River & Rye is one of Coeur d'Alene's newest hot spots in the downtown core. 

Owned by Jessi and Chad Waldher, the establishment is located at 422 E. Sheman Ave. in the former space occupied by Crickets, and it's gaining popularity among locals. 

"River & Rye is a craft cocktail bar inspired by the travels of Ernest Hemingway. It pays homage to his special connection to Idaho, his time spent on its rivers and his admiration for Rye Whiskey," co-owner Chad Waldher said. "The food features the culinary flavors of Italy, France, and Spain." 

Jessi and Chad purchased the building in September 2025 and, after a lengthy remodel, opened its doors Aug. 5. 

"We took everything down to the studs and rebuilt it," Chad said. "We split the 7,000-square-foot space into two sections, adding the full kitchen out front on Sherman and another bar." 

The remodel includes a separate back space in the building that will house a new concept the Waldhers aren't ready to reveal yet. 

"Crickets had a very long, successful run, but was winding down from its heyday," Chad said. "Judging by the reception we've had so far, it feels like the community was ready for some new life in this space." 

Jessi describes the vibe at River & Rye as "kinda dark, moody and sophisticated." 

"It's a 21-plus crowd and very much like date night — like girls' night out — a little moody," she said. "But it's still light-hearted, and people are having a good time — the music gets a little louder after dinner service." 

Jessi says the cuisine at River & Rye is eclectic. 

"It's very worldly — I'd classify it as New American," she said. "A lot of inspiration that we use — flavors that our chef and our bar manager pull from are primarily French, Spanish, Italian, and then sprinkle in a little bit of Cuban, a little Pacific Northwest." 

This isn't the Waldhers' first foray into the bar-restaurant scene; they owned Marcy's Bar & Lounge in Walla Walla and still operate the Bottle and Bull in Kirkland. 

Some River & Rye staff have come from those locations. 

"Chef Ryan McCuen was with us for about eight years in Kirkland. He worked under a famous chef — Chef Terry — also known as Chef in the Hat. Our GM, Joshua Rae, was also with us there," Chad said. "Nick Spencer, our bar manager in Walla Walla, who we worked with for 13 years, moved here from Walla Walla. Savannah Grinder, our assistant GM, worked for Crickets for seven years and was one of their top managers." 

River & Rye is open Wednesdays and Thursdays from 3 to 11 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 3 p.m. to midnight, and 3 to 10 p.m. on Sunday. 

Now the TidBits   

New and Upcoming  

• Jersey Mike's, 8289 N. Highway 41 in Post Falls, is now open. 

• Mor Furniture for Less, located in the Prairie Shopping Center in Hayden, is open. 

• The Flying Pickle, a state-of-the-art pickleball facility, is now open at The Pointe in Post Falls on 140 N. Beck Road.   

• Golden Rule Brake at 3637 N. Government Way is open for business. 

• The Crescent Moon Bakery at 315 E. Walnut in Coeur d'Alene is now open. 

• Jefe's Tacos and Tequila at 761 N. Idaho St. in Post Falls is now open.   

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

• Les Schwab Tire Center is now open at 1656 N. Nicholson Center in Post Falls. 

• Sierra Ranch Chili in the Silver Lake Mall is now open. 

• The Coral Cafe is open at 1524 E. Sherman Ave. in Coeur d'Alene.

Ongoing Projects    

• Super 1 Foods broke ground on a new location at Highway 41 and Prairie Avenue in Post Falls on Sept. 3.

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

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

• 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 is targeted for completion this summer.     

• 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.  

• 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 are not yet determined. 

Post Falls Business Licenses Filed 

• Legendary Paw Spa, LLC 

• A Touch of the Cascades Landscaping, LLC 

• Inland Motors 

• Two Left Feet, LLC 

• Nightshade Alchemy, LLC 

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