Shelly and John McKerricher pose for a portrait inside the ballroom of Creekside Chehalis on Monday afternoon. The couple purchased and renovated the former Mary McCrank's restaurant off of Jackson Highway late last year.
The parlor room at Creekside Chehalis, which was formerly Mary McCrank's restaurant.
After more than 80 years of existence, Mary McCrank’s has a new identity.
It’s one that owners John and Shelly McKerricher hope will harken back to the facility’s history and heritage.
The former Mary McCrank’s restaurant off Jackson Highway south of Chehalis has been shuttered since May 2013. Mary McCrank purchased the failing Dutch Mill Tavern in 1935 and renamed it the Shamrock Inn, but eventually settled on the name Mary McCrank’s. McCrank died in 1984 and her ashes were spread beneath the property’s magnolia tree. Gerhard and Jeri Schopp purchased the restaurant in 1998. They changed the name to Schopp’s Steakhouse in 2012, but then closed it about a year later.
The McKerrichers purchased it in October 2015 and renamed it Creekside Chehalis.
Though they live only a couple miles from the property and drive by it nearly every day, the couple said at first they didn’t think much about purchasing it themselves. But Shelly McKerricher said she had always loved the beautiful grounds, and the family had dined at the restaurant many times when it was open.
“I remember driving past and thinking ‘it’s a shame nobody is going to buy that and reopen it,’” Shelly McKerricher said.
John McKerricher retired from his law practice last year.
The couple said their interest in the property developed when they helped plan the wedding of one of their adult children and they got to see some of the other wedding venues in the area. They saw the potential for Mary McCrank’s to become an event space, and they saw that there was a need they would be filling by opening it. For example, Shelly McKerricher noted, The Barn on Jackson event space just a few miles down the road from their property is booked for almost every weekend in 2016 already
The Creekside event center is now open and taking reservations. The space already hosted a holiday party, and they potentially have two upcoming baby showers and have had an inquiry about a May wedding. The couple said they have been excited by the interest they’ve already seen and they haven’t done much in the way of advertising yet.
“The community has been so supportive,” John McKerricher said.
“The response has been phenomenal,” Shelly McKerricher added. “People have been more than kind. You go to our Facebook page and the comments from people are so encouraging. We live in such a wonderful community. We really do.”
Inside, the building looks much the same way it did as Schopp’s Steakhouse, except for the removal of a small wall to open the larger ballroom space. A lighter shade of paint was also added to the walls, and dark paint was removed from the antique lighting fixtures throughout.
The day after signing papers on the property, the McKerrichers cleared some of the land to add lawn space that can accommodate up to 300 wedding guests. The outdoor venue area is anchored by a gazebo built by Matticulous Designs in Chehalis.
But one of the features the couple hopes will charm potential clients is that the property has equally beautiful spaces inside and out. They noted that their daughter in-law wanted a woodsy, outdoor wedding, but there were concerns about the comfort of some of the guests, especially if the weather was not nice. Couples looking for the outdoor feel can have that, but also climate controlled indoor spaces as well, Shelly McKerricher said.
“We’ll have the lanterns in the trees and the river and it will be so beautiful, but people can still come inside,” she said.
Another selling point the McKerrichers hope will be a draw is that the venue will only host one event at a time, meaning those renting it will have use of the complete facility including two large rooms, a bar and the outdoor area. Rental also allows for a Friday setup, Saturday event and Sunday breakdown to allow for less stress for families planning large events.
They are also working on a list of local bartenders, caterers, DJs and other people who offer services that would be helpful to those planning events with them.
“We want to try to keep the work here in the community,” Shelly McKerricher said.
This spring, the McKerrichers hope to add electricity to the outdoor area and a stamped concrete patio between the building and creek to allow for more stable footing.
The Schopps removed most of the kitchen they had installed in the building, so a future project for the McKerrichers will also be adding a kitchen. But they have no plans to furnish an in-house caterer or another restaurant, so the couple sees the kitchen as a more long-term project.
“We’re talking to different caterers to see what different things they might need back there,” John McKerricher said.
Another long-term project will be to renovate the second floor of the building, which Shelly McKerricher said she believes Mary McCrank used as a home. The space will someday become dressing rooms and other hospitality areas for those renting the property.
“We will continue to do little things here and there,” Shelly McKerricher said.
