Tekoa Saloon re-opens with liquor and pub grub

Stacey Harris (left) and Carly Davis eat up at Tekoa’s newest watering hole.

The clink of glasses, that classic American restaurant must of french fries and freshly-poured beer, families murmuring to each other- this is Tekoa’s newest watering hole.

A mix of people are eating in the dimly lit, wooden interior, a visiting family, two middle-aged women, and two men.

C and D’s Tekoa Bar and Grill opened in June and is so far living up to its pledge to be both family friendly and the local watering hole.

The building beforehand was Tekoa’s long-time tavern- serving only beer and wine. Today, their bar carries hard liquor as well.

“It’s Tekoa. You’re not going to be crazy here like Spokane,” said the waitress/bartender on staff, Erinn Dvorak.

Dvorak was dishing out hamburgers, fries and soda to the incoming lunch crowd last Thursday while talking to the Gazette.

“Harvest is starting so it’s slow,” she said as she rounded the corner to get two more gin and tonics for the women in the corner. Aside from harvest, business has been good.

The owner, Donavan Chase, applied for and was approved for a commercial liquor license earlier this year.

A regular lunch or dinner will run you about $8 without a drink and their pizzas, particularly the Mt. Denali with its regular pizza toppings, are growing in popularity (a 12-inch is $10). Most of the bottled beer runs between $2 and $3.50.

Relaxing over a cold gin and tonic in the corner are two Tekoa natives, Eileen Soldwedel and Alice Anderson.

“They used real cheddar cheese on the tortillas,” Soldwedel said. The drinks were good too, they added.

The french fries were a hit with a family visiting from Yakima.

“The french fries are really crunchy,” said Grace Harris, 9, Yakima. She, her sister Andi, and their mother Stacy were all on board with the french fries. Their friend in tow, Carly Davis, 9, was digging into a mountain of nachos which she said were also top shelf.

Chase said his whole idea to buy the bar started over a beer with his father, Cal, last year. The two up and decided they should buy the bar, and a phone call later, it was theirs.

“I asked my wife what she thought about owning a bar and she said, ‘Why?’ and I said, ‘Well, we own one now.’”

Chase said his new business has been doing well, but he’s rarely there. Chase is also a fifth-generation farmer, principal of the Desmet Middle School, and the fire chief of Tekoa.

“It makes the time go fast,” Chase said with a laugh.

Two months later, business is still steady, he said.

“A shot of chocolate <alcohol> is the most popular,” he said.