New Wayside owners plan few changes

If it isn't broke, don't fix it. These are words Erick and Kristin Miller are living by. As new owners of the Wayside Bar, Grill and Casino in Trout Creek, they took ownership of a good thing in September and plan to keep it that way.

"The only thing changing is employee based," Erick stated. "We will be making our employees' lives easier." He included updating the kitchen as one of the items benefiting his staff, who both he and wife Kristin gave accolades to. Other than that, "we don't plan on changing anything," agreed Kristin. She emphasized that if customers are reporting back stating that the food is the best in Trout Creek, as well as Sanders County, the menu will stay as planned.

As entertainment goes, the bar will continue to hold their concert series, wine tasting dinners, Wednesday Bingo nights, Poker Runs (if their partners are still interested in having the Wayside host) and shuffleboard league. In the works, Erick is hoping to start a monthly or bimonthly Cribbage club and a bar team travelling pool league (who would participate in weekly pool tournaments visiting different local bars) to name a few.

The Wayside will host Trout Creek's first ever Annual Ice Fishing Tournament this January. The Miller's have the permit in hand and are looking forward to the event which will be advertised soon with finalized details available.

So far, the Millers, who both graduated high school from and reside in Clark Fork, Idaho, said they have been welcomed to the community and they are enjoying the experience. Erick is also the owner of RbH Construction out of Clark Fork, Idaho, and Kristin is a fourth-grade teacher at Noxon Elementary School. They have two children, a 15-year-old daughter and 11-year-old son.

Purchasing the Wayside was a "long-term retirement investment" and they hope "hand it down" to their kids someday. The Millers commented, "We just invested differently."