The end of an era: Arch Miller's kids sell Grant House restaurant.

Ahhhh, yes... the halcyon days of the Downtown Mafia's fingers in the restaurant pie:

Remember when the City of Vancouver let Arch Miller's kids run a restaurant in a publicly owned building (Grant House) FOR FREE?

Clark County Politics remembers. 

Meanwhile, this private-business, government-subsidized entity (Shades of the Pollard Hilton) has just been sold.

Which is what SHOULD have happened some 12 years ago... but didn't... well, because when you're Arch Miller's kids...

Friday, April 01, 2005

The political incest of downtown Vancouver.

So, there's this restaurant, see?

They’re located in one of Vancouver’s pet money drains, The Grant House, a smaller part of that HUGE taxpayer-waste money drain, Ft. Vancouver.

Well, see, the two women running it, being business geniuses, over-estimated their revenue JUST a bit… $2 million. And now, they can't pay the rent.

Obviously, they lied about their projections as a way to get their collective foot through the door, becoming what… the zillionth restaurateur to fail in The Grant House?

Except for one thing.

They haven’t failed.

Now, anyone else; say, you or me, would have been bounced out on their kiesters. “Can’t pay the rent? SEE ya!”

Unless…. Well, unless your daddy is Arch Miller.

See, if your daddy is Arch Miller, not ONLY do you NOT fail… a city and their taxpayers (did I mention they’re going to get hammered for $60 million or so on that hotel “deal?”) GRATEFUL for getting screwed by you, let you stay there, in business, FOR FREE.

Clearly, when you’re doing business with the city of Vancouver, it’s not who you are… it’s who you know.

This is just sad. But it’s also altogether typical of the political incest common in downtown Vancouver.

And it also begs the issue: why wasn't this reported in The Columbian?

Gee. I can't imagine.

(NOTE:  This article was printed in the Oregonian and the link no longer works.)
City gives Grant House restaurant a break on rent

Owners of the Restaurant at the Historic Reserve report a shortfall of $2 million after operating for nearly a year

Thursday, March 31, 2005
ALLAN BRETTMAN - The Oregonian

VANCOUVER -- The company operating a restaurant and other amenities at the Vancouver National Historic Reserve is $2 million short of expectations after nearly a year in business.

To help the owners of the Restaurant at the Historic Reserve, the city will not charge rent on the historic Grant House on Officers Row. The city also will explore strengthening the Grant House's second-floor veranda, which is limited to 30 people in groups of no more than four people.

The owners think the $2 million shortfall resulted mostly from delays in launching a business plan for a culinary arts and hospitality management program at the Reserve.

The restaurant owners, sisters Suzy Taylor and Lynn Rullman, also own the International Air and Hospitality Academy. The academy, in turn, operates the restaurant.

Along with their father and academy founder, Arch Miller, also a Port of Vancouver commissioner, the sisters announced plans in February 2004 to begin a culinary and hospitality arts program, which would be operated in the West Barracks and be part of their technical classes. Their plans represented the first commercial interest in the World War I-era and other historic buildings the Army is expected to deed to the city this year. The academy leases some of the buildings from the city.

More...

 "If it's important to Clark County... you'll read about it in The Oregonian."

You see?

There's NOTHING like being a member in good standing of the downtown mafia: the same outfit doing their best to screw us sideways on the CRC/Loot Rail scam resurrection.

Some things NEVER change.