Burger and a side of small-town charm, hold the McDonald's

I don't know if the city councilmen and mayor and town boosters in Chelan realize what an opportunity they have. The city council in this resort town in Eastern Washington originally made one of those decisions, that, well... here is an e-mail from Debbie and Larry Douglas, of Edmonds:

"OH MY GOD !!!!!! ERIK ... WHAT ARE THEY THINKING? We gotta stop this insanity."

I've received some 200-some e-mails and voice mails since writing last Thursday about the Lakeview Drive-In, a 45-year tradition overlooking Lake Chelan along the Manson Highway. The response came because of the news that the city council had voted to open negotiations to replace the old-time burger joint with a McDonald's.

Plenty of resort towns wish they could generate the kind of visceral reaction this place experienced last week — even for a boneheaded decision. Although most of the responses came from the Puget Sound area (as many of you own time-shares or make an annual summer trek to Chelan), I've gotten e-mails from Moscow (not Idaho, but Russia), from Alaska, from California, all from people who had visited Chelan. And they all included comments about their love for Chelan.

They simply couldn't believe that the city council would sell out for $16,500 more a year (the Lakeview was offering a lease on the city-owned property that began at $20,000 annually; McDonald's offered $36,500, with increases thereafter).

Last Thursday night, the council reversed itself and voted 7-0 to stop negotiations with McDonald's, and I have to believe your responses (which I forwarded to City Hall and local media) helped things along.

City Councilman Jay Witherbee, who owns a sign-making company in Chelan and was an opponent of McDonald's leasing property, told me the decision was made in a closed-council session. He said he voted to stop negotiations because it appeared the city still was under contractual obligation until next year with the Michael Mack family, which has run the Lakeview for two decades.

He also said the council members had obviously noticed the public reaction.

"To be honest with you, I think the council was relieved to find a way out," Witherbee said.

Relieved? I would think so. Here you were, ready to cut a deal with a multinational corporation, and Debbie Douglas, with all of her family's disposable income, tells you:

"I've been enjoying food from the Lakeview since I was 15. As an Ingraham High Ram — I graduated in 1969 — we would make the trip across the mountains, just to have a burger, fries and shake. We all supported the town of Chelan ... $$$$$. I met my husband at the Lakeview, me in my bikini, just out of the lake, and he, on his Harley, just back from Vietnam. Leave Chelan alone!"

Well, those 1969 bikini girls and those 1969 Harley guys now have families and kids, and they can choose whether to spend that summer vacation in Chelan or maybe just take a drive down to Arizona.

Here was an e-mail from Andy Hollenbeck, of Kenmore, itemizing how much he spent this summer in Chelan: $1,800 for a cabin, $150 in gas for the boat, $200 at a restaurant, $200 at a sports store.

"You get the picture," Andy said. "People spend a lot when they take vacations — but they only vacation to places that charm them. Remove the charm by degrading the local flavor and you'll lose appeal to the vacationers."

Over and over, the e-mails repeat the same message: This town of 3,340 is popular because of the mom-and-pop businesses. It is popular because you still have a feeling that you are in that "American Graffiti" mythology. It is popular because you are getting away from all the strip malls and franchises.

I don't think that the 200-some who responded want the Lakeview to get a long-term lease — McDonald's proposal included an agreement that could reach 40 years. The property has been called a "jewel" for its prime location, and the "last wide-open publicly owned shoreline."

What I do think these tourists who drive the town's economy want is for the city council to do a bit of that "thorough analysis." Maybe the Lakeview gets year-to-year extensions until some other bright ideas come up. Maybe a hometown burger joint can share the space with some other kind of city development.

Jerry Isenhart is a former city councilman and a former mayor who once owned KOZI-AM-FM, the town radio station. Now he runs a Web site called golakechelan.com, where he has posted a number of your e-mails.

He's hoping the local politicians and town business people make use of all your e-mails.

"Those letters tell us a lot," he said. "They love our small town. Maybe more than theirs! They like our friendly style. And they come here in search of things they don't find back home. ... I think we owe all the people who wrote letters a big town barbecue! If they'll come, I'll cook or wait tables."

Maybe that's a little over-enthusiastic.

But you get the idea.

You spoke, all of you who pay the bucks for the Chelan condos and motels and restaurants.

And this time, as opposed to how it happens in the Big City, you were listened to.

Erik Lacitis: 206-464-2237 or elacitis@seattletimes.com.