One of Osoyoos鈥檚 favourite family restaurants is re-opening Wednesday, Feb. 16 after being forced to close following a major flood in December 2021.
鈥淲e are so excited to be back. I can鈥檛 emphasize enough how thankful we are to all the local businesses that came to our rescue,鈥� said Smitty鈥檚 restaurant owner Wendy Herle.
Smitty鈥檚 suffered a major flood when the pipes froze during that December cold snap that saw temperatures drop below -20 C.
鈥淚t was a nightmare. The ceiling fell in and our walk-in freezer was completely ruined. If it wasn鈥檛 for Joe鈥檚 Plumbing getting us a new walk-in freezer we wouldn鈥檛 have been able to be open.鈥�
Smitty鈥檚 is a fixture in Osoyoos, serving up everybody鈥檚 favourite breakfasts, mimosas, lunches and dinners for over 47 years.
Family-run, Smitty鈥檚 is where the locals gather and tourists line up in the summers.
Smitty鈥檚 is one of the few restaurants in the area that is open year-round. That was until the unexpected flood.
鈥淲e could not have done it without the help of these amazing businesses and people in our community: Sunrise Restoration, Joe鈥檚 Plumbing, Balogh Electric, Osoyoos Golf Course and our amazing staff in our Smitty鈥檚 family,鈥� said Christopher Lee Fraser, manager of Smitty鈥檚 and son-in-law to Herle. 鈥淲e have missed everyone鈥檚 smiling faces in our restaurant and are super excited to see all of you.鈥�
Herle and family took ownership in 2005 and have never looked back, making Smitty鈥檚 even more family-friendly and fun.
Prior to COVID, families could enjoy asking each other trivia questions using the Trivial Pursuit cards put on every table.
Asked if those cards are coming back on the table, Herle replied: 鈥淭hat鈥檚 my dream.鈥�
鈥淭he trivia cards are definitely going back on the tables when it鈥檚 safe to do so.鈥�
鈥淲e found that the trivia made families put down their phones and Ipads and enjoy each other鈥檚 company. The trivia questions start lots of conversations and we see a lot of people laughing and talking.鈥�
The kids鈥� treasure box will be back too and maybe the retro water games as well that were so popular with the younger crowd.
Another thing Smitty鈥檚 is known for is putting pots of coffee on every table. It makes people feel like there is no rush to leave, she added.
Locals have come to love the restaurant鈥檚 prime rib nights Friday and Saturday and of course the different varieties of mimosas in the summer mornings are a huge hit.
Herle and her family love running the Smitty鈥檚 and take great joy in getting to know their customers.
鈥淭hey are our guests and we love the families who come in, our regular customers, the familiar faces and new ones too.鈥�
Many of the staff have been with Smitty鈥檚 for years.
鈥淪taff are our family,鈥� she said.
If you haven鈥檛 had a chance to experience Smitty鈥檚, there鈥檚 lots of time to do so, said Herle.
鈥淲e plan to be here a long time,鈥� she said. 鈥淢y kids will be in charge.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 not just a job,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 where we want to be.鈥�
Smitty鈥檚 opened at 8 a.m. Feb. 16, offering breakfast, lunches and dinners.
To report a typo, email: editor@pentictonwesternnews.com.
<>
newstips@pentictonwesternnews.com
Like us on and follow us on .
