In June, a wine bar in downtown Bonners Ferry rebranded to shine a spotlight on the dutiful work of first responders — particularly, wildland firefighters.  

When retired wildland firefighter Angela Hand, of Naples, purchased Heart Rock Wines with her husband Sam in August 2024, they inherited a business with a unique set of struggles. The bar is in a basement, which can create a lack of allure and accessibility. And the previous owners had developed a reputation around town for arguing with customers over politics. 

After taking community feedback to change the name, the Hands decided on “Firehouse Vine and Hops,” and the official rebranding began. 

“We don’t care where you are, where you come from, your political background or your religious background. None of that matters to us. People matter,” Hand said. “Our biggest task and accomplishment is taking care of the community of Bonners Ferry and the great people that live here. Everyone deserves to feel comfortable when they come into a business.” 

    

The name “Firehouse” serves as a salute to local first responders. Hand has decorated the interior with old wildland firefighter memorabilia from over 30 years in the field, as she rose through the ranks to become the forest fire management officer at Sequoia National Forest. 

“I went into wildland firefighting by mistake,” she said. “I was going to college, and I needed to pay for it somehow. But I ended up loving it, and so I worked my way up.”    Beyond the name and atmosphere, the Hands plan to use the business to raise money for the Wildland Firefighter Foundation, which was established almost 30 years ago to “make sure that no wildland firefighter or their family walks through tragedy or hardship alone” by providing financial assistance and emotional support, according to the WFF website. 

“It helps firefighters who are injured in the line of duty get through their hard times,” Hand said. “This is something that I am passionate about because firefighters go through a lot being away from home. They are putting their lives on the line to help save a community or a forest that’s on fire.”  

To raise money for WFF, Firehouse is prepared to launch a Beer Mug Club, where a percentage of the annual membership dues will be donated. Club members will receive a beer mug and a 10% discount on all purchases. A Firehouse Wine Club is also in the works with the same goal in mind. 

Looking forward, the Hands said they hope to do more fundraising and raise more fire prevention awareness, adding to the work done by the Boundary County Fire Prevention Co-op established in 2018 by local fire districts, associations, the U.S. Forest Service and the Idaho Department of Lands. The co-op does home assessments to evaluate the safety of the house and the immediate area surrounding the structure.