Welcome home

COEUR d’ALENE — It’s Friday morning at Jimmy’s Down the Street and phones are ringing. People are coming in the front door.

It’s busy.

But there’s a problem.

“Hello, it’s Jimmy,” says owner Jim Purtee as he picks up the landline phone and listens. “I’m sorry. We’re closed.”

Same thing for the couple as they start to step into the dining area.

“I’m sorry folks. We’re closed,” Purtee says as he walks over to greet them, anyway.

“C’mon in, look around,” he adds.

Wife Anna talks to the couple for another minute and they ask if the Purtees could recommend another place for breakfast.

“Michael D’s,” Jim Purtee says, adding it’s just down a few blocks away on Coeur d’Alene Lake Drive.

So they go.

But as of 6 a.m. today, Jimmy’s Down the Street at 16th and Sherman won’t be sending folks elsewhere. It’s back in business after being closed for nearly three weeks to upgrade the kitchen and modernize operations with new equipment.

Friday, staff and the Purtees were tidying up, doing prep work and checking inventory in advance of the reopening. There was excitement in the air.

“We did it to bring the kitchen up to a standard that it should be at,” Jim Purtee said. “And the work environment is important to me for the employees that we have.”

He points out that in the food service industry, which traditionally has high turnover, Jimmy’s has seen few of his 20 employees leave, which Purtee credits to the culture of the breakfast and lunch restaurant.

For example, line cooks who didn’t miss a day of work last year received a $2,000 cash bonus at Christmas.

“Everybody respects one another. Everybody understands their responsibility to be at work because when they don’t show up, it’s not on me, it’s on their peers,” he said. “No one is allowed to raise their voice. We all get along.”

In this day of political divide when disagreements can mean the end of friendships, that’s a big deal. It’s why they treat the business, the staff, the guests, as family.

“We have standards; we have expectations. We make those clear and people buy into it,” Purtee said.

That’s a lot of people.

Jimmy’s Down the Street has greeted 80,000 customers since March, when the coronavirus really began taking its toll on the country and North Idaho.

The restaurant closed down for a few weeks, then offered curbside service for a few more before reopening. The regulars kept coming and so did newbies.

They liked the rock and roll music of the '60s that plays softly in the background. They enjoyed the plaques paying tribute to veterans, as well as the pictures of movie stars and unique license plates displayed on the walls.

Msn.com called it “The Best Hole in the Wall Diner in Idaho.”

WowCountry 104.3, based in the Treasure Valley, wrote: “Why is it worth the trip? Jimmy's Down the Street gives you made from scratch cookin' with fan favorites like Irish Benedict, which is jalapeno cornbread, topped with corned beef, eggs, and Hollandaise. They also have huge Southern Pecan Rolls that are said to be delish."

As for masks that many health officials say helps prevent the spread of COVID-19, if customers want to wear them, great. Most don’t. Purtee doesn’t.

It’s life as usual in this cozy, clean diner and customers notice.

“Every single day they shake my hand and say thank you for being normal,” he said.

The Purtees bought Jimmy’s 13 years ago. They sold it a few years ago, then bought it back in October 2019. They love being there again. Since returning, they’ve also redone the sidewalks, awnings, signs and parking lot.

“It gives me something to do seven days a week,” he said.

Jim, a big guy with a big smile, is the front man, greeting people and pouring coffee. He believes the personal relationship of owner to customers is critical, especially in a small town cafe like this one. It brings people back again and again.

“I don’t do any of the cooking. What I enjoy is being out front, talking to customers,” he said.

Customers, as far as he is concerned, can sit all day at Jimmy’s and enjoy nothing more than coffee and conversation. It’s all good.

“They can’t overstay their welcome,” he says.

Scott Bucher has been a cook at Jimmy’s for three years in March.

“I’ve seen this place transformed in the time I’ve been here. It makes me appreciate working here more,” he said. “They’re willing to put in the money to upgrade everything.”

Bucher said it’s a fast-moving environment.

“It’s like a family, in a sense. We all work together to feed everybody and make sure everyone is happy,” he said, pausing, then adding, “happiness, really.”

Sharon Hart, an eight-year waitress at Jimmy’s, was beaming Friday as she prepared for doors to open the next day.

“I’m looking forward to it like you wouldn’t believe,” she said.

So what makes Jimmy’s successful?

Hart used words like community, customers, co-workers. She called it a fun friendly place.

“It’s just a nice package,” she added. “People just love the environment. They just feel like they’re at home.”

In the words of John Denver, "Hey, it's good to be back home again."