Treaty Rock Center comprises four new buildings on 3.1 acres between Interstate 90 and Seltice Way a few blocks west of Spokane Street in Post Falls. The Meineke Car Care Center and Northern Lights Stone, Tile & Floor Covering occupy most of the first two buildings on each side of the complex entry. The second two buildings, of about 7,000 and 6,000 square feet and adjacent to the freeway, will be occupied in May after their entry area is paved.

Meineke is to the right as you enter the complex from Seltice.

"We offer everything for a vehicle except the body and paint," said owner Brian Muthersbough. "We have tires, tuneups, brakes, transmission work, timing belts, clutches, financing - you name it."

With 870 shops in the United States and 30 in other countries, Meineke has been in business since 1972. The headquarters is in Charlotte, N.C. Check www.meineke.com. In Post Falls phone 777-0639. Hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Granite, stone at Northern Lights

On the left side of the complex entry is Northern Lights with an awesome display of granite slabs and flooring.

Currently in 3,200 square feet, the company will move its showroom, offices and workshop/storage area (now elsewhere in Post Falls) to the huge southeast building facing I-90 in the spring. Northern Lights offers many stone and tile floor options and custom wall paper both commercially and for residences. They recently did major work at Northern Quest Casino.

Originally from Virginia, owners Doug and Sally Sullivan came to North Idaho 25 years ago and have had Northern Lights for 11 years. Hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays by appointment. Check www.northernlightsstone.com. Phone 777-0177.

New Avenue Studios for photos, video

"I'll shoot whatever someone pays me to point the camera at" summarizes the work of Rick Hamilton, who has New Avenue Studios in the 3,000-square-foot space behind Northern Lights.

Hamilton offers complete photographic and multimedia/digital services with several skill sets including portraits, commercial work, brochures, video and audio. Coming to North Idaho 11 years ago from Colorado and Nebraska, his education included work in crime scene photography.

Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. with appointments. Phone 446-8952. Check his work at www.newavenuephotography.com.

Treaty Rock Motor Sports growing

Multi-faceted partially describes Mark Doerfler, manager of Treaty Rock Center and owner of Treaty Rock Motor Sports. Offering sales and service for a variety of RVs, snowmobiles and exotic autos, now primarily on eBay, Doerfler will display his vehicles in the 6,000-square-foot new building almost complete in the southwest corner of the complex. It will include a mezzanine and huge windows viewable from the freeway.

Currently in an office behind New Avenue Studios, Doerfler is originally from St. Paul, Minn., and discovered North Idaho while staying in the Coeur d'Alene Resort on a trip to visit relatives in Whitefish, Mont. When Northern Lights stone and Treaty Rock Motor Sports move in May, about 3,200 square feet will be available for lease. Contact Doerfler 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays at 661-0135.

Hang on for these tidbits

• Watch for news about a business complex near Cherry Hill Park.

• We all know about a herd of cows and a flock of birds. The term for a gathering of baboons is a "congress." Hmmm.

• Whine of the week: Notice with the snow that Borah Elementary students trying to get to the Best Avenue crossing guide are forced into the street because sidewalks don't exist on the northwest side of Seventh Street. Same danger for the Project secondary students headed east on Best. This has to be changed before someone is hurt. It also doesn't help that properties with sidewalks don't clear them.

• Style notes: The short-worded months with dates are never abbreviated. They're conveniently all in a row - March-April-May-June-July. Although we say "th" with a date such as Dec. 25, we don't write it.

• Contact Nils Rosdahl at [email protected].