Trucks o'goodness opening Thursday

COEUR d’ALENE — Shrimp po'boy, anyone?

How about tasty tacos, savory Japanese curry or a plate of smoky barbecue goodness?

Try any — or all — of them Thursday during the soft opening of the Prairie Pavilion at 7777 N. Heartland Drive.

"We're extremely excited," Prairie Pavilion co-founder Kym Nagel said Monday. "It's taken a while, so we're ready."

Kym and her husband, Nate, who own Premier Auction Center in Post Falls, and their business partners, Jason and Laura Quast, who own the Jitterz Espresso stands, announced in January they'd bought the 1.75-acre lot at the southwest corner of Prairie Avenue and Heartland to transform it into a culinary destination with at least a dozen unique food vendors as well as a Jitterz.

The brutal weather earlier this year pushed back the progress a bit, so everyone's eager for the pavilion to open, Kym said.

"The hype has been literally insane," Kym said. "I'm excited for the vendors to be able to showcase their amazing food. They’ve been ever so patient with this process."

While a few vendors are pending, Kym said several will be ready to serve their hungry patrons during the soft opening — Big Daddy's Sweets, Meyer's Gourmet Sandwiches, Mad Moose Concession, Taco Works, Las Brasas Mexican Grill, Curry Shack and Casey's Smoke Shack.

Hours vary depending on the vendor.

A grand opening celebration of the Prairie Pavilion will be announced in the near future.

Info: 208-664-1010

— Devin Weeks