Travo set to mark 100 years

When Della Travo and her husband, Frank, moved in to their brand new, beautiful brick house in north Spokane, it was a different world all together.

The year was 1930, and an 18-year-old Della Travo had just married Frank Travo, a handsome Italian barber who had a barbershop downtown on Howard Street. The two met while she was selling tickets to a function at the Italian club.

“He bought $25 worth of tickets. That was a lot of money back then,” said Della Travo, her eyes still twinkling at the memory. “I sold the most tickets that year. They made me the queen or something like that.”

Travo still lives in the home she moved into as a newlywed, and on Sunday she’ll turn 100.

Born to Italian immigrants, Travo has lived all her life in Spokane and together with Frank Travo and his brothers Mike and Tony, she ran the legendary Travo’s restaurant on the corner of Sprague Avenue and Lincoln Street until it closed.

“I was the cashier, I took care of all the money,” Della Travo said. “And we were always so busy.”

Her daughters Carol Pupo and Catherine Herron both have fond memories of working at Travo’s, and of visiting the other family restaurant, The Astor.

“It was just fun to go down there and you’d know everybody,” said Herron, about being a child at The Astor. “Everybody who came over from Italy got a job there. They were all our cousins and aunts and uncles.”

Frank Travo was the youngest of three brothers, who together bought the building Travo’s was located in just before World War II.

At the time, the restaurant was known as the Outside Inn, and the brothers were all barbers. But the restaurant business obviously suited them. Travo’s soon became well-known for its soups – especially the clam chowder – and it was loved by downtown diners for its home-style Italian cooking.

“We were the only ones who had all those soups,” Travo said. “And they were made from scratch. Everything was made from scratch.”

Not only did the brothers work together, they also built brick houses right next to each other.

“We all lived here,” said Travo, pointing to the houses still standing on either side of hers. “This was like a little Italian neighborhood. We knew everyone on the street. Now I barely know anyone here.”

Some of Della Travo’s favorite memories from the restaurant include the annual Lilac Parades.

“We were swamped during the parades,” said Della Travo. “There was a line around the block of people trying to get in – I’ll never forget that.”

The restaurant closed in 1993, after 57 years in business, then reopened for a brief period in the same spot in 1996.

“She still went to work there,” Pupo said. “I mean, she was in her 80s then.”

Travo’s was near The Spokesman-Review and over the years many newspaper staffers came in for lunch. Among the regulars was society columnist Dorothy Powers.

“I remember her; we were great friends,” Travo said. “She used to come in for soup and we’d visit and have these great conversations.” The two have since lost touch.

Della Travo’s earliest memories are of going to school and of her best friend, Carmella DeFelice. She was at Lewis and Clark High School when she met Frank Travo.

“Carmella and I were like sisters, we sometimes even wore the same clothes,” said Travo about her friend who has died. She has fond memories of going to Natatorium Park and of visiting soda fountains with her friends.

When asked how she made it to 100, Travo doesn’t have a ready answer.

“I guess I don’t complain much,” she said. “What’s the point of complaining? It doesn’t do you any good.” Her daughters both laughed and said she has good genes, and she eats a good diet.

“She still makes her own pasta sauce from scratch, she’s never opened a can in her life,” Herron said. “And every Monday she makes a big pot of chicken soup.”

Travo keeps active by taking walks and she still goes to church.

Her children – Herron, Pupo and her son Joseph Travo – and family threw her a big party in July, because they assumed the weather would be terrible on Travo’s real birthday. A smaller family gathering is planned for Sunday.

Looking back at 100 years, Travo said she really doesn’t have any regrets.

“We got to travel a lot – I’ve been to California and New York City, all over the place,” said Della Travo. “I never got to go to Italy. That would have been nice if I’d gone.”