Pizza, rock 'n' roll, and buzzing nightlife were all scarce in Coeur d'Alene until Candace Conradi's grandmother opened the Rathskeller Inn on Sherman Avenue in 1961.

The venue was the first of its kind in the city, bringing Coeur d'Alene its first pizza joint, a gathering place for young adults and a stage for popular bands of the era, including Paul Revere and the Raiders and The Cascades. Conradi's new book, "Thirteen Twenty Four Sherman," chronicles the Rathskeller's history and the pioneering women in her family who ran it.

"It opened a playground for the twenty-something crowd. Up until 1961, the only bars in Coeur d'Alene were frequented by the older generation," Conradi said. "There was no place for young people."

Conradi will return to Coeur d'Alene for the first time in years, selling a limited number of special-edition copies of her new book at the Museum of North Idaho on Sept. 19 and 20. On Sept. 23, she will host an author event and informal reunion for members of her Rathskeller Inn Facebook group at Vertical Earth, which now owns the property that once housed the Rathskeller. Attendees can ask questions and share memories from the venue's heyday.

A mix of biography and autobiography, "Thirteen Twenty Four Sherman" traces Conradi's tumultuous family history, intertwined with Coeur d'Alene's history. The Rathskeller rode a wave of cultural change throughout the 1960s, transforming from a 1,000-square-foot jukebox beer garden into a 7,000-square-foot live music venue, with lines stretching down the block every weekend.

"By 1963, they couldn't hold everybody in the place," Conradi said. "Everyone wanted to be at the Rathskeller."

As a child growing up in Coeur d'Alene, Conradi said her classmates assumed she lived a dream life, but her family faced its own struggles. She said it was difficult growing up amid the stigma surrounding nightlife and women-owned businesses.

"My teachers didn't respect the women who were running it," Conradi said. "It was very controversial in the area, except for the young people who absolutely loved it."

She said many locals tried to shut the Rathskeller down and even spread rumors that her family was operating a secret brothel. In 1970, Conradi married Dave Wilson, drummer for The Cascades, and left Coeur d'Alene and her family's complicated history behind. The Rathskeller closed in 1972. It took Conradi 14 years of research and writing to chronicle her family's story.

"I never wanted to tell my story because it was very difficult growing up with that," Conradi said. "My family was very unique in many ways. They were kind of outliers."

Conradi and Wilson's son, actor David Wilson Barnes, encouraged her to share her story and ensure the Rathskeller's legacy would not be forgotten. Conradi dedicated "Thirteen Twenty Four Sherman" to Barnes, who passed away last year.

Conradi said she is excited to return to her hometown and swim in Lake Coeur d'Alene. She will be at the Museum of North Idaho on Sept. 19 and 20 from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and at Vertical Earth on Sept. 23 from 4 to 6 p.m. Space is limited, and seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Her books are available for purchase online at candacegeorgeconradi.com/books.