SPOKANE, Wash. — On a quiet corner in Spokane’s Perry District, one building has made a lot of noise.
The new location for Meeting House was just a normal house two years ago before Seattle-based developer InterUrban Development stepped in to transform the property.
It was originally developed under the name of 11th Avenue Café but has since change its name to Meeting House.
Documents from 1925 show the original use of the building was for a store. Then, over the years it turned into a residence.
Development of the café sparked controversy in 2018. Some neighbors had expressed concern over parking in the area, as well as noise and alcohol usage. One person said the café was “not compatible with our residential neighborhood.”
The developers said live music and alcohol would not be fixtures of the cafe.
Developer Rob Brewster, who is a Spokane native, also addressed claims in September 2019 that projects such as 11th Avenue Café were stalled due to unpaid bills. He said the project, among others, hit snags along the way.
Regardless, the construction moved forward and the building looks completely different from top to bottom. Meeting House will be the first of its kind in Spokane, according to its developers and operators.
After a long process to open the café, it will soon open its doors – eventually hosting events, and serving up soups, sandwiches, pastries and coffee.
“It’s just been beautiful. It’s been beautiful to see it happen,” said operations manager Nina Booth.
Supervisor Elisabeth Crahn and Booth aren’t the only people excited for the café’s opening. Booth said people stop by their door every day.
Both managers said they are working to train staff and work on final touches before opening Meeting House later this month.
In the future, they plan to have outdoor seating and a dog-friendly patio. Guests could also see Meeting House in two more Spokane spots in the next few years, along with Portland and Seattle.