Final roar for Vancouver Red Lion Inn at the Quay – The Columbian

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

Lunch and dinner will be served, according to The Columbian, and a special late-evening supper menu will be offered dating teenagers.

The place was a hit. By 1962, there were plans to invest $100,000 to add a convention facility that could handle display of large exhibits, stage programs, dinner dancing and party-type activities. By 1965, Goodrich was proposing to add 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 that was based in Vancouver until it was sold to Doubletree Corp., in 1996.

According to a 1974 restaurant review, the Quay was one of Vancouvers finest: river view tables, an excellent menu with an accent on seafood, interesting wine list even flaming desserts for the flamboyant. 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, choice of potato or rice pilaf. For dessert, our reviewer chose Mocha Glo, a flaming dessert of ice cream topped with three liqueurs.

In 1977, Columbian reporter Thomas Ryll interviewed Danny Falco, an assistant manager since the day the place opened. Its the good life I love it, said the man known as Mr. Quay, who talked of serving Hollywood celebrities such as Eddie Albert (Green Acres) and Georgie Jessel.

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Final roar for Vancouver Red Lion Inn at the Quay - The Columbian