No Percy’s for now, but charity possible

The owner of a popular Spokane Valley restaurant that lost its lease in July would like to feed the poor.

Pat Kroetch said she considered reopening Percy’s Cafe Americana in a new location but is now leaning toward running a soup kitchen instead.

“I’m not going to open another restaurant right now,” Kroetch said. “If I do, it will be quite a while.”

Either way, she’s prepared.

Thanks to friends and family, Kroetch was able to remove all her restaurant equipment, including walk-in coolers, from the Percy’s site in the University City Shopping Center instead of selling it in place.

She bought two semitrailers to store the restaurant equipment until she’s ready to use it.

Percy’s Cafe Americana opened at U-City in 1965 as The Golden Hour. It was operated by Kroetch’s father, Percy Howell, until Kroetch and her husband took over in 1984 and renamed the restaurant in Howell’s honor. Four women who incorporated in April as The Luxury Box are to take over the Percy’s site as well as the independently operated Decades banquet room next door. They include Tina Bishop, whose Elegant Touches wedding-planning business has used Decades for receptions.

They plan a new restaurant, bar and banquet operation.

Cancellation of the Percy’s lease raised some eyebrows on the Spokane Valley City Council as well as among longtime customers.

The successful restaurant was a community icon; the Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce had its meetings there.

University City Inc. is to be the city’s partner in redeveloping the largely defunct shopping mall as a city center. The mall owners will choose a developer for the project.

“I was hoping Percy’s would stay right where it’s at so we could have an institution at the new city hall site,” Mayor Rich Munson said. “That would have been great.”

But Jim Magnuson, president of University City Inc., said the lease cancellation has no bearing on the city center project.

He said Kroetch’s lease expired about 1 1/2 years ago and Percy’s remained in its quarters on a month-to-month basis.

John Craig

Hazel Hall, 96, left community legacy

Two weeks before her death, 96-year-old Hazel Hall had lunch with her friends at the home of Jim and Mary Walter. There, she laughed and celebrated in the hot summer sun. It was the last time the close-knit group was together and a memory that those who survive Hall will hold closely in their hearts.

“Her mantra was ‘attitude and gratitude,’ ” said friend Sue Brooks. “She thanked God every day for her family and friends and health. She was a woman of deep faith.”

Hall was preceded in death by her husband, Ross Hall, in 1990. He was a nationally known photographer, and together they ran the Ross Hall Studio in Sandpoint, which at one time employed nearly 100 people.

Hall proudly shared that she ran the couple’s studio on her own while Ross was stationed at Farragut Naval Training Station during World War II.

Hall did much to contribute to the community she called home since 1932. Raising three children, Hall was an important part of their activities, including Camp Fire and Scouting. She also worked with several community organizations, including a civic club that helped build trails and plant flowers; assisted in the Little Theater; and was instrumental in the start-up of what is now the Pend Oreille Arts Council.

Recognizing her contributions to the community, the mayor of Sandpoint declared Hazel Hall Day on her 95th birthday last year.

As part of that celebration, people donated time and money to create something memorable in Hall’s honor. After a year of planning, a Children’s Garden, located at Bonner General Hospital’s Healing Garden, was dedicated in May.

“If we are lucky, someone comes along and touches our heart forever,” said Brooks. “I will treasure every moment I had with her and I am incredibly blessed that she was my friend.”

Patty Hutchens