Sykes' will be missed by many

Inter Lake editorial

A popular place in Kalispell history and culture, sadly, has had to close its doors.

Sykes' Grocery & Market - particularly the restaurant famous for its 10-cent cup of coffee - closed after 104 years at the same location on the west side of town. Although the pharmacy in the building remains open, the centerpiece store and eatery have been shut down.

The closure marked an unfortunate end to the ambitious plan of owner Mike McFarland to continue a Kalispell tradition. He took over last year from longtime previous owners Doug and Judy Wise and tried to make a go of the Sykes' operation, but couldn't make the enterprise viable financially.

The loss of Sykes' leaves a hole in the social fabric of the community. Sykes' has long been a popular gathering place, especially for senior citizens, who felt comfortable in the family atmosphere best described by Sykes' longtime slogan: "Nobody goes away a stranger."

Sykes' has been an anchor in a sea of change in the Flathead over the past few years - and had even become something of a tourist spot for visitors who had forgotten the charm and comforting nature of the long-lost corner grocery.

For seniors seeking gathering places, there are alternatives, such as the Kalispell Senior Center and the Agency on Aging. But while those are both commendable, there was only one Sykes'.

SEN. JON TESTER, D-Mont., has proven once again that he is a true friend to veterans in Montana. His announcement last week that Kalispell will get a new veterans center was welcome news for veterans in our corner of the state.

Veterans centers provide a number of crucial services, such as assistance with disability claims, readjustment and bereavement counseling and mental-health screening. The Kalispell center and one planned in Great Falls are expected to open within the next year.

Tester serves on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, and it's not the first time he's gone to bat for Montana's veterans.

He authored the Rural Veterans Health Care Improvement Act aimed at enhancing services for veterans in rural areas.

This is crucial legislation we can support, because all of Montana's 100,000-plus veterans stand to benefit from it.