Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce Welcomes The Loading Dock

The Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce recently welcomed The Loading Dock to the Chamber. Located on the corner of Bridge St and 1^st Ave, The Loading Dock is widely known for their wood fired pizza and seasonal deli. Owners Jeff and Tasha Walker wanted to fulfill the dream of owning their own business and moved back to Sandpoint to be closer to family and live out that dream.

                                                               

With more than 20 years in the restaurant industry, Jeff and Tasha Walker have done every job in the restaurant industry and even met in a restaurant. After 17 years away, they decided to relocate to Sandpoint in 2008 so their child could be raised in a small town with their grandparents near. Since 2008, they have since opened up The Pita Pit and took over The Loading Dock.

The Loading Dock is a year-round restaurant with indoor seating, two 50” TVs and convenient store prices with a causal restaurant atmosphere. They offer a unique and great experience; get a 6 pack with the same price as Safeway but we offer a place where you can enjoy it. During the summer they open up the outdoor seating with picnic tables and umbrellas. The Loading Dock is a counter style establishment and you can see them make everything right in front of your eyes.

Their pizzas are ready for takeout and delivery, so whether you want a dine-in experience or a nice night at home you can enjoy the finest wood fired pizza in Sandpoint. If you’re vegetarian or need to be gluten free, The Loading Dock has you covered! Their seasonal deli includes everything you need for a picnic.

Visit them every Thursday evening for FREE bingo, prizes and beer specials! Anyone can play and it’s entirely FREE plus lots of fun and entertainment. They will be offering specials for Bike Week and will have an outdoor beer garden on their patio ready for Lost in the 50’s weekend. Also, their two big screen TVs are always tuned to sports and their open every Sunday and Monday of the football season for your viewing pleasure.

The Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce wishes The Loading Dock continued success in our community. For more information, visit www.loadingdocksandpoint.com, call (208) 265-8080 or head to the corner of Bridge St and 1^st Ave. Like them on Facebook!

In Photo: Jeff and Tasha Walker cut the ribbon with the Chamber Ambassadors.

Chamber Honors The Home Depot as Business of the Month

The Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce is proud to recognize The Home Depot of Ponderay as the April Business of the Month. Founded in 1978 and with two stores built in 1979, the company has seen its growth get up to more than 2,000 stores. The Home Depot of Ponderay opened their doors in January of 2005 with their 103,000 square foot building with more than 35,000 different types of products they are open all but two days a year, Thanksgiving and Christmas.

The Ponderay Home Depot is all about building relationships in the community. Employing 100 local folks, Ponderay Home Depot is thrilled to give back to organizations and events in and around Sandpoint.  One step further, associates donate their time to help out folks through a program called Team Depot who in conjunction with Kootenai Elementary Volunteers built community raised gardens at Kootenai Elementary School. Other meaningful donations of time included Ponderay Home Depot associates volunteering their time to help a Veteran fulfill his promise to his wife by painting his large living room which he could not do due to long term illness.  Also, a few projects at Transitions in Progress Women's Shelter beginning with replacing over 80 feet of wood fencing, then, more recently, redoing the community kitchen and bath for Transitions in progress as well as the kitchen and bath in one of their private units.

The Ponderay Home Depot has donated to hundreds of local organizations since opening in 2005.  Selkirk School, Northside Elementary, Southside Elementary, Farmin/Stidwell Elementary, Sagle Elementary, Kootenai Elementary, Washington Elementary, Sandpoint Christian School and Waldorf School have all received gift card donations and/or grants with The Home Depot volunteers donating their time.  A few of the nonprofit organizations donated to just over the past couple of years include: Bonner County Search and Rescue, Sandpoint Elks Lodge, Bonner Community Food Bank, Lake Pend Oreille Conservatory, many local Boy Scout Troops, Bonner County 4-H Horse Camp, Department of Veterans Affairs, Alzheimers Association, Head Start, Bonners County Gardeners Association, Distinguished Young Women (formerly known as Sandpoint Jr. Miss), Back Country Horsemen of Idaho, Second Chance Animal Adoption, Spring Duck Derby/Rotary Club.

Please join the Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce in congratulating The Home Depot for their success and thanking them for their commitment to our community. For more information, visit them in Ponderay or call them at 208-263-2373.

In Photo: The Home Depot Manager Nickie Wernecke and a store associate accept the award from Chamber Ambassador Carol Warren.

Chamber honors Barb Merritt as Volunteer of the Month

 The Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce honors Barb Merritt as April’s Volunteer of the Month for her service to our community. Barb is a full-time volunteer with a passion for making a difference which runs through every vein in her body. 

Barb was born in Pocatello, Idaho, lived in Sandpoint as a child, and relocated back to Sandpoint in 1996 after spending much of her life in California working in the Title Insurance industry. Since moving back to Sandpoint, she has found a calling in doing more than Title Insurance work by volunteering a majority of her time with many local organizations. From the Chamber Ambassador program to the Special Winter Olympics, she’s touched a lot of people.

The many nonprofits she is a longtime volunteer for includes, but is not exclusive to: Kinderhaven, Habitat For Humanity, Bird Aviation Museum, Women Honoring Women, Pandhandle Animal Shelter, Lost In The ’50s, Special Winter Olympics, Friends of Memorial Field and Children’s Healing Hospital.

In October of 2011, Barb was given the Community Star award from Panhandle State Bank because she is an outstanding Bonner County resident. Current Mayor Marsha Ogilvie has this to say of Barb after the Community Star was awarded, “Barb has touch so many lives and has made an incredible difference. I can’t think of anyone who deserves this honor more than she.”

Please join the Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce in congratulating Barb Merritt in being honored as the Volunteer of the Month and thanking her for all of her contributions to our community. Her hard work has done a lot for so many causes in our community. Thank you Barb!

Photo: Barb Merritt is honored with the Volunteer of the Month award by Chamber Board Member Barb Schriber.