A year without the Kingston Inn

Published 10:00 am Wednesday, September 20, 2006

KINGSTON — It’s been one year today since the popular eatery and icon that was the Kingston Inn burned to the ground in an electrical fire.

But the impact is still being felt in the North End.

The restaurant was a hub for local patrons and groups, drawing in tourists who were looking for the small town experience, or a good meal at a fair price.

The fire robbed Kingston not only of a well-known meeting place for friends and family, but the most important meal of the day as well.

“A lot of people have got to go to Poulsbo to find breakfast in the morning now,” said Kiwanis President Dan Price.

The Kiwanis used to meet at the Kingston Inn for its weekly morning gatherings. The group had moved to the Kingston branch of American Marine Bank, and shortly after, the Inn burned down. Other groups, both official and not, were forced to find other haunts.

“Well, I know people really depended on it as a breakfast place,” said Kingston Revitalization Association member Karen Ross. “It was a familiar face, everybody knew (the Kingston Inn). Then suddenly, it was gone.”

In early August, Kingston Inn owner Mike Prestley announced his plans to rebuild the Kingston Inn with the upper stories devoted to condominiums. He expressed hope that this would bring back the much missed breakfast spot.

“I think (the idea) is very exciting, I’m very excited about it,” said Kitsap County Commissioner Chris Endresen. “As long as they have biscuits and gravy.”

“All of the morning groups have been displaced,” said Kiwanis member Debbie Anderson. “They’ve scattered, having to find new breakfast solutions. I think maybe in the last year, we’ve all started cooking breakfast ourselves.”

In the past year, Price, Ross, Endresen and Anderson all agree that one thing remains the same: there is a need for the Kingston Inn.

“I think everybody has become very creative in finding breakfast meeting spots,” Endresen said, noting that Monday morning the owner of Kingston restaurant Luna Bella agreed to cook breakfast for them. “I’m sure I’m not alone in that I miss being able to go in to (the Kingston Inn) and grab a cup of coffee, or breakfast.”