Couple plans to open Mexican grocery store, bakery on Division
A Spokane couple say they plan to open a Mexican grocery store, to be named El Mercado del Pueblo, this month in a building they have leased at 1814 N. Division.

Fred Meyer says that he and his wife, Gilda, will operate the grocery store and bakery together, along with about 10 employees.

Meyer says he and his wife feel there's a need here for additional options for buying Mexican grocery items. He had worked as a regional sales manager for Orowheat Baking Co. here for 30 years, and when he left that company, decided he wasn't quite ready for retirement yet, he says.

The store will stock groceries and a variety of bulk spices, along with its own label of spices and carry-out deli and bakery items, such as tamales, burritos, homemade salsas, and fresh Mexican breads and pastries.

"We've gone out and gotten some product lines that the Mexican community would readily know that aren't currently available in this market," Meyer says.

The store is located in an about 5,000-square-foot building that formerly was occupied by a Standard Drug Co. store. Meyer says he and his wife have invested about $250,000 in starting up the venture.

Couple starts home inspection business
Mike and Sandy Torrey have started a home inspection business named Dollarwise Home Inspection LLC, at their home in Spokane Valley.

The business focuses on residential inspections, mostly for buyers, but also does some inspections for sellers who want to pre-empt any problems in selling their homes, Mike Torrey says.

"I take over 100 pictures when I inspect a house. I provide a complete, detailed report," he says.

He says he plans to begin doing energy audits in January, using an infrared camera which will show missing insulation, water leaks, and electrical problems in a house.

The Torreys are marketing their business through a Web site and through referrals from real estate agents.

Torrey says he previously worked at buying, remodeling, and reselling properties. He prepared for his new career at Bellevue Technical School and passed his state and national licensing exams in July, then together with his wife opened Dollarwise in September. He is a member of the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors.

Business has been slow so far, Torrey says, but adds that he expected it to be slow in the beginning because of the current soft real estate market.

New insurance agent launches State Farm office on North Side


Tom Watson has opened a new State Farm Insurance agency in a 1,400-square-foot leased space at 5521 N. Alberta.

Watson, a 20-year resident of the Spokane area, says he most recently worked for an accounting consulting firm and as a real estate appraiser. Before that, he spent 15 years in the telecommunications industry.

"I missed the people contact. That's why I went back into a sales environment," he says. He chose to work with State Farm, he says, because he's a longtime customer himself.

Along with selling auto, home, life, and health insurance, Watson says he is licensed to offer his customers mutual funds, variable annuities, and other financial products. He plans to market his business through direct mail, the Internet, networking, and referrals.

Watson's agency has three employees, two full time and one part time, who also are licensed to sell insurance policies and provide service to customers.

Developer opens green energy store
Richard Foley has opened Go Green Energy Solutions, a store that sells energy-saving and environmentally friendly products, in a 1,250-square-foot leased space at 21950 E. Country Vista Drive, in Liberty Lake.

Foley is a land developer and a former general building contractor. He says he decided to open the store because he was impressed with some of the products he had encountered, and he believes the interest in fuel-saving products will increase as fuel costs rise.

One of the products sold at Go Green Energy Solutions is a device that reduces the amount of electricity used by continuously running motors in the home, such as refrigerators and furnaces. Foley also stocks solar panel packages; solar-energy backpacks for recharging cell phones, iPods, and digital cameras; solar-powered lighting; solar attic fans; and electric scooters.

Nelson Brothers owners launch garage pad line


Rod and LaLonni Nelson, the owners of Nelson Brothers Inc., a custom cabinetry maker in Spokane Valley, say they have started marketing a vinyl garage floor pad that they've developed and are seeking to patent.

Ron Nelson says they are selling the pads, under the brand name E-Z Parking Pad, through a sole proprietorship called Larone Solutions. The pads are designed to be used under vehicles to keep winter dirt and debris off of garage floors, he says. The raised-edge vinyl pads collect melted snow and debris that fall from the vehicle. The pads come in three different sizes, and can be washed and stored in a vinyl storage bag when not needed. Prices for the pads start at around $250.

Larone Solutions recently started selling the garage pads via a Web site, www.e-zparkingpad.com. The venture has contracted with another Spokane-area business to produce the product.

The Nelsons say they filed a provisional patent application for the garage pad at the end of 2008, and filed a utility patent application last June.

New lunch spot open in Garland District
Kristen Speller has opened Garland Sandwich Shoppe in 600 square feet of leased space at 3903 N. Madison, in the Garland District. The space was formerly occupied by Brown Bag Bistro.

The shop is open for lunch only. It serves a different soup each day, as well as sandwiches, salads, side dishes, and soft drinks. Speller says it has inside seating for 14 patrons, but will be remodeling soon to create room for up to 22. It offers free delivery to a limited area, and accepts orders online through its website at www.garlandsandwich.com. It also offers catering for special events.

Speller graduated from the Inland Northwest Culinary Academy at Spokane Community College and says she opened and managed several restaurants in Phoenix.