TROUTDALE, Ore. – A popular restaurant and gathering place along the Sandy River is struggling, thanks to a loss of business due to fire and ice. But friends and fans of Shirley’s Tippy Canoe are helping out, raising money with a GoFundMe fundraiser.
Owner Shirley Welton resurrected the Tippy Canoe a decade ago, after a long and sometimes checkered history. Welton turned it from biker bar along the Historic Columbia River Highway to quality restaurant. She turned the six-acre riverfront property into an event location, popular for catered weddings, funerals and everything in between.
She even had a visit from the Food Network’s Guy Fieri and made an appearance in the national spotlight.
But the Eagle Creek Fire hit at a very bad time.
“We had the fire and September is the last really good month that we have, and we pay a lot of bills—well we didn’t,” said Welton. The restaurant owner said ice storms also killed business at key winter holiday times.
And so for the first time since she’s owned it, the business is in danger of failing. For Welton, the generosity shown by the fundraising effort is still sinking in.
“I’m still stunned because it was late last night that I found out about it, but they’re really nice folks and I really appreciate it. And we do need help, the whole area needs help,” said Welton, who hopes to keep the Tippy Canoe afloat.