Old Catacombs spot to host new eatery

Chef Adam Hegsted says The Gilded Unicorn, a new bar and restaurant he’ll own, is set to open in early December in the former Catacombs Pub space, located in the basement of the former Montvale Hotel building, at 1005 W. First downtown.

The business will occupy 2,000 square feet that it’s leasing from building owner GVD Commercial Properties Inc., says Hegsted.

“It’s kind of a speakeasy bar,” says Hegsted. “We want the feel to be … very classic, like it’s been here for 100 years.” 

The space, once a boiler room for the Montvale Hotel, has existed for more than 100 years, he says.

Classic drinks and comfort-type foods will be served with a more modernized twist, he says.

You want to come in and order a daiquiri, you get something classic, but better,” says Hegsted.

Menu items include versions of tater tot casserole, macaroni and cheese, chili, pigs in a blanket, and a mini fried chicken dinner, says the business’s website.

The Gilded Unicorn will have about 15 to 20 employees, three-fourths of whom will be full time, Hegsted says.

The Gilded Unicorn is set to open Monday through Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to midnight, Friday to Saturday from 11:30 to 1:30 a.m., and Sunday from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., its website says.

—Samantha Howard

Spokane Overstock opens second store

Spokane Overstock LLC, which operates retail stores that sell overstocked merchandise at discounted prices, has opened a second Spokane outlet, at 2915 N. Division on the North Side. 

Owner Nathan Chetrit says the decision to open a second branch was due in part to the store’s original location, at 9818 E. Montgomery in Spokane Valley, running out of space. 

“The market demand is definitely there,” says Chetrit. “We feel the north side of town is really starting to take notice of us. A lot of our customers up north had been saying driving out to the valley was a long trip for them.” 

Chetrit says Spokane Overstock is mostly a mattress store, but it also sells housewares and high-end furniture. Overstock’s merchandise changes daily, and both stores offer same-day deliveries starting at $25. 

The company’s Valley store opened last February on east Knox Avenue, but it quickly outgrew the space and moved to its current 5,500-square-foot space, which is a few blocks east of the Montgomery Avenue-Argonne Road intersection.  

Unlike the Spokane Valley branch, which is only open three days a week, the new Division store is open seven days a week, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends. 

Chetrit says he leases the 4,200 square-foot space, which has been completely renovated and opened the last week of October.  

“We’ve been open for three weeks now and it’s doing really well,” says Chetrit. 

Originally from Arizona, Chetrit graduated from Gonzaga University last year with a bachelor’s degree in business administration in accounting. 

He is one of Spokane Overstock’s three employees, all of whom split their time between the two stores. 

 

—LeAnn Bjerken

Gaslamp bar opens in River Park Square

A new bar and restaurant called Gaslamp Social Provisions has opened on the third floor of River Park Square. The 1,100-square-foot space is located near the AMC Theatres’ box office.

Bryn West, general manager at River Park Square, says the restaurant, which opened last month, has a unique atmosphere and so far is doing well. 

“Gaslamp is kind of a first for the mall, as we’ve never had this style of restaurant here before,” she says. 

Gaslamp’s menu features food items made from scratch including appetizers, salads, soups, flatbreads, sliders, entrées, and deserts. 

The restaurant has about 14 employees, and can seat about 50 guests.  

A back wall includes shelves with potted herbs, which are used in Gaslamp’s craft cocktails. The restaurant’s general manager, Jason Martinez, says that so far the cocktails are the restaurant’s best-selling beverage.  

In addition to its cocktails, Gaslamp also serves both draft and bottled beers, and a selection of wines. 

Martinez says that as the weather turns colder and the mall benefits from its opened skywalk access, Gaslamp is beginning to see more customers looking for lunch downtown. 

“Our goal is preparing a good product within a limited amount of time,” says Martinez. “We’re a little less formal than a sit-down, big meal restaurant, yet we still have that modern feel.”

 

—LeAnn Bjerken

Veteran therapist starts new practice

Candace Smart has opened a counseling business, named Smart Therapy, in The Pointe building at 9708 N. Nevada on Spokane’s North Side.

The $3.6 million medical office building opened in the spring of 2010. Smart Therapy is leasing 1,500 square feet of office space on the 15,000-square-foot building’s second floor.

The therapy practice employs four people, including Smart.

“I like the fact we have therapists who come from a variety of disciplines,” says Smart, who spent more than 10 years as a therapist specializing in counseling for seniors experiencing depression and anxiety. 

Smart says she and her therapists have past practice experience that includes working with individuals, couples, families, and groups. The practice also offers massage therapy, and Smart say she hopes to soon add a chiropractor to the staff there.

Smart also has a background as a nutritionist. During her work with senior clients, she says she began to examine people’s diets and saw a connection to her patients’ spiritual, emotional, and physical well-being. 

“We utilize natural remedies to bring balance back to your life,” says Smart, adding that she uses nutritional supplements to support health and wellness goals for her patients. 

“There are more natural ways to effectively treat patients. Medicine is vital, but we also believe that meds should be used as a last resort,” Smart says. 

Her practice hosts an open house tonight, Nov. 19, from 4 to 7 p.m.

 

—Kevin Blocker