The best of the 1970s: The Hilltop gets a Grangeville revival

GRANGEVILLE — Cherry- and chocolate-dipped vanilla soft serve cones as well as huckleberry shakes and banana splits made with real fruit are popular items at The Hilltop, an ice cream shop with a food court in Grangeville.

Craig Stahl and his wife, Alison Stahl, revived The Hilltop, this year hoping to build on the memories many Grangeville residents have of the ice cream shop. In the 1970s, it was a frequent stop for kids walking home from the town’s nearby pool.

The menu is similar to what it offered in that era: ice cream, hotdogs and candy with an addition of microbrew beers and hard seltzers.

Craig Stahl led the renovation, gutting the restaurant that had been closed a number of years, but preserving elements such as sturdy walnut wood tables and metal-frame chairs.

“We just decided to bring that back,” she said.

They installed three garage doors that are open in nice weather, giving diners a place to listen to concerts at Grangeville’s Pioneer Park across the street.

The Hilltop is open noon to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday at 500 Main St.

Besides The Hilltop, two food trucks operate from the site. One is Flat Top Burgers, which is open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday through Monday. Another is Peppers Taco Truck. Its hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.

The Stahls still have room for three more food trucks. One of the sites is for a longtime tenant with water, sewer and power. The two remaining sites are for trucks that might be in Grangeville for a weekend or even a long afternoon, with water and electricity.

Additional information about those openings is available by emailing thehilltop500@yahoo.com.

In addition to The Hilltop, the Stahls have owned Sunrise Espresso at 914 W. Main St., a drive-through espresso business in Grangeville, for eight years located about 1 mile from The Hilltop. It is open 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 7 a.m. to 3 pm. Sundays.

Alison Stahl was raised in Grangeville and lived in Salmon, Idaho, before returning eight years ago with her husband and opening Sunrise Espresso.

Claire’s closing in September at Lewiston Center Mall

Claire’s is closing at the Lewiston Center Mall this month after being a fixture of the shopping center for decades.

The chain store’s last day will be Sept. 21, said Ryleigh Warner, the store’s manager, in a social media post that pictured a table with sale items in front of the retailer.

“All our clearance is 10 for $10!” she said. “It’s a great time to stock up for birthdays or Christmas! We have more clearance coming in! Come see us before we are gone!”

Warner told the Tribune she couldn’t share any more than what was in the post in accordance with corporate policy.

In Lewiston, Claire’s has been a place where many girls experienced the rite of passage of having their ears pierced. It has carried a large selection of jewelry and accessories that rotated with the seasons.

That combination has made it popular for many moms and grandmas treating their daughters or granddaughters for birthdays or other special occassions.

Mall management is starting to look for a new tenant for the 1,500-square-foot space in the enclosed section of the mall, said Billy Jeffrey Scharnhorst, the mall’s manager.

“We are definitely going to miss them,” said Scharnhorst, who owns Lewiston’s General Nutrition Center (GNC) at the mall as well as the GNCs in Moscow and Pullman.

“It’s kind of a nostalgic spot,” he said.

The departure of Claire’s follows recent news that another longtime mall tenant, Asian restaurant Super China Buffet, is closing this weekend.

A number of potential tenants have expressed interest in that space that’s outside on the east end of the mall, Scharnhorst said.

At the same time, work continues to progress for Hobby Lobby to fill the former J.C. Penney store, but no date has yet been set for the opening of that retailer.

Spokane Teachers Credit Union acquires Clarkston Community Bank branch

A Community Bank branch in Clarkston is one of 10 offices included in an acquisition of the financial institution by the Spokane Teachers Credit Union (STCU) in Liberty Lake.

STCU plans to hire all of Community Bank’s staff in the transaction, which, subject to regulatory approvals, is anticipated to close in early 2025, according to a joint news release from Community Bank and STCU.

Founded in 1955, Community Bank has 10 branches in Asotin and Walla Walla counties in Washington, and Wallowa, Union, Umatilla and Baker counties in Oregon, with $550 million in total assets, according to the news release.

STCU, which was founded in 1934, has more than 280,000 members, 39 branches in eastern Washington and north Idaho, and about $6.4 billion in assets.

“As the banking and business environment of our region grows increasingly competitive, this transaction with STCU will ensure expanded product offerings, more locations and a continued level of high service,” said Community Bank President and CEO Tom Moran in the news release.