A new kind of café experience is coming to Coeur d'Alene later this month.

The family-owned team behind Big Red’s Barn plans to open Capy Hour Café on March 31, offering a reservation-only, Brazilian-inspired capybara café experience inside the barn’s building, according to a recent press release.

Designed to be a calm and immersive environment, Capy Hour Café will host just 10 guests per session, creating what organizers describe as a relaxed, boutique-style wildlife experience. The lounge-style space draws inspiration from the capybara's native home of Brazil and will feature warm clay tones, tropical plants and soft lighting.

“We didn’t want to create just another café,” said Jace Harris with Big Red's Barn. “We wanted to create a place that feels peaceful and magical, like you’ve stepped into a little corner of Brazil right here in North Idaho. It’s meant to be warm, calm and truly special.”

The café will serve Brazilian-inspired specialty coffees and teas alongside a small menu of açaí bowls and light tropical snacks. Guests will also have the opportunity to interact with capybaras in a social setting designed to be comfortable for both visitors and animals.

Reservations are required for each session, a choice intended to maintain a quiet atmosphere and allow guests to enjoy an unhurried experience.

“This isn’t about volume,” said Haely Harris with Big Red's Barn. “It’s about quality. We want people to feel relaxed — to enjoy their drink, slow down and connect not just with the animals but with the environment around them.”

Although located inside the Big Red’s Barn building, Capy Hour Café will operate as a separate attraction with a private entrance and exit. Visitors will have the option to book a café session on its own or pair the experience with a visit to the barn.

Capybaras are the world's largest rodents and have grown increasingly popular nationwide in recent years.

Organizers say Capy Hour Café will be among the few dedicated capybara café experiences in the country and the first in the Inland Northwest.

“We’ve seen firsthand how much people connect with capybaras,” said Ginger Harris with Big Red's Barn. “There’s something incredibly gentle and grounding about these animals. We’re excited to create a space where people can experience the joy they bring in a completely new way.”

The Harris family expects the attraction to draw visitors from across the region, including Coeur d’Alene, Spokane, Pullman, Lewiston, the Tri-Cities and western Montana once reservations open.

Reservations will be released prior to opening day and availability will be limited in keeping with small group sizes.

Capybara lovers are encouraged to Big Red’s Barn on social media for updates.

Now the TidBits

New and Upcoming

• Super 1 Foods will anchor Prairie Crossing, a major shopping and mixed-use center under development at Highway 41 and Prairie Avenue, 7fold Realty Advisors shared via social media Thursday.

• Spill the Tea and Benzo Box will soon open a combined brick and mortar location at the southwest corner of Greensferry Road and Seltice Way in Post Falls.

• Coeur d’Alene-based Meltz Extreme Grilled Cheese has officially opened its location inside Spokane International Airport.

• A new location for Syringa Dental and Implants is under construction at 7533 W. Prairie Ave. Their current location at 1850 E. Seltice Way, Post Falls, remains fully operational at this time. 

• Coeur Dance Arts is a new dance studio under development at 4131 Early Dawn Ave. Suite 105B, Post Falls. Classes are anticipated to begin in May; check coeurdancearts.com. 

• 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 have not yet been set.

• The grand opening of Raising Cane's at 163 W. Neider Ave. is set for Tuesday, March 17.

• A new facility for One Place Church is under construction at Prairie Avenue and Huetter Road. 

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

• Crunch Fitness is taking over the former Big Lots space at 101 E. Appleway Ave., Coeur d'Alene.

• A new location for The Man Shop, a regional chain of family-owned barber shops, is under construction at Highway 41 and Prairie Avenue.

• A nomnom location is coming to 5231 W. Riverbend Ave., Post Falls. 

• Ross Point Gas Station, a fueling station and convenience store, is planned for 310 N. Ross Point Road in Post Falls.

Ongoing Projects

• An Idaho Central Credit Union (ICCU) branch location is scheduled to open later this year across from Super 1 Foods along Highway 53 in Rathdrum.

• A second Jersey Mike's restaurant is listed as "under development" at 201 W. Neider Ave. in Coeur d'Alene. An estimated opening date has not yet been disclosed.

• 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.

• El Jefe's Grill in Coeur d'Alene is expanding with a new venture in Post Falls, called Jefe's Tacos and Tequila. An opening date has not yet been determined, but the restaurant is in the former Bullet Bar and Grill space.

• Les Schwab Tires is under construction at the northwest corner of Highway 41 and 16th Street in Post Falls.

• A flex space development is planned for Schrieber Way in Coeur d'Alene. Plans include six separate spaces, with one to be used directly by Atlas Building Group, the project's developer. The spaces will be located in two separate buildings and will offer approximately 2,000 to 2,300 square feet of shop space, plus an office in each unit. Construction may begin as early as spring 2026.

• 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. 

• Construction is also underway on Rooted Social House at 310 N. Spokane St. The project is described as "an elevated space offering food, coffee, tea and entertainment in a social house setting." A completion date for Rooted has not been announced.

• A Jiffy Stop is under construction at Highway 41 and Lancaster Road in Rathdrum.

• 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.

• An AutoZone auto parts shop is under construction at U.S. 95 and Dakota Avenue in Hayden, next to Dirty Birdy Car Wash.

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

• The Habit Burger & Grill is taking the place of the former Pizza Hut at 212 W. Appleway Ave. The chain, known for its "Charburgers," is eyeing an opening sometime in late spring or early summer 2026. This location will be a first for North Idaho.

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

    Big Red's Barn is set to open a unique, reservation-only animal encounter experience called Capy Hour Café on March 31.