Old business, new owners

WALLACE — A new era kicked off recently at the wildly popular 1313 Club in downtown Wallace.

New owners Ken and Carrie Lynn are excited to be at the helm of the popular local haunt and are looking forward to restoring the restaurant to its former glory.

Ken, a Wallace native, graduated from Wallace High School in 1984 and now runs a successful dental practice in Post Falls.

Carrie was born and raised in Post Falls, so she was pretty familiar with the area growing up.

Since departing, Ken and his family have continued to enjoy the amenities of Wallace and would like to see their vision realized as they grow as members of the Wallace business community.

“We have stayed in the Loft above the 1313 many times and have been patrons of the 1313 Club for 50 years,” Ken said. “Our Vision is multi faceted, but includes being true to the history of the building and the business. Keeping a local theme, centered on Wallace history and Wallace High School Athletics.”

Not wasting any time, the Lynns have already repainted the entire building, updated and redecorated the interior and even added some amenities for families to enjoy.

They also have a particular vision for their menu, which will likely have foodies salivating.

“All our food is fresh, nothing frozen and a very simple menu,” Lynn said. “We offer a place for locals to get the best burger in Wallace, providing consistent quality food at a reasonable price.”

They also boast a full bar, which will only add to Wallace’s vibrant nightlife.

As part of that nightlife, Ken plans on bringing in entertainment regularly, including things like bands, as well as sing-songwriters to perform on most weekends.

The regularity of ownership and hours of operation has been tumultuous over recent years, but Lynn isn’t interested in following that trend — he plans on doing that by keeping his employees happy and under solid leadership — with the goal of making money.

“Our plan for staying open and stabilization includes hiring quality managers that have enough experience in the business to be able to make us profitable,” Lynn said. “I believe that the quality of the food and drink (and) experience will be superior to anything the restaurant has seen in the past.”

The stewardship of a venue so near and dear to Lynn’s heart should make residents feel comfortable with the new leadership and vision, as Lynn has no intentions of betraying his roots and wants to live up to the legacy that comes with the 1313 Club.

“Carrie and I are honored to own such a historic venue as the 1313 Club. Having been a customer there for my entire life and understanding what Wallace is gives me real appreciation for the building and the town,” Lynn said. “My Father Jim ‘Doc’ Lynn was a bartender in the Club in the 1950s. We would like to acknowledge the hard work of Amy Lynn, Michele Bisconer on sprucing up the place, the Wallace Brewing Company for their partnership with us, and Holli Hill and Choen Harris on stepping up to manage the bar and kitchen. We have had many of the old staff members rejoin our family to get this historic icon back in business.”

The 1313 Club is open Thursday through Monday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.