Landmark Kalispell cafe reopens

Plates of food and smiling faces filled the tables once again on Wednesday at Sykes’ Restaurant on Second Avenue West in Kalispell.

Dodie Wise, daughter-in-law of the property’s owners, Doug and Judy Wise, and her daughter Savannah have rented the restaurant. They planned to officially open next Monday but started serving Wednesday due to popular demand.

Dodie Wise described it as “a seat-of-the-pants” operation that came about with help from friends and many of Sykes’ devoted customers. She said they also had moral support of her husband Tim, who now works at Home Depot.

“We’ve had volunteers come from all over and help out,” she said. “We just thought we should open for all the people.”

Wise said that she and Savannah intend to keep the restaurant open only until the business sells. She wanted to make certain that potential buyers know the property is again for sale.

The restaurant and grocery store closed almost four months ago when the new owner, Mike McFarland, said he was unable to sustain the iconic business that started 104 years ago. Since McFarland closed his operation at Sykes’, Doug Wise has opened the restaurant each morning for a few hours.

“He’s been doing doughnuts and coffee just so people could visit,” Dodie Wise said. “They [senior citizens] have just got to get out.”

She had worked at the restaurant for 20 years before taking a job managing a nearby senior and disabled housing complex. Through the restaurant and housing job, Wise realized the important role the restaurant plays in the community, particularly for the elderly.

“We need to give a little life to these people,” she said.

Wise and her daughter plan to open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. She called Wednesday a very last minute “pre-opening” that happened because customers were so anxious to come back.

“I was making the prices for the menu at 2 a.m. this morning,” she said with a laugh. “We’ll try to keep them low.”

Wise said they couldn’t keep the famous 10-cent coffee, but bumped the price up to just 25 cents for a cup. Her eyes filled with tears, describing how her mother had sent money for 80 $5 restaurant gift certificates to hand out to seniors of limited means and at places such as the Veterans Food Pantry.

“They can come in and get a free meal,” she said. “I’m excited about it.”

Until revenue starts flowing, they plan to do most of the work themselves with just two employees. They hired former Sykes’ cooks Marudy (Michael) Flammini and Ray Miller.

Marudy, who grew up coming to the restaurant with her dad, was thrilled to fire up the grill once again.

“I started here in 1988 as a dishwasher, then climbed right up the line in two and a half years,” she said. “I wanted to go back to work — I missed all my people I would say hello to every day.”

Customers expressed similar sentiments. Lorraine Gonsior said she has been coming for about 35 years. She said she used to bring her late husband Bob to the restaurant to socialize while he was in declining health.

“There was never a day go by when I wasn’t in here once or twice a day,” she said. “I’ve been praying for this to open again for months. I knew it wouldn’t stay shut.”

Gonsior, along with patronizing the restaurant, baked Sykes’ popular pies for about two years. She said she would help out Dodie and Savannah with some of her specialties, including her secret-recipe pumpkin pies.

“People scream for them,” she said.

Gonsior expects customers to stream back to Sykes’ as word gets out about the new operation. She said her phone hasn’t quit ringing since a rumor of the possible opening began to circulate.

Patti and Monty McIlhargey were among those who heard the rumor that Wise and her daughter were trying to reopen the restaurant. They decided to volunteer their labor.

“Dodie has a huge heart — they’re good people and doing this for the right reason,” she said. “We knew they needed help.”

She and her husband contributed elbow grease with the cleaning last Friday. On Wednesday, McIlhargey was serving as cashier.

“It’s been jamming busy all morning,” she said. “Everyone is grateful to have it open again.”

McIlhargey said no one was happier to have Sykes’ hopping with people again than Doug Wise. At 92, he still gets up at about 4 a.m. and comes down to open the doors.

“Doug has been all smiles again,” she said.

Dodie said she has tried, but has not yet beat her father-in-law to the front door of the restaurant, calling him the Energizer Bunny. She and her daughter spent Wednesday running from the kitchen and table to table, serving food and pouring coffee.

After a break of 10 years from waiting tables, Dodie said she was feeling the strain.

“When we can afford to hire more people, we won’t have to run so hard,” she said.

 Dodie was upbeat, but remains cautiously optimistic about succeeding at keeping the restaurant open.

“If it doesn’t work, we’ll know we gave it all we had,” she said.

Sykes’ will remain unofficially open through Friday in advance of the grand reopening on Monday.

Reporter Candace Chase may be reached at 758-4436 or by e-mail at cchase@dailyinterlake.com