Owner of Skyway Cafe at Felts Field says iconic restaurant is ‘total loss’ from smoke damage

A fire at Felts Field gutted a popular and historic breakfast and lunch restaurant early Thursday.

Firefighters were called to the Skyway Cafe, 6105 E. Rutter Ave., about 4:40 a.m., said Spokane Fire Department spokesman Justin DeRuyter.

Skyway owner Sandra Melter said in an interview at the scene that the cafe is a “total loss,” but she pledged to reopen as soon as possible.

The Skyway Cafe is one of the longest-running restaurants in Spokane with a history that dates back about 100 years, when the Zoom Inn first opened at the public-use airport.

The city’s fire department responded with three fire trucks and five engines. It took about a half-hour to put the fire out, DeRuyter said.

Firefighters found flames coming from the grease vent when they arrived, a department news release said. Extensive fire damage was reported in the kitchen, as was heavy smoke damage throughout the rest of the business.

The fire investigation could not determine a cause, though no suspicious activity was noted, the release said. Damage is estimated at more than $400,000, primarily affecting the business’s contents. No injuries were reported.

Airport spokesman Todd Woodard said a full review of the facility will need to be conducted, but there appears to be damage to the kitchen, HVAC equipment and roof membrane. No structural damage is evident, he said.

The windows and doors of the attached terminal were airing out the smoky smell from the rest of the building Thursday. Woodard said there are no other businesses in the building, so operations are not affected. The terminal contains restrooms and a flight planning room for pilots.

Felts Field opened under the name Parkwater Airstrip in 1913. The air terminal that includes the Skyway was built in 1924.

The restaurant was known for its Felts Field and aviation memorabilia. Co-owner John Melter said all of the memorabilia sustained at least smoke damage, as well as some heat and fire damage.

“We are going to try to save everything we can, but it’s not looking good,” John Melter said.

Regular customer Kimberly Cornelius said she eats at the cafe all the time for “great food and friendly service.”

“That’s too bad,” Cornelius said Thursday morning after pulling into the parking lot and learning what happened.

Sandra Melter said she hopes to reopen in a few months.

“We’re going to rebuild,” she said. “We’ve been here 100 years. We’re going to be back.”

A GoFundMe page has been set up asking for donations of new memorabilia and historical items at www.gofundme.com/f/restore-skyway-cafe-memories-and-more.