Coulee Dam restaurant lease OK'd for new owners

The city of Coulee Dam has OK’d a lease for the Melody Restaurant space in its community building, the city council Wednesday voting unanimously to approve it and promising cooperation on certain maintenance issues for the new operators.

Jon Anderson and Stephanie Guin negotiated a deal with the business’ previous owner over a period of several months, he told The Star in March.

They’ve been negotiating the lease with the city since, mostly while operating under the previous lease held by Juan Moreno, who has since been deported to Mexico.

Moreno had his supporters and detractors in the community, which has complicated some aspects of acquiring the business, specifically a liquor license.

Anderson said they’d been operating legally under the previous license until mid-April, but people have called the state’s Liquor Control Board three times thinking to turn them in.

Anderson said they’d bought all assets including the business’ name in February for $59,000.

Guin is managing the business.

She attended the council meeting at which the lease for $800 a month was approved after the council noted several items that need to be fixed, some by the city, including the roof, which Councilmember Keith St. Jeor noted has been leaking for years and might cost more than is currently budgeted.

City Clerk Stefani Bowden said the state’s Liquor Control Board had contacted the city that day. A new liquor license is on the way.

This story had been updated to reflect the correct names on the partnership and the correct spelling of Guin’s name.