The Polynesia - Spokane
Spokane, Washington, United States
In 1961, David Cohn, of Seattle, built a new South Seas-themed restaurant on Pier 51 in Seattle. He called it The Polynesia. The roofline resembled the long houses of the South Pacific islands. A few years later, he constructed an identical restaurant above the Spokane Falls and opened Spokane’s own Polynesia in 1965.
The open-air deck, with views of the Spokane River, the middle falls and the Washington Water Power Upper Falls generating plant, was just a few feet from the Great Northern railroad trestle that brought trains to the GN depot. Diners agreed the roar and rumble of the passing trains seemed to enhance the dining experience, rather than detract from it.
But the Polynesia wasn’t the hit Cohn thought it would be. A year after opening, he was forced to sell it off.
Today, and since 2004, the building is a seafood and steak restaurant called Anthony’s.
Details
- Type
- Bar & Restaurant
- Address
- Spokane, Washington, United States
- Closed?
- Yes (Permanently)
- Links
