Fairway Café to open Friday

Ritzville residents and visitors to the community will have another dining option when the Fairway Café officially opens its doors to customers on Friday, May 3. The café, located in the Ritzville Municipal Golf Course clubhouse, is now under the management of Wayne and Mary Marshall.

The previous café closed in late February after the resignation of the golf manager and the opportunity provided itself at the perfect time for the Marshalls. Mary had been working cleaning the restaurant and upon hearing about the vacant position quickly discussed the possibility of running the café with her husband.

“All of the pieces started falling into place,” Mary explained. “The opportunity came up, we talked to Dan (Duff), and Dan was willing to work with us and we were willing to work with him.”

The Marshalls officially began working on the café on March 9 and quickly applied for a business license and a liquor permit. After obtaining the business license, the Marshalls began updates and slight renovations of the small café.

The café provides the Marshalls with the perfect transition into the restaurant business, as the café is small enough that the family should be able to gradually become accustomed to the foot traffic through the business. The Marshall’s daughter, Andrea, will also be working full-time at the café helping her parents with the business operation.

“We’re excited to do this for the community. We love Ritzville. We hope to be here forever,” Mary said.

The Marshalls have lived in Ritzville for over 20 years, and are strong advocates of promoting the town and the amenities it provides. The Marshalls view the opening of the Fairway Café as their opportunity to give back to the community they are so fond of.

The Fairway Café is going to be open seven days a week from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. during the summer months. The Marshalls hope to be able to keep limited hours during the winter months, but it depends on foot traffic and funds available at the end of summer.

The café is offering breakfast, lunch and dinner, with the most extensive menu being offered during the lunch hour. The Marshalls are planning to keep rates extremely affordable for customers in order to promote the golf course, draw in golfers and encourage travelers to get off the freeway to come enjoy a meal.

The breakfast menu consists of the basic meals, Mary explained, but the highlight for the morning crowd will be homemade cinnamon rolls and $1.25 coffee.

Lunchtime provides customers with a more widespread menu, consisting of a variety of burgers, sandwiches, soups, salads and fried foods. While the dinner menu is smaller, a dinner special will be offered every night.

Mary said the family is focused on providing customers with the highest quality of food possible and the cooks will be making the majority of the menu items from homemade recipes. The salads, burgers and daily soup specials will all be made fresh every day.

The Fairway Café will employ an average of five individuals, two of which will be local students who need summer work. The Marshalls hope to always hire locally to encourage prosperity in the community and to maintain the positive atmosphere in the café.

“We’re hoping the community will like us, the food and the atmosphere,” Mary said. “It’s a family and friend environment.”

The main updates to the café have been in the kitchen with the replacement of the main sink and a panel behind the stove. The restaurant portion of the café has been remodeled slightly to provide customers with adequate space and creates a more open atmosphere.

The Marshalls plan to have a grand opening in mid-May after the family has been able to settle into the business management role. The family-friendly café also provides indoor and outdoor seating for patrons.

The Fairway Café is located at 104 East Tenth Avenue and can be reached by phone at 659-9868.