Vietnamese eatery opens on North Side

Michelle Nguyen, owner of Pho Thinh, in Spokane Valley, says she’s opening a second Vietnamese cuisine restaurant with the same name at the long-vacant former Pizza Hut building at 6022 N. Division.

Pho Thinh has leased the 2,100-square-foot building and plans to open there imminently following tenant improvements, Nguyen says.

The Valley Pho Thinh restaurant has been operating for about six years at 12012 E. Sprague, where the menu includes chicken, beef, and tofu Vietnamese-style soups. It also includes spring rolls, noodle dishes, and spicy lemongrass dishes.

The North Side restaurant, to be located at the southeast corner of Dalke Avenue and Division Street, will have four employees and will seat up to 85 people, Nguyen says.

The former Pizza Hut building was constructed in 1976 and has been vacant for a number of years.

Prominent Spokane developer and property owner Harlan Douglass owns the property.

Jody Johnson and Chris Bell, both of Spokane commercial property brokerage NAI Black, negotiated the lease.

—Mike McLean

Beauty, espresso bars open in core

A beauty bar and espresso bar have moved into a shared space on the mezzanine level of the Liberty Building, the historic structure anchored by Auntie’s Bookstore at 202 N. Washington, and are operating under the joint name Beautiful Grounds. 

Beautiful Beauty Bar and Grounds Espresso, both of which are sole proprietorships, are owned by Elly Allen and Joe Johnson, respectively. 

“We’re a family business,” Allen says. “I’m Beautiful Beauty Bar and my brother Joe is Grounds Espresso and together we make Beautiful Grounds.”

Beautiful Grounds occupies 380 square feet of space, most of which was remodeled by Allen and Johnson. 

“What we love about being in the Liberty Building is it really has a community vibe,” Allen says.

Beautiful Beauty Bar, which has three employees under Allen, offers professional makeup application and products, facials and other skin treatments, threading, and waxing. Grounds Espresso has two employees and features Spokane-based Roast House coffee, as well as Red Bull Italian sodas, and pastries and sandwiches from Rocket Bakery.

“We’re huge into education,” Allen says. “Joe will be hosting classes on coffee. I’ll be hosting classes for back to school for teens on understanding their skin.”

More information can be found at www.beautifulgrounds.net. 

 

—Virginia Thomas

Fertile Grounds coffee cart opens

McKenna Barron and her sister, Alyssa, have opened a coffee cart called Fertile Grounds Coffee in the lobby of the QualMed Plaza building, at 508 W. Sixth, on Spokane’s lower South Hill. 

The name Fertile Grounds is in honor of her sister’s stepfather, Dr. Edwin Robins, who opened the Center for Reproductive Health in Spokane in 1998, says stepdaughter McKenna Barron.  That practice is located on the fifth floor of the same building.

Barron and her sister, both from Spokane, are college students who wanted to open a business part time while attending school. Barron says they purchased the used coffee equipment in mid-February and opened up the business. The shop is open weekdays from Monday through Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

The coffee cart offers several types of Thomas Hammer coffees as well as specialty drinks, such as Italian sodas and blended drinks.  

 

—Judith Spitzer

Restaurant opens inside Rock Pointe

A café specializing in American and Asian food has opened in suite 3600 of the Rock Pointe Corporate Center’s Rock Pointe III building, at 1330 N. Washington. 

Honeywon Café LLC, doing business as Honeywon Café, opened last month in the 2,600-square-foot space.

“It’s the basic American food with a little Asian in the mix,” owner Steve Harris says. 

The café offers entrees such as pulled pork sandwiches, hamburgers, teriyaki, and yakisoba, as well as breakfast foods and espresso drinks. Harris says he tries to keep prices affordable, and most meals cost between $5 and $7.

Honeywon Café has one full-time and two part-time employees. Harris says the space needed little renovation except for the installation of some cooking equipment.

Harris says the café will soon have a website at www.honeywoncafe.com. He hopes to implement an online ordering system once the website is operational.

 

Botanicals shop coming to Cd’A

A business specializing in essential oils is coming to the Village at Riverstone in Coeur d’Alene. Pretty Angel Botanicals & Gifts LLC, doing business as Pretty Angel, is due to open shortly in Suite 1970 at 2050 Main St.

“It’s kind of an experience when you come into my store,” owner Lorri Simpson says. “I mainly work in essential oils and aromatherapy. I have unique items geared toward healing and relaxing.”

The store features a blending bar where customers can choose different essential oils to create custom perfumes, lotions, body butters, and other products. Pretty Angel also will offer artwork and clothing, as well as Simpson’s handmade jewelry. 

In addition, the store will host occasional workshops on topics such as meditation and healing. 

Simpson says some cosmetic renovations, such as paint and the installation of a stone column, were needed to customize the 1,200-square-foot space. She says she anticipates hiring two employees, though she may hire more if needed. 

Store hours will be 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.   

—Virginia Thomas