The Dirt: Winery planned for historic North Monroe building

City Brix, a winery and bistro, is planned to open this fall in a 1905 building between Birdie’s Pie Shop and Terrain Gallery.

“We’ve been communicating with business owners in the neighborhood because we’re all about building partnerships and community,” said Ashley Erickson, a business partner behind City Brix.

“Birdie’s is interested in selling pie there in the evening. Breweries in the area, like Four-Eyed Guys and Bellwether, may supply some local brews, and Chowderhead might bake some bread for us.”

But first, Erickson and Keith Stanhill, the sole owner of the business, will renovate the space at an estimated cost of $320,000, according to plans submitted to the city of Spokane on Wednesday.

At 706 N. Monroe St., the roughly 2,200-square-foot interior will house tables, booths, a bar, a kitchen and restrooms, according to plans.

Erickson, a professional interior designer, said patrons can expect a French, turn-of-the-century-like atmosphere.

“We’re keeping all the original brick to lean into the age of the building while keeping it approachable,” she said. “It will be an eclectic coziness with its lighting and comfortable furniture – almost like a dark academia feel.”

Developers are also planning improvements to the roughly 1,200-square-foot patio along its north wall, Erickson said.

Site plans show water features, landscaping and seating for a few dozen people.

Though Erickson is behind much of the winery’s design, Stanhill will create the menu and wine list.

Because his father owned a deli, Stanhill spent much of his younger years embedded in the restaurant industry. This upbringing led him to becoming an wine expert, also referred to as a sommelier, according to Erickson.

“The wine list is still developing but it will include some exclusive wine that you can’t get from vendors. Keith makes that happen because he has a lot of connections from traveling the country as a sommelier,” she said.

For example, Jack Creek, a small Californian vineyard that has agreed to sell directly to City Brix. The selection will include Washington varieties as well.

“And for food, we’re going for more of a European bistro with smaller plates of fresh food – nothing greasy or fried,” she said.

The property was purchased by a group of restaurateurs in 2015, for $240,000, according to county records.

Todd Phelps, Curtis Nelson and Liz Nelson also own Steelhead Bar & Grille, Morty’s Tap and Grille, Manito Tap House, Fieldhouse Pizza and Pub (on the north side and Liberty Lake), The Barrel Steak and Seafood House, Selkirk Pizza and Tap House and the Screaming Yak, according to Spokesman-Review reports.

The upper floors of the Monroe building will operate as offices and headquarters for the group of restaurant owners, Erickson said.

Art exhibition hall

Near the Spokane River, where Division Street and Ruby Street split, a recently vacated building will become the home for Exhibition Hub, an art company with roots near Atlanta.

The building at 808 N. Ruby St., which is about 19,000 square feet, was once a home for The Arc of Spokane.

Last December, the thrift store relocated to 11008 N. Newport Hwy., according to its website.

The Ruby property has been owned by an Orange, California-based company since 2021, according to county records. The new tenant, Exhibition Hub has plans for a temporary immersive art experience.

According to its website, the Hub will put on the Van Gogh Exhibit, which will feature 360-degree projections on 10,000 square feet of screens of the Dutch impressionist.

The new tenant applied to the city of Spokane to temporarily change the building’s use from retail to mixed-mercantile. The exhibitors will spend about $50,000 installing temporary separation panels and exit signage, according to records.

Tickets are on sale and the show kicked off Friday. It’s closing night will be July 29, 2025, according to its website.