Cyrus O'Leary's Restaurant

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Spokanites love their restaurants, but only a few restaurants invoke nostalgia like Cyrus O’Leary, which closed in 2011. The unusual architecture of the building in combination with the “collectible gewgaws galore” made the environment family-friendly and unforgettable. Guests felt invited by the signed Elvis poster, large moose head, and vintage toys.

The restaurant was established in 1980 by Cyrus Vaughn. The building was built on the south side of the Bennet Block and cost $500,000 to construct. The architecture was interesting, it screamed of the 1970s. It was designed with a facade that gave it an old-time look. While this was part of its initial appeal, 30 years later it had become an eyesore in a modernizing Spokane.

In 2011, the residents of the Bennet Block began pressuring the owners of Cyrus O’Leary to update the building to match the changing aesthetic of the block. The two sides could not agree, and amidst an economic downturn the restaurant decided to close its doors for good in September of that year. The building was torn to the ground in 2012, but not all of its contents were lost.

Hoping to capitalize on the nostalgia factor, another local restaurateur purchased some of those iconic items like the moose head and the bar for his own establishment. If you want to relive some memories from Cyrus O’Leary’s restaurant you can visit those remnants of the famed eatery at the new location of David’s Pizza.

The fond memories surrounding Cyrus O’Leary’s restaurant are less focused on meals, and instead centered on the memories, experiences, and the pies.