Hellroaring Saloon looking for a home

The Young and the Restless Inc. are restless and holding their breath.

The corporation formed last November to purchase the Hellroaring Saloon, but the 57-year-old chalet above the Big Mountain village is slated for removal this year to make room for a re-aligned Chair 2.

Now, Bob Riso, his son Luke and Pat LaTourelle are anxiously awaiting a decision from Winter Sports Inc. on the restaurant's interim location while the new Hellroaring Lodge is built. A decision is expected at the next WSI board meeting, scheduled for April 5.

WSI president Fred Jones announced this week that Big Mountain's largest stockholder, Bill Foley, and Foley's new company, Glacier Restaurant Group, is considering moving the restaurant either to the location occupied by Moguls or to the lower patio of the building.

"We are working with them to get them relocated," said Jones. "It sounds like they're out of business, but that is far from the truth. Hellroaring is very important to us and to the people who ski and recreate here. We are committed to providing them a space."

Riso said they've turned down the downstairs location and are optimistic the board will approve their move into Moguls.

"We would be happy moving into Moguls," Riso said. "We are trying to get the board to move on the decision, obviously because of staffing problems. We need to formulate plans for the summer. We have a core of employees we'd like to employ right away. The job market is very favorable for the employee right now."

Riso said he and his partners purchased the Hellroaring Saloon last fall because they were fearful it otherwise would not open this year. They were aware of Big Mountain's village master plan when they signed the contract last year.

Jon Bos, LaTourelle's husband until he passed away in 2002, started the Hellroaring Saloon in 1975 in the former O'Piccollo's building in Whitefish.

In 1981, the restaurant business was moved to the former Rocky Mountain Chalet on Big Mountain. It held the name Schule's Copper Bar for one year and in 1982 returned to its original moniker — Hellroaring Saloon.

LaTourelle sold the restaurant to Sean and Kari Saadi when her husband died and repurchased it six months ago with Riso and his son.

"We wouldn't mind if we were to stay here for a year or two to set up a non-profit organization to try to save the building," Riso said. "There's enough people here in the valley to jump on that. If the Mountain could provide land below Chair 2, something could be done. If not, we will try to save everything we can from here to recreate it in another space. We have a lot of work ahead of us, and we don't know when we can start."

Local Realtor Lori Collins said she collected many great memories while working at the Hellroaring Saloon for 13 years as a waitress. She said she'll always remember meeting her favorite comedian, Carol Burnett, while serving her pizza at the restaurant.

"I told her I memorized all of her skits, and she invited me to do one for her," Collins said. "She laughed and said, 'You're funny,' then signed a pizza plate for me. I still have it. People are very emotionally attached to the Hellroaring building, but it's pretty ramshackle. I think you could still incorporate the look and feel in a newer building. It would be nice."

Big Mountain's new village design will also affect the Big Drift Coffeehouse. Jones said the business can stay in its current location for another year. Calls to the Big Drift were not returned by presstime.