The owners of the Coeur dAlene Brewing Co. have bought the former T.W. Fishers restaurant business next door to their Coeur dAlene operation and plan to open a brewpub there later this spring.


The owners, Spokane developers Ron and Julie Wells, and their sons, Gage Stromberg and Spencer Stromberg, are remodeling the space at 204 N. Second extensively, Gage Stromberg says. He says they hope to open the new business, to be called the Coeur dAlene Brewpub, in early May.


Weve basically gutted the restaurant down to the bare walls, and most of the walls are gone, Stromberg says. Everything the public sees is going to be brand new.


He says he cant estimate how much the remodeling project will cost, because its still being planned. The deal to buy the business from its longtime owner, Tom Fisher, came together quickly, and closed at the end of last month, Stromberg says.


He declines to disclose the terms of the purchase.


We had failed in attempts to buy the restaurant from Tom in the past, so we really waited for the deal to close before we started moving ahead with planning, he says.


The Wells and Strombergs bought the brewing arm of T.W. Fishers from Fisher in 1999 and established Coeur dAlene Brewing Co. to run that operation. The brewing company is headquartered in Coeur dAlene but is a unit of a Spokane company the four own, WS Hospitality LLC.


They also own the Steam Plant Grill restaurant, in Spokane, and Wells & Co., a property development and real estate company here that was involved in the renovation of Steam Plant Square.


Last year, Fisher sold his Coeur dAlene restaurant to two North Idaho businessmen, but that venture didnt work out, and Fisher had resumed operating it again, Stromberg says.


The Coeur dAlene Brewpub will have about 100 seats, and will serve Northwest and pub favorites, Stromberg says. In addition, all eight of Coeur dAlene Brewing Co.s beers will be served on tap, as well as its seasonal beers, he says.


Diners in the brewpub will be able to view brewers making beer, he says.