Antique store opening in Dalton Gardens

Take a step back in time Monday morning, June 8, at the grand opening of the Govt Way Antique Mall at 7352 N. Government Way in Dalton Gardens. The doors open at 11 a.m. 

"We got a little bit of everything," owner Glenn Gatherer said. "Furniture, glassware, handmade jewelry, gold and sterling jewelry, hand purses, vinyl records, advertising and automotive posters, sport memorabilia, yard art and collectible dolls and much more." 

Gatherer has been in the antique business for over 30 years. His first shop was just north of Appleway. 

"It was called Highway 95 Antique Mall," Gatherer said. "Then had Government Way Antique Mall, behind which is now the Garnet Cafe that used to be the Broken Egg and Larry's Five Cent Coffee." 

He was at that location for 15 years but had to close the business in 2019 when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. 

"Nobody wanted to go out," Gatherer said. "People were having a tough time spending discretionary income, so we decided it was time to get out of the business for a while." 

In the meantime, Gatherer owned and operated a pizza shop. 

"It was called the NYPD," Gatherer said. "I sold the place in March of this year and decided to get back in the antique business." 

Collectibles have been a passion for the Gatherer family for decades. 

"My dad collected automotive and Coca-Cola items. My mom collected Disney and Black Americana," Gatherer said. "I got the bug from them." 

His collecting "bug" started with baseball cards. 

"I owned two card shops back in the mid-80s called Steal of the Deal," Gatherer said. "One was in Coeur d'Alene, and the other was in Spokane." 

As a youngster, Gatherer said he attended many national card conventions and met many professional baseball players. 

"Spokane was the farm team for the Los Angeles Dodgers back in the late '60s, early '70s and I got to watch Ron Cey, Steve Garvey, Davey Lopes and Tommy Lasorda play," Gatherer said. "One time I attended a national card show I knew Garvey was going to be at, so I brought one of my Spokane Indians programs and I set it down in front of him where he was signing autographs. He looked up at me and asked where I got it, and I told him I used to watch him play in Spokane. We talked for about an hour after that." 

Gatherer said he also has many Michael Jordan collectibles. 

"I've got a lot of different things that I've kept over the years, from autographs to jerseys to shoes," he said. 

Even though Gatherer was out of antiquing for close to seven years, he still held on to much of the inventory from his other shops.  

"I didn't sell all my stuff and there's been multiple shops that have closed," Gatherer said. "Dealers are always looking for places, so that's why we decided to get back into it again." 

His new place in Dalton Gardens has a 47,000-square-foot showroom. 

"We rent out spaces to dealers and sell their merchandise for them for a commission, so they don't have to worry about working it," Gatherer said. "Right now, we have 12 vendors and have openings for 10 more." 

He also takes items on consignment.  

People are what Gatherer says he likes best about the antique business. 

"I've met a lot of interesting folks. Everybody has their own little stories to tell," Gatherer said. "I enjoy talking with all of them." 

The Govt Way Antique Mall is open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. 

    This 1920s Hot Points cookstove/oven was considered a luxury back in the day.
  

    The Early Beatles with drummer Pete Best. Ringo Starr replaced Best in August of 1962.
  

    Antique necklaces, jewelry, and glassware are part of the inventory.
  

    A 1920 Singer sewing machine.
  

Now the TidBits  

New and Upcoming 

• Vintage Antique Mall is opening June 8 in Dalton Gardens at 7352 N. Government Way, Suites F & G.

• Mad Baby Thrift & Consign is opening in mid-June in Post Falls. 

• People's Waffle, 400 N. Fourth St. in Coeur d'Alene, is open. 

• The Spill the Tea and Benzo Box at Greensferry Road and Seltice Way in Post Falls is open. 

• Hyatt Place, a 151-room hotel, 1213 E. Fourth Ave. in Post Falls, is now open. 

• A new Nom Nom gas station and convenience store is open at 5231 W. Riverbend Ave. in Post Falls. 

• Two Moms & Tots, a childcare service for kids ages 6 weeks to 5 years, is coming to 104 W. 11th Ave., Suite A, in Post Falls.  

• Dragon Fly Support Services, a mental health and substance use counseling facility, is coming to 601 E. Seltice Way in Post Falls.  

• River & Rye will be opening soon at 424 E. Sherman Ave., Coeur d'Alene. The menu will include "various flavors from Spain, France and Italy, along with some PNW flair," as well as craft cocktails.   

• Mor Furniture for Less, one of the West Coast's largest furniture retailers, is opening a showroom this summer at the Prairie Shopping Center in Hayden.  

Ongoing Projects    

• Jefe's Tacos and Tequila has filed for its business license. The opening date is undetermined at this time.    

• The Ross Point Gas Station is under construction at 310 N. Ross Point Road in Post Falls.   

• A state-of-the-art pickleball facility called The Flying Pickle is coming to The Pointe at Post Falls at 140 N. Beck Road. Opening is anticipated by mid-2026.    

• American Universal Storage is planned for Spirit Lake along Highway 41, across from the Jiffi Stop.    

• A new commercial building is planned for the Riverstone development at 1570 W. Tilford Lane and will bring at least one new dining option to the area. The 7,500-square-foot mixed-use building's targeted finish date is this summer.    

• A five-story, 173-room Hilton Dual Brand Hotel is planned for a 2.71-acre parcel of land off Lee Court and Appleway Avenue in Coeur d'Alene. The project's start and completion dates haven't been determined.  

• The 33-unit, mixed-use "Nonna" building across from Post Falls City Hall on Spokane Street is anticipated to be completed by October of 2026.       

• Spokane-based Golden Rule Brake is under construction at 3627 N. Government Way, Coeur d'Alene. 

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Have a tip on happenings in the local business world? Contact Bob at [email protected].