Black Sheep owner purchases Silver Lake Mall

The Chicago-based owner of NorthTown and Spokane Valley malls has sold the Silver Lake Mall in Coeur d’Alene to a company run by the owner of Black Sheep Sporting Goods, who has big plans to fill the mall with several outdoor-related shops.

According to Kootenai County Assessor records, the transfer of ownership from Brookfield Properties to Silver Lake Center LLC occurred on Dec. 2.

Silver Lake Center is run by David Knoll, owner of Black Sheep Sporting Goods, according to records file with the Idaho Secretary of State.

The county records do not reflect the terms of the deal, but the county has assessed the value of property at about $12 million.

Knoll did not immediately respond to a request Thursday for comment.

But Black Sheep’s Facebook page announced on Nov. 22 that it opened an affiliated business called Black Sheep Knives and Optics inside the mall, at 200 W. Hanley Ave. in Coeur d’Alene.

After the mall apparently sold on Dec. 2, Black Sheep’s Facebook page announced on Dec. 11 that a second affiliated store, Timberline Trading Co., had also opened.

The sale comes at a time when malls are struggling across the country, a trend even before the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.

Mickiah Swarner, a sales clerk at the newly opened Black Sheep Knives and Optics, said the company has plans to fill several of the seven or eight vacant shops in the mall with outdoor-themed stores.

The coming stores include Jake’s Dry Dock Life Is Good, an apparel store; a Camoland store that will sell name-brand hunting clothes; and an American Heritage store that will sell Huck and Grunt brand patriotic apparel.

The plans also call for opening a Macadamia Coffee Co. coffee shop, a store that will cater to those wanting Carhartt brand clothing and the Silver Lake Farmer’s Market, which will open in April, Swarner said.

Also this spring, plans call for opening a Pantry Specialty Market, which will specialize in farm-fresh foods, in the mall’s food court, he said.

Black Sheep Knives and Optics sells spotting scopes, binoculars and range finders for hunting. The store does not include rifle scopes, to avoid customers bringing rifles into retail mall, Swarner said.

The new stores would add to the mall’s existing lineup of 30 stores that include Macy’s and JoAnn Fabric & Crafts. The mall also is home to Axe Force One, Bath & Body Works, Caramel Kitchen, Claire’s, Boho West women’s clothing and Kitchen Coeur d’Alene, according to its website.

Efforts to reach Brookfield Properties Thursday afternoon were unsuccessful.