Couple breaks ground on long-held dream

THOMPSON FALLS – Two members of the community joined together with loved ones and supporters as they broke ground on a dream that has been in the making for two years.

Katrina and Mark Campbell, owners of the Falls Motel, have been on a journey to expand their business goals. In order to do so, the couple has purchased a lot on the river, the new location of Big Eddy’s Deck Bar. The building will be the first one visible to those entering the east end of the town.

The Campbells decided to use the breathtaking scenery to their advantage and that is where the real planning began.

Big Eddy’s Deck Bar will be an establishment that will utilize the view, providing its patrons with both a large open deck and a smaller covered deck, looking out over the water.

The menu has yet to be released and will remain a surprise until the opening.

During the groundbreaking event, refreshments and snacks were provided to the community members in attendance, while Katrina and Mark welcomed everyone.

“It’s kind of exciting to see so many good friends and family here,” Katrina said.

Katrina and Mark have been on this journey for two years already and knew they had to follow their dream. Although they have received some questions about building in a recovering economy, the Campbells believed not following their dreams at this time would be worse.

“I guess Mark and I have always felt that if you have a dream, it’s more crazy to put it in a box, put a label on it and put it in the closet and wait for someday. We just had that day when we said ‘let’s make today be the day where we start following this dream that we have,’” Katrina said.

She admitted she never thought their dream would be to build a bar but when it comes to adding and developing their motel, it fits perfectly.

Katrina stated that many people helped throughout the course of their dream.

“We are really lucky to have had support for the hard piece of it – the financing,” Katrina said. First Security Bank, Sanders County Community Development, and Lake County Community Development helped the couple figure out the financial aspect. But that was only the beginning.

The Campbells also had to work with the town to ensure their view of their business matched that of Thompson Falls.

Mayor Carla Parks saw the vision as a fit and officially congratulated the two on behalf of the city.

“You guys are going to be the first building that people see when they are heading west on Highway 200 and coming into Thompson Falls – I think it’s so exciting,” Parks said. “It’s such a wonderful place that is going to utilize the view of this river.”

Parks hoped the couple would be the first of many to add to the main street of Thompson Falls.

“I want to thank you guys for following that dream and for coming to realize it. We just hope you are the first of more to come to develop our main street,” Parks said.

Jen Kreiner, coordinator for Sanders County Community Development, also congratulated the two.

“My sentiments mimic Mayor Parks as well that this will be a snowball effect for people to use your enthusiasm and roll with that. It’s contagious and it’s a great feeling to be around you,” Kreiner said.

Mike Thilmony from First Security Bank walked down the long road he experienced with Mark when he first found the dream location for his new business.

“We are very proud of this project and we are very proud to be business partners with Mark and Katrina,” said Thilmony. “They have great entrepreneur spirit and they are great for our community.”

Now the couple was ready to get down to business – after all, the day they were able to break ground was finally here.

“Everyone who brought a shovel, we thought we’d all dig in,” Katrina said.

The group took to the hill shovels in hand and as a group and a community, broke into what would one day be Big Eddy’s Deck Bar. The bar is scheduled to open in the spring of 2014.

The couple hopes the business will be a good addition to the main street of Thompson Falls.

“We’re hoping it will be a place where people can be really proud to bring their families to,” Katrina said.