Wolffy’s Steak House Opens In Fairwood Shopping Center

The potential for growth in northwest Spokane motivated Bob Davis Jr. to buy the old Montana Club on Hastings Road three years ago.

The demographic predictions have come true and this month Davis opened Wolffy’s Old West Steak House in the Fairwood Shopping Center.

Davis is the former owner of Wolffy’s hamburgers on the corner of Francis and Monroe. The ‘50s-style diner complete with jukebox was torn down to expand the Safeway parking lot.

Davis said he’s planning the same mix of good food and good times at the steakhouse.

Diners will be greeted by the sizzle of steak and other foods grilling over a mesquite wood barbecue pit as they walk in the door, said Davis.

“We plan to provide the best quality we can, like we did with our hamburgers,” said Davis. “The atmosphere here is really great. It’s very western, very rustic.”

The new restaurant is a welcome addition to the shopping center, where activity has been up and down like a rollercoaster since it opened in November 1974.

The biggest blow came in 1987 when one of the shopping center’s anchors, Albertson’s, left Fairwood for the Wandermere Mall just a few blocks away.

A year later, the second anchor, Thrifty drug store, also left.

In 1990, Calvary Chapel bought more than 50 percent of the shopping center. The church draws 4,000 worshippers a week.

The mall has changed from a shopping mecca to a blend of businesses. Lincare Inc. medical equipment and supplies, fills part of a wing with its accounting and business offices.

There are several other dining spots, including Zip’s and A Taste of Thai.

Fizzie Mulligan’s, a fixture at Fairwood for a decade, changed ownership this week.

Mike and Dawni Miller have sold the restaurant and lounge to John and Cindy Hiatt.

“It’s just time,” said Dawni Miller. “It’s been 10 years. It’s time to do something different.”

Since opening in 1987, they’ve seen changes at the mall and the neighborhood.

“When we first bought, Fairwood was full. Now it’s down to very few retail shops, it’s mostly businesses,” she said.

“The area and our business has grown in leaps and bounds. When we first came here, there were no apartments, now I couldn’t even give a total of how many apartments there are within a mile of us.”

Wolffy’s, with it’s barn-plank walls and Old West theme, is also anticipating a long stay at Fairwood.

“It’s been really rewarding creating this kind of unique place,” said Davis.

, DataTimes