Sykes' still serving, still up for sale

Sykes’ Restaurant heads into its third month still open and still for sale.

Dodie Wise, daughter-in-law of property owners Doug and Judy Wise, and her daughter Savannah rented the restaurant and opened in mid-December. They remain open for breakfast and lunch, Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

“We’re hanging in there,” Dodie Wise said.

She and her daughter wait on tables. They hired two cooks, a dishwasher and checker to assist them. Wise said customers occasionally volunteer to help out.

“Mostly they support us by coming in and letting everyone know that we are open,” she said.

Except for the about three months last year, a grocery store and/or restaurant had operated at the corner of Second Avenue and Second Street West in Kalispell since 1904. It became Sykes’ in 1928 and was famous for its 10-cent coffee.

Wise had to raise the coffee price to 25 cents, a bargain in a town where a bottomless cup runs from 99 cents up to $1.99 or higher.

The operation has downsized considerably from the convenience store and restaurant that employed 28 people before new owner Mike McFarland closed it last August. The grocery operation did not reopen.

Wise said she and Savannah want to keep the labor costs low.

“That’s the main thing — to keep the prices down,” she said.

When they first opened, Dodie’s mother gave her money to pay for 80 $5 gift certificates to give out to seniors of limited means as well as to needy veterans through the food pantry.

“We got almost all of them back,” she said. “That was neat.”

Wise had worked at the restaurant for almost 20 years before she took a job managing a nearby senior/disabled housing complex. Upon returning to the restaurant business, she said the most difficult part was learning how many of her favorite customers had died during her absence.

One thing hasn’t changed.

Her father-in-law, Doug Wise, 92, still comes to open the building every morning. He bought the business in 1945 and operated it until October 2008 when McFarland took over.

Even after October, Wise continued to open the business and stay for much of the morning. On Tuesday morning, he was visiting with customers at his favorite table next to the kitchen.

He was happy to see the restaurant full of people. When asked, customers at the counter turned and gave a thumbs-up sign about the quality of the food.

Wise gave his seal of approval to his daughter-in-law’s management.

“Dodie is a good drawing card,” he said. “She takes care of these people like I like. She’s perfect.”

Wise said he and his wife suffered substantial losses through the transaction with McFarland. However, he still hopes to sell to someone who plans to keep the restaurant open to serve the neighborhood.

“I wanted to retire at 90 but I didn’t want to turn my back on these people,” he said. “I want to take care of them if I can.”

According to Wise, the restaurant, buildings and land remain for sale priced at $950,000. Listed with Tom and Karen Thomas of Realty Executives, the property includes two large buildings and eight city lots.

The price represents a substantial reduction from the $1.6 million original asking price during better economic times.

Dodie Wise isn’t worried about the prospect of losing her lease when and if a buyer appears.

“We’ll just have fun until it sells,” she said.

Wise has brought back a big part of the fun that was a major attraction at Sykes’ for years. From 1 to 3 p.m. on Wednesdays, the restaurant has live music, alternating between country music and an accordion group from week to week.

Although Sykes’ closes on weekends, the building still draws a crowd of 60 or 70 on Sundays.

A new church called Harvest Fellowship uses the restaurant for a meal and service.

Doug Wise said he knows the people who run the church and feels good about having services.

He said he thinks it’s in keeping with the tradition he started at Sykes’ of extending a helping hand to those who needed it.

“Hard-up people could always get a meal here,” he said.

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

Pastor Andy Widdifield said the operation started out as an occasional meal for the homeless at the VFW that grew into church services on Sundays at Sykes’.

It grew to once a month and then all four Sundays, attracting 60 to 70 worshippers..

“It just turned into a church,” Widdifield said. “The Wises graciously let us use it for free.”