The University of Idaho Argonaut

Nick Groff - Argonaut

Stax Homemade Soups and Sandwiches, located in the old University City Realty building on Sixth Street, offers a unique take on the traditional lunch fare.

“We just saw a need for something different,” said Jason Tinney, who owns and manages Stax with his wife Jennifer. “We wanted to put our own little twist on the sandwich.”

This “twist” includes such offerings as “The Holiday,” filled with oven-roasted turkey and cranberry cream cheese spread and a grilled crab sandwich with celery, red onions and provolone.

All of the sandwiches at Stax are served on fresh-baked bread from a local bakery. The bread is handmade the “old-school way,” Jennifer Tinney said, with no preservatives – something she feels helps Stax stand out.

“No one else has it, and it’s different,” she said.

Jason Tinney called Stax a “ma and pa” sort of business. He and his wife are there six days a week preparing sandwiches and managing their small staff of four employees. Jason Tinney’s aunt, Pam Crowell, cooks their soups from scratch each day, and the Tinneys’ 12-year-old daughter, Lexi, helps around the shop on Saturdays. Jason Tinney said eventually he would like to see their younger two children involved in the business as well.

The Tinneys have lived in Moscow for about five years, although both are originally from the area. Jason Tinney coaches varsity basketball at Deary High School (he also employs some of his players at Stax) and is pursuing his secondary education degree at the University of Idaho. Jennifer Tinney previously managed The Breakfast Club and prior to that, the restaurant at Templin’s Resort in Post Falls.

Outside of Jennifer Tinney’s management work, Jason Tinney said they are new to the restaurant industry and have never been in business together before. However, he said they have planned on opening a restaurant ever since moving back to Moscow and have been waiting for the location to become available.

“It’s close to campus and we loved the building,” Jason Tinney said.

Stax only opened for business a few weeks ago, but Jason Tinney said the community’s response has already been “overwhelmingly positive.”

So far, he said most of Stax’s business has been the student lunch rush, but as word gets out, they’re also seeing more customers from outside the student community, which is one of their goals. He said they want Stax to be more than just a college destination.

Stax also offers delivery to local businesses that order a three-sandwich minimum, but not to private residences — at least not yet. Jason Tinney said they just don’t have the staff necessary for home delivery, but hope to someday.

Nick Groff - Argonaut

Jennifer Tinney added that eventually they’d like to expand into the catering business. For now, they’re sticking with their current business plan: homemade sandwiches, prepared with care and piled high with fillings.

“You shouldn’t leave here hungry,” Jason Tinney said.