Family billiards place on cue to open Monday

This won’t be a pool hall. You won’t smell cigarettes or cigars, and you won’t see any beer or hard booze.

This is BJ’s Family Billiards, which is scheduled to open Monday on Harrison Avenue across from the Goodwill store and behind Boller’s Automotive on Fourth Street in Coeur d’Alene.

The former Connie’s Pantry restaurant building has been completely renovated (new floors, walls and ceiling) and has six pool tables, along with dartboards, video games, snacks and nonalcoholic beverages. Smoking is not allowed.

Owners Brian and Karen Jones came up with the idea when their boys graduated from high school and didn’t have much to do in the evenings. The place will be operated in a neighborhood environment and will help provide young people with a positive outlook, Brian said.

The 2,500-square-foot building was built as Stockwell Paints in 1972.

Hours are 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2-7 p.m. Sundays. Phone (208) 765-9693.

Ace Hardware in Hayden

Occupying 14,000 square feet in the east portion of Hayden Center, Ace Hardware will open Sept. 23. The spaces formerly housed the Tobacco Hut and Patchwork Pony stores, which moved to a new, 3,800-square-foot building at 190 W. Hayden Ave., next to Highway 95.

Owners Bob Heater and Don Curry, of Colville and Ione, Wash., respectively, will open with 12 employees and expand to 15 to 20. The grand opening is planned for Oct. 20.

Now with more than 4,700 stores in all 50 states and 70 countries, Ace Hardware began in 1924 in Chicago. Curry will be the acting manager in Hayden.

Offering tobacco products and accessories, owners Terry Rentz and Kim Butler of Post Falls opened the Tobacco Hut two years ago. With six employees, the new store has a drive-through and is open 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. Phone (208) 762-0704.

A resale shop for new and used children’s clothing and baby furniture, the Patchwork Pony is five years old. Customers can buy the products or trade their items for store credit. Mother-daughter owners Ruth Cooper and Kristi Yarbrough keep the shop open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and (starting this week) noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. Phone (208) 762-7669.

Fratelli adds salon

Fratelli Salon is expanding to a second location and adding a master stylist salon to the first. The new store, with everything for hair only, opens Tuesday in the former Weldon Barber space at 247 W. Sunset Ave. (between U.S. Highway 95 and Government Way), Coeur d’Alene, and the original location is in Prairie Shopping Center.

Owners and sisters (“fratelli” means siblings in Italian) Anna Jessick and Kelli Cordon started the business five years ago. Appointments (9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and evenings) for both places are through (208) 762-4041.

The new store, with a quiet atmosphere, will have six employees. The original store adds facial, manicure and pedicure services to its hair work. It is beginning a six-month post-graduate master stylist program and has seven employees.

Tidbits

“The Lake City Development Corp. of Coeur d’Alene is combining three midtown properties in hopes of a developer putting in a building with commercial use below and housing above. Located between the Paris Flea Market and Idaho Youth Ranch stores on Fourth Street, the combined parcels originally had three old buildings, including the Rosebud Tavern.

“The rumor that the Coeur d’Alene Greyhound Depot is closing is false.

“Gas in Montana last weekend was $2.99 or $2.98 a gallon. News reports said outlets would not give a reason for the high Labor Day weekend prices. But we sure enjoyed Flathead Lake and Glacier National Park anyway.

“Speaking of Montana, last week the U.S. Forest Service foil-wrapped Gem Peak Lookout near Noxon to protect it from fire. Reports called it “historic.” Not sure how to take “historic.” I was the first employee to man the new building in 1963, my first full-time job. I loved it.

“Tubbs Hill Park in Coeur d’Alene became owned by the public piece by piece. It’d be cool if the same could happen with Sanders Beach with property owners donating their beach parcels piece by piece.