Cascadia Public House opening second restaurant in space formerly occupied by Geno’s Pub

It’s been less than three weeks since Geno’s Pub permanently closed its doors in the Logan neighborhood, but the building already has a new tenant.

Cascadia Public House announced via Facebook it’s opening a second restaurant in the space formerly occupied by Geno’s at 1414 N. Hamilton St.

The decision to open a new restaurant in the Geno’s location came after a discussion with the building’s landlord, who approached Cascadia’s owners about leasing the space, said Jordan Smith, co-owner of Cascadia Public House.

“We saw it as an opportunity,” said Smith, adding they didn’t anticipate opening a restaurant during a pandemic. “We all came to the decision that if we looked back on this, we would be disappointed if we didn’t take the risk and go for it.”

Smith is among a group of five owners who recently formed Our Common Collective, a local restaurant group whose members also include father-and-son duo John and Justin Oliveri, Robert Hatch and Josh Lorenzen.

Cascadia Public House’s restaurant on Hamilton Street will have a similar menu to its existing gastropub at 6314 N. Ash St., which features regionally sourced food.

Lorenzen, who also co-owns Rut Bar & Kitchen on the South Hill with Justin Oliveri, will oversee the menu for the two Cascadia locations.

“My main goal is to refine everything, and get consistency and quality at both locations,” said Lorenzen, adding he plans to rotate menu items a few times a year to ensure variety. “We will definitely continue with a family-friendly gastropub kind of feel, but do elevated dishes.”

Cascadia’s current menu items include such items as Alaskan salmon and chips, curry mac, burgers and salads. The menu also offers gluten-free and plant-based items, in addition to craft beer and cocktails.

Since Our Common Collective announced plans for its second Cascadia restaurant, response from patrons has been overwhelmingly positive, Smith said.

“People are really excited,” said Smith, adding Cascadia’s existing Five Mile location draws customers from Spokane Valley and the South Hill. “They were excited to have a place a little closer to home.”

Renovations already are underway to transform the former Geno’s space into the new restaurant, which is anticipated to be open by February, Smith said.

Smith said he’s looking forward to introducing Cascadia’s concept to the Logan neighborhood.

“If you come into our restaurant, we are going to make sure you leave happy and have a great experience,” Smith said. “We make it a point to really connect with our guests. Food and drinks have to be good, but service makes a difference. We’re excited to show that to Gonzaga students, faculty, coaches and the neighborhood in general.”