make you even more stressed out and paranoid. So what is the savvy consumer of legalized drugs to do?

Lorena Guerra, budtender at Toker Friendly, says there are broadly three categories of cannabis: sativa, indica and hybrids. Sativa has the reputation of being a “more uplifting, happy and creative” high.

“The indicas tend to be the sleepy, relaxed, maybe munchie-feels kind of highs,” Guerra says. Hybrids are a blend of the two.

“If somebody comes up and says, ‘I want something to help me with my anxiety,’ my first thought is, ‘Stay away from sativas,’” Guerra says. “Be-

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But it’s worth noting that such a recommendation is not an ironclad rule. In 2018, leafly.com, where Guerra does most of her research on cannabis strains, published an article stressing that experts have discouraged generalizing by category.

“What we need to seek to understand better is which standardized cannabis composition is causing which effects when delivered in which fashions, at which specific dosages, to which types of [consumers],” chemist Jeffrey Raber tells Leafly.

A better predictor, they say, is to dig into the makeup of each strain: Strains bursting with THC carry a powerful euphoric effect. But Leafly suggests that those vulnerable to anxiety instead seek out strains higher in CBD, the chemical in cannabis that doesn’t get you high, but some research suggests it could help anxiety.

“I try to suggest something with CBD for people with anxiety first,” Guerra says.

Leafly says it’s also possible that terpenes, the oils responsible for the unique scents of cannabis strains, play an important but complicated role in influencing anxiety. But biochemistry is a complicated science, and factors like a patient’s size, ADHD and pre-existing assumptions can all play a role.

Add in the unpredictable nature of how the body processes edibles and you complicate the formula even further.

Personally, Guerra says, she takes a “Granddaddy Purple,” an indica-dominant hybrid, when she wants to deal with her anxiety. But she’s well aware that it might not work for everybody.

“Everybody’s different,” Guerra says. “Everybody’s definitely going to chemically react differently to what you end up smoking.” n

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ANNUAL MANUAL 2020-2021 THE INLANDER |

181

GREEN ZONE

Cannabis is being blended with sweets like chocolate, candies and even soda.

EDIBLES SALES W SURGE You know what sells well during a pandemic?

Pot-laced edibles

BY WILL MAUPIN

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e’re living in the golden age of cannabis-infused edibles. Dispensaries carry everything from the traditional brownie to off-the-wall products like infused fruit syrup and table salt. Consumers have been taking notice, especially since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

Brandon St Germain, district leader at Cannabis & Glass, has seen a shift in consumer habits in the months since the coronavirus took hold in our region.

Across its three locations, edible sales at Cannabis & Glass have risen 25 percent since the spring of 2020. Initially, consumer interest stayed with the more common products like candies and gummies, but it’s since expanded into less traditional infused products like beverages.

“Customers have been buying increasing amounts of edibles since March,” St Germain says. “Consumer behavior moving towards more health-conscious choices is something we’d anticipated seeing happen in the cannabis market.”

Now’s as good a time as any to explore the ever-growing world of edibles.

Because not only do they spare your lungs from a beating but they also provide a

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“EDIBLES SALES SURGE,” CONTINUED... completely different experience than one would find from smoking cannabis.

“For THC to get you high, it needs to pass through something called the blood-brain barrier,” St Germain explains. “With smoking cannabis, THC absorbs into your blood through your lungs and enters the blood-brain barrier directly, which is why the high occurs much faster. With edibles, the THC is metabolized through your liver, which is much more effective at delivering THC to your brain than smoking, it just takes longer.”

Smoking gives you a short, sweet and immediate high. Edibles give you a long, strong high that comes on after 30 minutes or more and can last for six-plus hours.

This means for inexperienced consumers, edibles can seem more intimidating than a quick puff of a joint. If one puff isn’t enough, you’ll be able to tell right away and go back for another. With edibles, though, you won’t know how the dose will impact you for a while, and if you double up too quickly you might find yourself in over your head.

“Low and slow is the golden rule. Start with a small dose, 5-10 milligrams is what is recommended and wait at least two to three hours to see how you feel,” St Germain says. “The way some people metabolize THC through the liver is very different. Even though I smoke regularly, 10 to 15 milligrams of ingested THC can get me pretty stoned.”

Don’t let this freak you out, though. Yes, edibles are stronger than inhaled cannabis, but they’re also healthier. The lungs are great at quickly delivering THC to the brain, but that’s not what they’re meant to do.

“Edibles are a great way to get high if you don’t like having to smoke cannabis,” says St Germain. “They’re also a lot easier to use. No extra paraphernalia to buy, no mess, no ash, no lighter, and most importantly for a lot of people, no smell.” n

EST. 2014

RECREATIONAL & MEDICAL

CANNABIS 14421 E. TRENT AVE SPOKANE VALLEY, WA OPEN

DAILY

9AM-8PM

509-413-2169

WWW.TREEHOUSECLUB.BUZZ

@SpokaneTreeHouseClub Warning: This product has intoxication effects and may be habit forming. Smoking is hazardous to your health. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product. This product should not be used by women that are pregnant or breast feeding. Marijuana can impair concentration, coordination, and judgement. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery while under the influence of this drug. For use only by adults twenty-one and older. Keep out of reach of children.

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GREENLIGHTSPOKANE.COM GREEN_LIGHT_SPOKANE

(509 ) 309-3193 CALL FOR CURBSIDE

Warning: This product has intoxicating effects & may be habit forming. Marijuana can impair concentration, coordination, & judgment. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of this drug. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product. For use only by adults 21 years or older. Keep out of reach of children.

ANNUAL MANUAL 2020-2021 THE INLANDER |

185

GREEN ZONE

CANNABIS

B Y

T H E

N U M B E R S

$1.05 B Total cannabis sales in Washington state in 2019

$108 M

33

Number of cannabis retailers in Spokane County

Total cannabis sales in Spokane County in 2019

$203

$387 M

Amount spent on cannabis per capita in Spokane County in 2019

Total excise tax collected on cannabis sold statewide in 2019

$180 M

Total sales since opening for the top producer in Spokane County

$40 M

Total excise tax collected on cannabis sold in Spokane County in 2019

$28 M

Increase in state revenue from cannabis in 2019 compared with 2018

47.6%

Percentage of state cannabis revenue given in 2019 to the Basic Health Plan Trust Account, the single largest beneficiary of state cannabis revenue

23,756

Full-time equivalent jobs in the cannabis industry statewide

Sources: Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board fiscal year 2019 data, Washington State Treasurer, 502data.com, Leafly Cannabis Jobs Report 2020

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This product has intoxicating effects and may be habit forming. Marijuana can impair concentration, coordination, and judgment. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of this drug. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product. For use only by adults twenty-one and older. Keep out of the reach of children.

ANNUAL MANUAL 2020-2021 THE INLANDER |

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