Wolf Lodge memories

Courtesy of Julie Kress.

A number of years ago Pat Chadwick Motley was blowing out the candles on her surprise birthday party cake and caught her hair on fire at the Wolf Lodge Steakhouse.

From left to right: Jessica Moore, Kyrsten Moore, CJ Giao, Will Moore at the Wolf Lodge Steakhouse in January.

Wolf Lodge Inn Family, 2009. Courtesy of Julie Kress.

Courtesy of Julie Kress.

Wally's Wolf Lodge Inn menu.

Julie Kress' retirement announcement.

Courtesy of Julie Kress.

Lisa Engle. Courtesy of Julie Kress.

"My wife, Tish, and I first dined at the Wolf Lodge Steakhouse in October of 2022," writes Coeur d'Alene resident John Deus. "The notation on the front door immediately caught our eyes, and definitely got a laugh out of us. We have since shared this photo of the front door with dozens of our friends through the USA!"

Courtesy of Julie Kress.

Chrissy, Joe and Brittany. Courtesy of Julie Kress.

Courtesy of Julie Kress.

Gez, clown Julie and grandkids. Courtesy of Julie Kress.

Courtesy of Julie Kress.

Adam and Rebecca Mulvaney, July 13, 2024. “Even through I've live in the area since 2008, this was my very first time at Wolf Lodge,” Rebecca said. “It was very special for us and I saved the cork from our bottle of wine.”

Gayle and Richard Simpson of Coeur d’Alene celebrated special events at Wolf Lodge for 39 years, including their 50th anniversary in July 2023.

| September 8, 2024 1:08 AM

The Press asked readers to share their stories of the Wolf Lodge Steakhouse. Here are their responses.

Julie Kress shared with The Press a trove of photos from her 33 years as a server at Wolf Lodge. Her first night was Feb. 4, 1982. She saw the place go from serving 50 dinners a night to more than 400 dinners a night.

Kress worked for both sets of owners. She recalled how all the bread, salads and potatoes were prepared in the kitchen by the original owners, Wally and Patti Wickel, with a few helpers. Kress’ husband, Joe, manned the grill alongside Wally Wickel in the early years.

“Wally and Patti Wickel were tough and hardworking, and if you wanted to work, you did things their way,” she said. “They were the backbone of Wolf Lodge.”

When Tom and Lisa Engle bought the steakhouse in 1997, some things changed. They started accepting credit cards, the menu grew and the steakhouse was open more days of the week.

“But the main staple, never changing, was that old building,” Kress said. “No matter how much was added, changed or remodeled, it was the main attraction. Through snowstorms, rainstorms, floods and whatever Mother Nature brought, it stood strong.”

Across three decades, Kress said, she had great nights and bad nights at Wolf Lodge. She formed lasting friendships with many of her coworkers.

“I have a lot of memories,” she said. “But I loved that old building! I will miss it.”

Margee Fay of Blue Creek Bay said her family has been going to Wolf Lodge, usually on special occasions, for many years.

"I first went there with my grandmother and thoroughly enjoyed it," she said.

They celebrated their youngest grandchild heading off to college in 2022, and in July celebrated two things: their grandchild, Abigail, getting married on Sept 28, 2024, in Oregon and her fiancé's very first steak indulgence.

"It had to be indulged at Wolf Lodge so he would know what the best steak ever tasted like," she wrote.

"We have many pictures from over the years and they are all special memories that we have for all of our family and friends," Fay said. "The staff has consistently been like friends and the food has always been superior. We especially enjoyed our visits there when we were lucky enough to sit in the Pit! We hope they will rebuild and wish all of them the very best always."

John Motley of Dalton Gardens said Monday's fire was not the first at Wolf Lodge.

"A number of years ago, birthday girl Pat Chadwick Motley was blowing out the candles on her surprise birthday party cake and caught her hair on fire!

"Thank goodness the server was our hero and patted out the fire. So sorry it won’t be around anymore," he said.

A number of years ago Pat Chadwick Motley was blowing out the candles on her surprise birthday party cake and caught her hair on fire at the Wolf Lodge Steakhouse.

John and Tish Deus of Coeur d'Alene first dined at the Wolf Lodge Steakhouse in October of 2022.

"We had purchased a home and moved here to Coeur d'Alene in 2018 and had heard about the Wolf Lodge Steakhouse for several years before we ventured out to the restaurant," John Deus said. "The notation on the front door immediately caught our eyes, and definitely got a laugh out of us. We have since shared this photo of the front door with dozens of our friends through the USA!"

From left to right: Jessica Moore, Kyrsten Moore, CJ Giao, Will Moore at the Wolf Lodge Steakhouse in January.

Post Falls resident PJ Foster had dined at Wolf Lodge with her husband since 1996. They were never disappointed.

“Nicole always greets everyone with her wonderful smile and makes everyone feel welcome,” she said. “When I had surgery on my foot, I asked her if she could seat us up front since I was wearing a surgical shoe. She happily accommodated us. I am so heartbroken it burned down, as are the rest of their customers. The memories of eating at such an uplifting place will never die. I pray for the employees and hope Wolf Lodge returns.”

“When my stepdaughter was in college at College of Idaho, she encountered her first serious boyfriend,” said Donna Harvey. “She was bringing him home to meet us. We had agreed long before that if her choice was a pink-haired guy with a piercing that we would accept him. However, Luke was the opposite, a clean-cut kid who was so smart. We took them to Wolf Lodge for a steak. She was too nervous and giddy to eat hers, so Luke ate both of them. ‘OK,’ we thought, ‘at least he is a good sport.’ He turned out to be our son-in-law and if we had created a son-in-law, we couldn't have created one as perfect as Luke. He is funny, very, very smart, very responsible and a great father and husband and son. I will remember that dinner forever.”