Mar. 10—The addition of a second kitchen line at a Lewiston Arby’s is shortening waits for food orders.
The expansion was part of a recent renovation of the Arby’s at 2117 Eighth Ave. in Lewiston near Hells Canyon Grand Hotel, said Tobe Finch, corporate president of Happy Day Corp. in Lewiston.
The entire restaurant was redone in the project, including the kitchen, dining area and bathrooms, Finch said.
Finch’s company operates Arby’s in Lewiston, Clarkston and Moscow along with nine full-service and fast food restaurants as well as a catering business.
The decor in the dining area at Lewiston’s Arby’s features subway tiles and tongue-in-groove accents in multiple shades of wood.
“It’s got a whole new updated feel,” Finch said.
The dining area is smaller, but still has plenty of room for customers to eat their meals at the restaurant.
“Most quick-serve restaurants are experiencing most of their business through their drive-through windows,” he said. “We didn’t need the full dining room to accommodate the customers.”
The Moscow Arby’s is going through a similar upgrade at 150 Peterson Drive near Tri-State Outfitters.
The restaurant is serving customers through its drive-through window until its dining room reopens March 20 when the work is completed, Finch said.
Southway Pizzeria readies second location at Lewiston Orchards space
One of Lewiston’s only locally owned pizzerias is preparing to open a second location in the Lewiston Orchards.
Southway Pizzeria and Deli is anticipated to debut in April in leased space at a shopping plaza at 247 Thain Road that also houses a Subway, said Tobe Finch, corporate president of Happy Day Corp.
“We’re seeing the Orchards and Cougar Ridge needing more service,” he said. “We’re close to Lewiston High School, so there’s some opportunity.”
Like the original Southway in Lewiston, its menu will include pizza, wings and salads, Finch said.
Its focus will be take-out and an expansion of Southway’s delivery territory, but it will have about 20 spots for dine-in customers.
The original location at 721 Southway Ave. can seat about 80 diners and serves beer and wine, which won’t be available in the Orchards, Finch said.
Matt Weibler in Lewiston earns spot on Forbes/Shook list
Forbes/Shook has recognized a Lewiston financial advisor as a leading, up-and-coming performer in his field.
Matt Weibler of Weibler Financial & Retirement in Lewiston was named to a list of 1,464 U.S. Top Next Gen Advisors in 2023 who are under the age of 40 and together manage nearly $2.5 trillion in cumulative assets, according to Forbes.com.
This is Weibler’s third time on the list. He was named to it in 2017 and 2019. He was also on Forbes Best in State Wealth Advisor list in 2021.
The advisors on the 2023 list were selected based on factors such as revenue trends, assets under management, compliance records, industry experience and interviews by telephone, online and in person, according to the website.
Many chosen only work with clients who have millions to invest, but Weibler accepts clients at any income level.
The honorees have the potential to play an important role in their field at a time when the average age of financial advisors is 56 and about 20% in the industry plan to retire in five years or less, according to the website.
“Robo-Advisors and artificial intelligence may not be the biggest threat to the wealth management business but aging advisors with inadequate succession plans may very well be,” according to Forbes.com.
The publication believes that clients are oftentimes “served better” by advisors like Weibler, who have strong connections to the community.
“They’re seasoned, have lived through market cycles, and their deep relations with family — often representing three or more generations — position them among the best wealth management has ever seen,” according to Forbes.com.
Weibler credits his father, John Weibler, who founded the firm, the firm’s client service manager, Christy Armstrong, and his clients for the recognition.
“I consider it a reflection of our ongoing commitment to doing our best for clients and building lasting relationships,” he said in a letter to clients.
Weibler Financial & Retirement is at 508 Eighth St. in Lewiston. Its telephone number is (208) 798-7000.
Farmington-area native expands his mortgage and financial services business in region
FARMINGTON, Wash. — An executive of a mortgage lending and financial services company is accepting clients in Latah and Whitman counties after constructing a new home on his grandparents’ ranch in Farmington.
Mark Johnson, a vice president of Guaranteed Rate, is splitting his time between an office in Santa Barbara, Calif., where he has lived since 2010, and Farmington.
He is serving home buyers in north central Idaho and southeastern Washington through a website, telephone calls and in-person meetings in places like coffee shops and restaurants.
Johnson has deep roots in the area. He was raised on his parents’ family farm near Farmington.
“He attributes much of his success to the timeless values of curiosity and relentless work ethic that he acquired as a child on his family’s farm,” according to a news release from his office.
A lender since 1999, he has frequently been a preferred lender for large, multi-home projects.
His expertise includes first-time home buyers who need low down payment options, Federal Housing Administration/Veterans Affairs financing, borrowers with multiple properties and condo financing.
Part of his approach involves remaining up to date on changes in the mortgage industry and maintaining access to products and resources that meet the needs of clients in a variety of circumstances, according to the news release.
“He prioritizes communication with his clients, conducting weekly check-in calls and listening closely to understand each person’s situation,” according to the news release.
At Guaranteed Rate, he is one of more than 10,000 employees, who work at more than 850 branches across the United States for the Chicago-based company.
Empty buildings? Five ideas for putting them to use
Intact downtowns with historic buildings are one of this area’s greatest assets, but keeping storefronts filled in those commercial districts can be challenging.
Becky McCray, co-founder of SaveYour.Town, offered advice at a recent meeting of Inland Northwest Partners in Pullman. Inland Northwest Partners is a not-for-profit economic development group that covers north central Idaho, southeastern Washington and northern Idaho. Its founding investor is Avista Corp.
Here are some of McCray’s recommendations:
* Any business, no matter how modest, is progress. Divide larger buildings into spaces for a number of vendors. Then offer smaller options such as closets, carts and tables where entrepreneurs can launch. A bookstore can be as small as a single wall of titles. “Look at this one table jewelry store,” she said. “Why not? Why not make this small step available to people? Not everybody has perfect credit, marketing genius, plenty of room (and) friends and family who will help them out.”
* Parking is a perceived problem in many downtowns. Frequently, much of the parking is behind buildings. Gaps between buildings can provide access to that underutilized parking, especially if they are landscaped to be attractive to pedestrians.
* Empty lots present opportunities even if they are rough around the edges. Events such as farmers markets, art fairs and concerts can be held in those spaces.
* Vacant buildings can serve as boutiques for local online merchandisers. One community allowed artisans to display examples of their work in empty windows of a building, along with the websites where the items could be purchased.
* Art can dress up empty spaces. Such projects don’t have to cost a lot of money. One town decorated windows by cutting snowflakes from white paper. Another enlisted a college student to design paint-by-number panels to install in bricked-over areas of an upper-story building. Community members volunteered to paint the panels at the community’s fairgrounds.
Williams may be contacted at ewilliam@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2261.
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