Hey, thank you so much for joining today’s newsletter. Today’s edition is covering 3 local businesses we have. You have probably never heard of one of these unless you are following CDAR on social media. At the end I have a few local events, but before we get to those I have a big change for The Coeur d’Alene Review. You might not like it. With that said, let’s get into it.

In this week’s review:

I left Meltz feeling impressed. Let me tell you a bit about them. They have a fresh new logo that's making a big statement outside the building. 

You find some cool wood tables inside, a Stubborn soda fountain, and some special grilled cheese sandwiches to choose from. Their most popular sandwich is the Oinker. It's huge and delicious. 

Meltz is a Christian business. They have a prayer box, and support charities for local schools. They represent a very unique and niche restaurant. Meltz gets to come up with cool ideas and then put them into a sandwich. They appreciate the years of support from the community, and they love giving back. 

I spoke mainly to Shad, the General Manager. His advice for local businesses is to be original. Make all your own things, and be a genuine business. Shad said, "Aim to please, not to earn." Great quote. 

Thank you guys for what you do, and letting me in for a review! 

My family received a business card at our door step from a neighbor who recently started a business. His name is Ben, and his business is called Grandson For Hire. He already has a branded shirt, business cards, and a good looking website. His services include yard work, junk removal, light bulb changes, fence repair, etc. He offers a range of tasks, all through one business you can trust. 

Below are some questions I had for him to make this review. His answers are left unaltered. As you read through you'll see someone who genuinely wants to work hard, and provide value to his customers. Enjoy! 

HOW DID THE BUSINESS START?

It’s a story of faith and family. My twin brother and I were planning on starting a handyman business a few years ago, but our plans changed when our family felt called by the Lord to sell everything we had and head overseas to see if He would have us serve as full-time missionaries. After a few months of seeking His will abroad, He eventually led our family back to Idaho, where I was originally born.

While my brother went off to a Bible Institute, I stayed here in CDA. The idea for this specific business started while I was listening to a podcast, and evolved as I talked it over with my dad, and the name "Grandson For Hire" actually came out of a conversation at the dinner table with my whole family. We laughed at first, but then it clicked—it perfectly described the kind of respectful, reliable service I wanted to provide to my neighbors. That’s when I decided to make it a reality.

WHAT DO YOU EXPECT TO BE YOUR MOST POPULAR SERVICE?

I expect my "Honey-Do" list service to be the most popular. There are so many homeowners who have a running list of small repairs, yard projects, or organization tasks that never seem to get done. Whether it’s fixing a fence, clearing out a garage, or general property maintenance, I’m here to knock those items off the list so people can just enjoy their homes.

IF THE BUSINESS COULD SHARE ONE MESSAGE WITH CDA, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

Don't let that growing "to-do" list stress you out. Coeur d'Alene is a great community that looks out for one another, and I’m just happy to play a small part in keeping our neighborhoods looking great.

ANY INTERESTING IDEAS FOR GROWTH?

Right now, my focus is entirely on earning the community's trust. I’m not looking to take shortcuts; I’m looking to prove myself through hard work and reliability. I’ve already established my LLC and have my professional insurance in place because I want my clients to have total peace of mind knowing they are hiring a legitimate, responsible operation.

BIGGEST PIECE OF ADVICE FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES?

Since I'm just starting out, my biggest focus is simply on my own character. I believe that in a community like ours, your word is your bond. My goal is to always do what I say I’m going to do and treat every person with genuine respect. I believe that if you start with that foundation, a business will naturally grow the right way.

If you have any tasks that need taken care of, please check him out. I look forward to seeing where his business goes!

Here's his website and contact information: 

Website: http://grandsonforhirecda.com/

Phone: 208-500-4499

Email: [email protected]

Pilgrim's Market is a solid store, but what makes them stand out? Keeping reading to find out why this store has everything you need while keeping a small town feel. 

The store that looks somewhat small from the outside, but houses 25,000 square feet with fresh baked bread, high quality groceries, local goods, and more. What makes this store special is their MRH (Made Right Here) and GRH (Grown Right Here) products. They are a quality-first environment.

The store is pretty much tailor-fit for anyone looking to purchase local quality. The owner says "Our mission is to serve empower and delight our health-seeking customers. We truly believe in the power of non toxic, healthy and certified organic whole foods and thankfully they can be totally delicious too."

Through the store you not only see quality, but you smell it as well. One such area is their fresh pastries and bread. Grab from the cabinet if you want the especially fresh bread! 

The owner says "We make well over 500 unique items from scratch each week. Fresh is truly best. We are locally owned and have a very aggressive profit sharing program to take care of the hands that make the food for you."

The owners response for their biggest piece of advice to other local businesses is to "Be a multiple bottom-line business. Profit is just one measure of your success. It is actually the most important because without financial success there is no business at all, but other metrics like employee satisfaction, community impact etc, are more rewarding in the long run and probably your best retirement plan." 

They stand out as a casual, well-branded, and quality store. They have unique options. They have sit-down seating for salad bar and their hot bar food station. Their hot bar might be my favorite part. The food is delicious. 

I'm thankful for Pilgrims Market helping me make this review. Thank you to Madi, and the owner. If you guys want a small town feel with high quality ingredients check out Pilgrim's Market. 

Click here for more info: 

https://www.pilgrimsmarket.com/about

Well, unfortunately this could be the last edition. You see, the newsletter was the original goal. At about the same time of making the newsletter, however, I also made a Facebook and Instagram account. The newsletter is great, but it takes me time to input and format everything to share here. I am going to shift my focus to the social pages now, and try to up the quality of those. Right now, I have a little over 60 subscribers here on the email list. It’s possible this will come back in the future, but not likely. I want to keep providing local events, business highlights, and more. If you’re interested in keeping up with CDAR, then be sure to join on one or both of those platforms. Sorry for the abrupt stop here, but I believe I will be able to manage CDAR more sustainably with some changes. I am genuinely thankful for how open businesses have been to me making them reviews, and I’m thankful for everyone that joined the newsletter.

I hear the weather will be getting warmer. Also, good job on making it past tax day. Enjoy the Spring while it lasts, and get ready for more warm sun. I hope you took something of value here. Don’t just hold it, use it!

- The Couer d’Alene Review, signing off