Document text
New Callahan's draws raves Restaurant owners add 12 rooms, lobby with log staircase The lodging is back at Callahan's Siskiyou Lodge, along with a new lobby and plans for further expansion down the road. The renovation, which passed its final county inspection Tuesday, has been in the works since Ron Bergquist and his wife, Donna, bought the well-known restaurant near the Siskiyou Summit in 1996. They realized going in that adding overnight accommodations was essential. The restaurant -- as venerable as it is -- is hidden under the highway, says Donna. It desperately needed to be more than a restaurant. So the Bergquists added a dozen rooms -- six economy rooms downstairs and six suites upstairs. The lodge hasn't featured rooms since 1964 when the original building was removed to make way for Interstate 5. With the economy rooms (which run $60 a night and include breakfast), they are targeting skiers, hikers and others looking for a good bed and a base from which to explore the outdoors. The suites (priced from $120-$160, including breakfast) all feature fireplaces, jetted whirlpool tubs and sofas and are aimed at those wanting more luxury. — — Billboard flap still not resolved — More than a year and a half after Callahan's Siskiyou — Lodge's controversial billboard went up, the sign squabble remains unresolved. — Frustrated because diners couldn't find their restaurant, Callahan's owners Ron and — Donna Bergquist erected the billboard on property they own across Interstate 5. They did — so without a permit, sparking federal and state lawsuits. — Both cases are awaiting an Oregon Supreme Court ruling in a similar case in which — Outdoor Media Dimensions of Medford is challenging the state's strict billboard law. A — decision in that case is expected this month, Bergquist says. — The billboard went up in October 1997. The Bergquists say it's essential for helping — customers find their business and that they'd gladly take it down if the county granted an — exception to its ban on signs taller than 25 feet. — — They also added a large lobby -- complete with fireplace and a wooden staircase made with logs from the property and gnarled wood imported from the Sisters area. The only changes to the restaurant itself were new carpet and double-paned windows. The remodeling began in August and was completed Sunday, although some cleanup is still being done. The restaurant remained open throughout the work, although it has been closed to everything but dinner on weekdays for past several months. Starting this week, it is again open for breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. The Bergquists say the new look has drawn raves, especially from longtime customers. People come in and their jaws drop, Donna says. When you take something that has been the same for so long and have such a dramatic transition, they understand what an undertaking it was. Ron, who grew up in Eagle Point, was the architect of the renovation and did some of the contracting work, drawing on years of experience in building restaurants. He founded the Shari's chain and built the first 34 restaurants and also built 10 other restaurants including the Boston Shaft in Yreka, Calif. More changes are on the way. They already have permits to turn the current country store into two guest rooms with handicapped access and to convert a stable to a honeymoon suite. If the business warrants it, we'll do it this summer, he says. The Bergquists own or are part owners of 65 acres in the area and the lodge property is zoned to accommodate up to 65 rooms, so the plan is to keep expanding. Our goal is to make it a small destination resort, says Ron. I believe it will warrant it. This is a beautiful place.