Not mighty anymore

The Mighty Quinn, once a popular spot, remains closed after 2001 fire

MOSES LAKE — The sign outside the building on 302 West Broadway still vows "We'll be back."

It is a promise that has remained unfulfilled after a fire in 2001 damaged the interior of the Mighty Quinn, once a popular restaurant and bar, which has remained closed ever since.

Harold Hochstatter, part owner of the property the Mighty Quinn is built on, said that he and the other property owner, his sister-in-law Joann Hochstatter, have been trying to get the restaurant's owner Brian Rosborough to fix it up and get it open.

"All he has done is spray it white," he said of the recent paint job applied to the boarded up building.

Rosborough was unavailable for comment.

The Mighty Quinn's 2001 fire was ruled accidental, and at the time, those involved with the restaurant promised that the building would be closed for only a short period of time.

In fact, the building still sports its trademark shark bursting out of the front wall, tribute to the Mighty Quinn's Caribbean theme. However, the passage of time has brought new, unwanted art, as graffiti adorns its back wall.

"It's frustrating," said Hochstatter, whose family has owned the property for decades. "I am afraid the city is going to say get it done or tear it down.

"They have every reason to say so," he added.

Joe Gavinski, city manager of Moses Lake, said the city is going to seek that the building be demollished if it has been damaged beyond 50 percent of what it was.

The keeping of a boarded up building with serious damage located in the heart of downtown, and the continuous delay in doing something with it, is not acceptable, Gavinski said.

Besides the obvious lack in sales taxes revenues, the city still earns property taxes from the Mighty Quinn, but at a rate that reflects the damaged building, Gavinski said.

"The city has interest that the property be renovated one way or the other," he said.

Although no one was hurt in the 2001 blaze, and the structure remained intact, it gutted the insides of the building, and some of the beams on the ceiling sustained some damage. Altogether, the damages to the fully insured building reached $300,000.

Hochstatter sued Rosborough in 2003 for not complying with the terms of the property's lease which expires in 2011. A court judgment came in favor of Hochstatter in 2004 when Judge John Antosz decided that the insurance money awarded after the fire was not being applied to restore the property. Hochstatter said an agreement was reached with Rosborough's lawyers and Rosborough agreed to fix up the building.

"It sure has been slow," Hochstatter said. "We are ready to see (Rosborough) fix the place. The city has been very patient and they are ready, too."