ML's Haynes family to open new Tomato Street

Medical Lake native Dean Haynes could have taken any number of routes in his professional life after graduating from Eastern Washington University over 30 years ago.

Haynes first attended Spokane Falls Community College and then graduated from EWU with marketing, management and computer science degrees in 1985. While in school, he dove into the fast food business by working at Dick's Drive-In, flipping burgers.

But at the insistence of a buddy who told him of an opening in a sit-down establishment, Cyrus O'Leary's, Haynes found both his niche and business success - and has delivered to the Spokane area some of its favorite food for over 20 years.

The testimony of that popularity comes as Haynes, and his wife, Shannon, are busily preparing to open their second Tomato Street Italian Restaurant in the coming days at River Park Square in downtown Spokane.

The Haynes, employees and contractors are racing full-speed from early in the morning to late at night to meet a deadline to open the doors as early as Oct. 17, but might move that "soft opening" to Oct. 23, he said.

The couple, who operate this property outright, and are 90-percent vested into the northside restaurant at Division Street and Francis Avenue in Spokane, took control of the former Rock City Grill in mid-June. The prior occupants moved their restaurant to the South Hill at 57th Avenue and Regal Street.

The Rock City owners still had two years remaining on their downtown lease and offered it to Haynes.

"I'm just really excited about being downtown and the opportunity it has with the revitalization (taking place there)," Haynes said. "There's tons of activity," he added, and much of it is within walking distance of his new restaurant.

Those familiar with the other Tomato Street properties, including one in Coeur d'Alene that is owned separately, will see many familiar sights at the new restaurant, Haynes said. That includes artwork, wine barrels and a big chalkboard that is popular with children.

The new restaurant will be somewhat smaller than the northside location, Haynes said. But the bar will be bigger.

"We're downsizing from 12,000 square-feet to 7,500," Haynes said. They seat about 240 at the north location while the new digs can handle 140. An amenity not present in his other location are the rolling garage doors that will allow seasonal sidewalk dining, adding anywhere from 35-60 additional capacity.

The bar name has special significance, Haynes said.

It's named "Shandino's," a clever connection of Haynes' wife, Shannon, and Haynes' first name, only with an "i" and not an "e."

"It was just a fun name, it's got a good feel to it," Haynes said. And it sounds perfectly Italian, if just by happenstance. The downtown bar seats 65 where up north, there's room for 40.

Before Rock City, Haynes' newest restaurant began life as Chevy's Tex-Mex when River Park Square underwent a significant redevelopment in 1995.

For Haynes, the pieces of this latest project seemed to come together at the right time and place. At least he said, "I hope so," as he conducted a quick tour and rattled off a list of other improvements. Haynes said he did not care to say how much the venture is costing. "More than I'm worth," he offered.

While serving as the general manager at Cyrus' in the early 1990s, Haynes was offered the opportunity to invest in the Tomato Street idea, which he did. The group opened their first restaurant in Coeur d'Alene in 1993.

The Spokane Tomato Street restaurant opened in 1994, a partnership between Cy Vaughn of Cyrus O'Leary's Pies, Erkki Oranen and Haynes. Vaughn remains involved in CDA, but not Spokane, Haynes said. It was Oranen who convinced Haynes to come to Cyrus O'Leary's.

"The philosophy, the culture of our business is all run from the same philosophy as Cyrus O'Leary's," Haynes said. That includes retaining and promoting employees who have been loyal to the business. Haynes considers his employees "family."

"We're bringing some of our key people down to help manage this restaurant from beverage managers, to kitchen manager to general manager," Haynes said, adding that many of these people started in entry-level positions and rose through the ranks. The new restaurant will employ about 75.

Another part of the business success is the small town, hometown feeling from a husband and wife team who each trace their roots to Medical Lake - he's a 1980 grad - for Dean and Washtucna, Wash. for Shannon.

The Haynes, self-proclaimed "high school sweethearts," will celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary this year and their gift is a brand new addition to their restaurant family for the community.

Paul Delaney can be reached at pdelaney@cheneyfreepress.com.