Two longtime Washington restaurants will change ownership later this spring.
Wally’s Chowder House in Des Moines and Wally’s Drive-In in Buckley will soon come under the ownership of hospitality veteran David Meinert, the force behind Hold Fast Hospitality.
Meinert purchased the restaurants from the retiring owner and told What Now Seattle, “the deal is not closed yet, but is signed and will take six to eight weeks to get it all done.”
He pursued both properties because his hospitality group has built a reputation for reviving neighborhood restaurants with old-school charm across Washington. His portfolio also includes The 5 Point Cafe and Mecca Cafe in downtown Seattle, as well as Huckleberry Square in Burien.
“Wally’s in Buckley is an old school, originally built in the late 50s, early 60s, drive-in burger place. It has the speakers that pull up to your car window. It’s very classic, it’s very popular and super busy with tourists. And then there’s Wally’s in Des Moines, which is a little waterfront community town. It’s the most popular restaurant there. There’s always a line out the door. They’re both super vibey, super old school, and that’s our thing,” Meinert said.
Meinert plans to preserve the essence of both spots while giving them a much-needed update.
“They’ve been run the same way for 30 years, and obviously the business has changed, so just updating some of the standard ways things are run, using technology to help manage labor, manage inventory, and the back of the house instead of doing it by hand,” Meinert said.
He continued, “It’s not really changing, except putting those systems in place and holding people accountable for them, but also letting people be themselves and not having it be super corporate, as far as losing that authenticity.”
He also plans to refresh the interior, extend hours and expand delivery service.
Both menus will keep the staples, though some changes may occur.
“We’ll do a lot of menu analysis and engineering based on sales product mix cost profitability to look at what we can take off and what should be added,” Meinert said.
He continued, “Having worked in diner for 20 years, one thing that’s changing, at least around here, is the level of spice in some of the recipes. We have a very diverse community. And with that comes a lot of different flavors, so it’s how to incorporate those spices into traditional American comfort food. It’s really fun.”
Many staff members, who have worked at both spots since their openings, will stay on.
“I’m really excited because the people at these restaurants are awesome. I would say most of the staff has worked there anywhere from eight to 30 years,” he said.
Meinert said he’s looking forward to continuing to immerse both Wally’s locations into the community.
“I’m a systems and people guy. I am really excited about figuring out where we can make improvements. We try to have our restaurants be very active in the community doing positive things and we plan on doing that in Buckley and Des Moines,” he said.
Visit the Wally’s Chowder House and Wally’s Drive-In website, and follow along on social media for the latest updates.
