A new restaurant, The Kitty Hawk Café, has opened on the flight line at Skagit Regional Airport (BVS) in Burlington, Washington.
Operated by Therese Straight, The Kitty Hawk Café is open for breakfast and lunch seven days a week, serving American-style food from sandwiches to fresh-baked rolls and desserts.
Straight, of Mount Vernon, has more than 20 years of experience in the food industry and most recently managed the Port Café (now Papa’s) in the Bayview Business Park adjacent to the airport. She also owns a chocolate business.
“I just want this to be a friendly place with a casual atmosphere where people can get great food,” Straight said. She plans a grand opening in October.
The Kitty Hawk Café is located in the two-story building that housed the Crosswinds Restaurant before it closed in July 2007. The Port of Skagit later bought the building, and it had been vacant since then. Extensive renovations were required to attract the new café and bring the building back up to code. Improvements, costing more than $100,000, included new HVAC equipment, kitchen improvements, new paint, new carpets and more, according to port officials.
The building has sufficient space to accommodate at total of 100 diners. Straight she will operate the restaurant on the ground floor and use the second floor for private parties and restaurant overflow. She also will operate her light catering business out of the building.
Port Commissioner Kevin Ware, himself a veteran pilot, said he considered it a priority to have an operating restaurant at the airport. Not only does the restaurant expand eating choices for tenants at the airport and business park, but it also will attract visiting pilots who might fly in for a meal but also fill up with fuel, arrange to have their airplane serviced or even decide to rent tie-down or hangar space at the airport, he said.
The Port of Skagit owns and operates three key facilities: the Skagit Regional Airport, the Bayview Business Park and the La Conner Marina. Combined, these three facilities are home to more than 80 businesses that employ approximately 1,000 people.
For more information: PortOfSkagit.com
