Due to the proximity of numerous lakes, rivers and mountains, Post Falls has developed tourism and retirement communities. There is an increasing number of retail, dining and entertainment businesses locating in the City. Kootenai County traditionally has had a timber-based economy. That is changing gradually, as the manufacturing base has become more diverse.
Jobs Plus, Inc., the local economic development organization has recruited several small to medium-sized firms to the county. Manufacturing jobs are found primarily in electronics, lumber and furniture at the present. Post Falls was the chosen location for
Flexcel, Inc., a major furniture manufacturer that relocated to North Idaho nearly fifteen years ago and employs a workforce of 350. This was done with the help of Jobs Plus, Inc. and by creating an Urban Renewal District to help build infrastructure. This District closed out at the end of December 2001. Jobs Plus, Inc. has also just recently helped bring
Center Partners, a call center business (employing a workforce of 300), and
Buck Knives brought their manufacturing headquarters (workforce of 250) to the City. Construction of a private surgical hospital was completed in 2004.
Sysco foods opened their distribution plant during 2005. This project was made possible by Jobs Plus, Urban Renewal, and the City working together. Also, a community development block grant for $500,000 was used to help fund a water tower (approximately $1,500,000 total cost) that was needed on the west side of town for development in that area. In 2007, Cabela's opened its doors to a beautiful retail store. Considerable economic development activity transpired in Post Falls in 2009 including the opening of ALK Source Materials/Biopol which is a Danish pharmaceutical company, a second Super Wal-Mart store that will be located near the new
Cabela's store began its construction and is slated to open in early summer 2010, and Lowe's Home Improvement finalized the purchase of land adjacent to the new Wal-Mart at the Pointe at Post Falls.
Ground Force Manufacturing, a large construction equipment manufacturer, completed an addition that increased their production space by in 2009 in order to meet the heavy demands for their mining construction products around the globe. In 2010, additional commercial real estate activity is anticipated including the construction of the Lowe's Home Improvement store mentioned earlier; a new 30,000 professional office building to house a company named
Ednetics; a 30,000 LEED certified industrial building to be the home of a subsidiary of Berg Integrated Systems will begin construction in early 2010; the
Idaho Department of Labor will construct their new regional office here in Post Falls that will provide services to the northern five counties of Idaho; several restaurants are also anticipated to locate within the Pointe at Post Falls regional power center to take advantage of the retail traffic of Cabela's and Wal-Mart; the City's downtown area is expected to see a major mixed-use project also take off with infrastructure and the first phase including a hospitality component begin construction; and finally the community anticipates that construction on the Beck Road Interchange with Interstate 90 will begin this fall ultimately providing service to the Pointe at Post Falls and EXPO on the north side of the freeway and the Riverbend Commerce Park and Greyhound Event Center on the south side of Interstate 90.
Employers Top employers According to the City's 2022 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the largest employers in the city are: ==Transportation==