Last roar at the Vancouver Red Lion Inn at the Quay

The council eventually agreed to let the drinks flow. The Quay Restaurant was opened on March 2, 1960 with 110 seats in the main dining room, four banquet rooms and, thanks to the city council, a cocktail lounge with 60 seats.

“Lunch and dinner are served,” says The Columbian, “and a special dinner menu is served with teenagers.”

The place was a hit. By 1962, the plan was to invest $ 100,000 to add convention facility that could handle “large exhibitions, stage programs, dinner dancing, and party activities.” By 1965, Goodrich proposed adding a luxury motel, and in 1971 the Inn at the Quay was expanded to 163 rooms. Two years later, it became part of the Thunderbird / Red Lion chain, a large regional hospitality company based in Vancouver, until it was sold to Doubletree Corp. in 1996. was sold.

According to a 1974 restaurant review, the Quay was “… one of the best in Vancouver: tables overlooking the river, an excellent menu with a seafood accent, an interesting wine list – even flaming desserts for the extravagant.” The $ 7.25 lobster cordon bleu and the $ 6.25 Scampi stuffed with crab florentine “came with a choice of soup or salad, a loaf of quay bread, potato or rice pilaf.” For dessert, our reviewer chose “Mocha Glo”, a flaming ice cream dessert with three liqueurs.

In 1977, Colombian reporter Thomas Ryll interviewed Danny Falco, an assistant manager since the opening day. “It’s the good life – I love it,” said the man known as “Mr. Quay ”, who talked about serving Hollywood stars like Eddie Albert (“ Green Acres ”) and Georgie Jessel.