OWL CAFE: A treasure, not a travesty

This is in response to Ron Dayton’s ridiculous letter regarding the OWL CAFÉ. You obviously do not know the Owl Café was a gathering place for friends and families from the time it started until it closed. Could it be that you are from out of state and never enjoyed a home cooked meal there?  

It is true that Richard Butler and the skinheads of the Aryan Nations frequented the Owl Café, but were barely a speck of sand amongst the other customers. The Owl was started by Irene Swartz who came here from Montana in 1964 with her four children.  

She put out down to earth home cooked meals. Many workers started their day with coffee and breakfast and customers flowed steadily until closing at 2 p.m. It was a gathering place for many locals.  

Irene was a very giving person, serving meals to anyone who needed them. She was a strong supporter of the community making generous donations. She was a friend to the community and a good friend of ours.  

Well Mr. Dayton, we really do not know who or what you are referring to when you said “and other trash that hung out there” nor do we want to know. It is sad that those are the only memories you have of the Owl Café, so let’s burn it down and make a parking lot.  

Irene and the Owl Café hold a lot of great memories for a lot of local people. Ron, don’t you realize that you can’t burn memories…especially good ones. Sorry you have such a negative feeling.

BARBARA BENNETT

DENNIS and TERESA WOLFE

Hayden