If buildings could talk, what a story the Kamloops could tell us all

A few months ago, I was going to the Power House to make a picture of Gina Pucci-Deprez for my "Who Am I?" column. As I was walking toward the elevator, I encountered an old friend that I had not seen for many years. He did not offer his hand but I could tell by the pleasant look on his face that he was glad to see me. His name is Pend Oreille Pete and the last time I saw him was in the bank on Main and Second Avenue. I was delighted to see Pete once again and he brought back memories of the late Dale Selle and the hours we spent discussing the various buildings on First Avenue.

Today, I would like to share with you what I learned about the birthplace of Pend Oreille Pete - the Kamloops Klub that was located at 302 N. First, in Sandpoint. Like many of the buildings along First Avenue, this site was the home of many and varied businesses.

In 1908, L.D. Farmin and Son built the first brick and concrete building on the site. On May 3, 1909, Farmin leased the one story building to Mort W. Foster and Clarence A. Hunter for a plumbing and heating shop. One room at the southwest corner of the building was already occupied by the office of the Sandpoint Flour, Feed & Fuel Co.

On May 5, 1909, Richard and Susanne Palmer purchased the property, as an investment, from L.D. Farmin, for $9,000. The Palmers, on Jan. 19, 1910, agreed to a party wall with the Wilson Furniture Co., located at 304 N. First Avenue.

The 1910 Sandpoint city directory shows the Sandpoint Feed & Fuel Co. and Foster & Hunter Plumbing and Heating, were still on this site. In 1911, Foster and Hunter dissolved their partnership, and Mort Foster moved his plumbing and sheet metal shop to 405 Cedar Street. This left a vacant space and on July 17, 1911, the Palmers leased the space to Moses Greenberg, proprietor of the Chicago Clothing Store at 117 N. First Ave.

The records of Aug. 16, 1916 reveal changes at 302 N. First. The Sandpoint Flour & Feed Co. was still on the site, but Charles B. Stewart was the sole owner and Isidor C. Miller had taken over ownership of the clothing store.

On March 22, 1918, Susanne Palmer, now a widow, leased the entire building to Col. Horace L. Bennett and his wife, Blanche. It was a five year lease starting January 1, 1919.

The Bennett's moved their restaurant, called The Grill, from 204-206 N. First Avenue to the new location. The grill was advertised as "The best place in Sandpoint to eat."

On April 19, 1920, Sylvester M. Thew, a realtor, purchased the property from the estate of Richard Palmer for $4,000. The Bennetts were still running their restaurant but were having financial problems. On Jan. 5, 1922, Phil Willi, proprietor of the Bonner Meat Co., attached some of the restaurant property to recover $282 owed him for meat. On July 17, 1922, Joe Hudon, a farmer, attached some of the property to recover $138 owed to him.

Sylvester M. Thew died Oct. 22, 1925. His widow, Sarah L. Thew, became the property's owner. On Feb. 16, 1926, Sarah Thew sold the restaurant, and its contents, to Charles Passey for $13,420. Contents included: a heater, 50 chairs, 14 tables, 12 pads, a meat block, 18 large tablecloths, 24 small tablecloths, 320 napkins, a dishwasher and pan, and one toilet and lavatory.

Ownership of 302 N. First changed hands many times. In 1926, Charles and Lydia Passey deeded the property to the Bonner County National Bank. The bank, in 1927, sold the property to Philip Willi for $7,500. Willi was killed in an automobile accident on the Long Bridge, and his widow, Ida, leased the property to Ng Hop Yee for three years. Yee probably operated a Chinese restaurant on the site. On Feb. 24, 1937, at the height of the Great Depression, Ida Willi deeded the property to the Bonner County National Bank.

The bank sold the property to B. W. "Bill" Kennedy and his wife Lydia, and they operated the "Club Cafe" on the site. Business was poor, because of the depression, and on May 22, 1939, Bill and Lydia Kennedy turned the property back over to the Bonner County National Bank.

 In 1941, William W. Von Canon, owner of the Bonner County National Bank, convinced local painting contractor, Russell Kotschevar, to take over the mortgage on the Club Cafe for $1,000. Kotschevar had enlisted in the U. S. Navy Construction Battalion, and was about to leave for World War II, but he felt that he could not pass up the deal. On June 1, 1941, there was a fire in the café, and the north wall and roof of the building were damaged and Russell Kotschevar got a three-month deferment from the service to repair the damage.

Kotschevar leased the facility to the American Legion Club before he shipped out and they were located at this site all during the war. They had slot machines and other gambling games, and entertained thousands of sailors from the Farragut Naval Training Station. The American Legion Club was still at 302 N. First Ave in January 1948.

Russell Kotschevar was discharged from the Navy and returned to Sandpoint. He took possession of his property and operated a bar that he called the "Kamloops Klub Bar."

In 1956, Kotschevar sculpted a statue of a little old man carrying a huge Kamloops rainbow trout. He named his statue "Pend Oreille Pete" and it stood on the sidewalk in front of the Kamloops Klub for 20 years.

In 2004, the Panida purchased the "Kamloops Bar & Grill" and today it houses Stage Right Sellers and the Panida Little Theater.