An evening in Priest River

[Toyman at Jewel Lake]

Originally Posted by mistyriverranch

No, that's the Beardmore Building that is across from the PRI. The Charboneau is on... ? Can't think of the street name. Whatever the street is that the bridge is on.
The wine bar is around the corner in the Beardmore..or right next to it.

Thanks, that will give us something to look forward to next time. We'll be back to the Priest River Inn. There was also a decent looking place on Hwy 2 roughly across from Millers?? Grocery we need to try.

Have you ever stopped by the Willow Bay Resort? It's down off Dufort by Vay (by my road). Nothing fancy-mostly "pub grub" but they have a nice patio right on the river. We try to make it there a couple times a summer.

[mistyriverranch]

[SIZE=+1]HIstoric Beardmore block wins national honors[/SIZE]
PRIEST RIVER — Priest River’s venerable Beardmore Block has received the Grand Award for Adaptive Re-use at the Pacific Coast Builders Conference held in San Francisco, Calif.
The conference recognizes architectural and construction excellence throughout the West.
In accepting the award, Seattle architect-owner Brian Runberg, University of Idaho graduate, said that the project “serves as an important precedent for the region that historic buildings can be preserved in an appropriate way.”
It is one of only five buildings on the National Register of Historic Places that have received LEED Gold certification. With the renaissance of the Beardmore Block, Runberg has succeeded in preserving the legacy of his great-grandfather, Charles Beardmore, an Idaho pioneer who in 1922 commissioned renowned architects Whitehouse and Price to construct the building for his then-growing timber and mining businesses.
In awarding the honor, judges noted that the project “demonstrates that preservation of existing features can be integrated with sustainable design strategies while creating a revitalization of Priest River’s historic downtown.”
Judges were impressed with the way in which existing materials had been refurbished and reused in many areas, while reconstruction also adhered to the sustainable standards of the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED program.
Runberg is most enthused that the reopening of the historic building is contributing to the overall rebirth of Priest River, a town reeling from the downturn in the timber industry and the loss of nearby mills.
“It’s the kingpin of the Priest River downtown historic core,” said Don Watts of the Idaho State Historic Preservation Office. “It’s a great example of early 20th-century architecture and design.”
As the centerpiece of the historic district, the renovated building attracts tenants who value both its unique historic character and green qualities. Noni, a wine bar in a first-floor space, has become so popular that it is causing parking problems in Priest River for the first time in many years.
To meet the requirements for LEED Gold certification, almost all of the material that came out of the Beardmore Block during its renovation was recycled. More than 95 percent of the original structural material remains, and over half of the nonstructural material is also original, including most of the wood used in the renovation.
To maintain historic integrity, Runberg drew on his personal knowledge of the building as well as on the recollections of his late grandmother, Vivienne Beardmore McAlexander, whose 18th birthday was celebrated at the Beardmore Block’s opening in 1923.

[Teelv Nav]

Teak, I think their son owns the Albeni Machine Shop in PR.

[kelpforest]

Had dinner at the PRI tonight. It was great!

Food was very good, service was excellent, and sitting out on the patio was very pleasant. It was about 80 in the shade with a light breeze.

MistyRiverRanch, I want to thank you for mentioning that place. I'm glad I took Hwy 2 across instead of I-90. I can't imagine it would have been anywhere near as nice of over from Spokane the I-90 route.

The Noni Wine bar place is only open Thursday-Saturday, so this being a Monday that didn't happen. We peeked in the window and it looks very cozy.

The whole block with the Beardsly (sp?) building looks like it is filling up with new tenants. Kind of specialized stuff, so the target market is interesting, but that part of town has a lot of potential.

Just got to Idaho (Sandpoint area) tonight on a loop that came up I-5 to Portland then over to Sandpoint via Richland, WA.

Spending a day here, then another in Central ID. Later this week I'll be in the Boise area visiting friends, then back to So Cal.

[Sage of Sagle]

Yeah. Highway 2 is a nicer drive from Spokane. Thanks for sharing your experience in the area...

[mistyriverranch]

I'm so glad you liked it! Funny...my husband and I just came back from having lunch there. Jeep and Ray, the owners must be doing well because they now run the coffee shop on the corner near the PRI in the beautiful Seven Planet building. I'm so happy that they are doing so well in this awful economy. This little town has taken a horrific hit.

[Fisherman 100]

Hi Toyman, drove right by the Willow Bay Resort. We will soon be neighbors. Do they serve a good burger?

[Toyman at Jewel Lake]

Originally Posted by Fisherman 100

Hi Toyman, drove right by the Willow Bay Resort. We will soon be neighbors. Do they serve a good burger?

Hi there Fisherman, I saw your pics on the other thread, you have a great looking place. Where is it located?

Yeah, WBR does good burgers and general "pub grub". If you can, go there on a nice day, they have an outdoor patio on the river, it's nice to sit out and enjoy the view. I think their hours have been extended too, they used to be just Memorial day to Labor Day.

[mistyriverranch]

So, finally we decided to try the new restaurant on Highway 2 in Priest River. It took me a while because for some reason I had decided that it wasn't going to be any good. I was wrong. It really was. Good by my previous standards as a Bostonian or Phoenician? No...probably not. But good by north Idaho standards? Heck yeah!
We've gone twice and I have to say...the service both times was extraordinarily good. Friendly and attentive, but not annoying. The appetizers (wings and coconut shrimp) were good and the salads, soup, ribeye steaks and sides were all very good too. Excellent wine and beer list and they have those coffee house lights that give the place a warm atmosphere. Only downside for the Priest River clientele...it's maybe a little pricey. We had appetizers,dinner, drinks and dessert for around a $100. Oh yeah, my few purloined bites of my husband's dessert were darned good too.
We'll definitely be going there again... a lot. I just hope they make it through the recession.