Then and now: SLT’s changing restaurants
Wampas Cat Cafe in South Lake Tahoe in the 1950s. Photo/Del Laine collection/Lake Tahoe Historical Society
The Wampas Cat Cafe of the 1950s stood where Scusa restaurant stands today, on Highway 50 at Sierra Boulevard in South Lake Tahoe.
Scusa has been one of the more successful eateries in this location. Photo/Bill Kingman
After being the Wampas Cat, there was Poor Pierre’s, then Poor Pedro’s, then a succession of other dining venues including Mexican, Thai, and Hoss Hogg’s.
Diagonally and across the highway in the 1950s was Schmidt’s Bakery. According to long-time local resident Del Laine, a locally-written poem called “The Mighty Wampas Cat” by “Wrongfellow” explains that Schmidt’s Bakery stood “…catty-wampas to the Wampas Cat.”
The Baumann family opened their historic Swiss Chalet Restaurant there in 1957, said to have been one of the two longest-lasting continuous family-owned businesses at Lake Tahoe — nearly 55 years — the unidentified other business apparently being on the North Shore.
Local Debbie Brown owns the Cold Water Brewery. Photo/Bill Kingman
After remodeling in 2013, at the Swiss Chalet Restaurant site now is the Cold Water Brewery and Grill.
— Bill Kingman
Does anyone remember the sawdust floor that Poor pPerras had apraed about.Good food and good vibes.
Basque dining at its finest.
Thanks Bill, Old Long Skiis
OLS, the sawdust floors were one of the first things I remember as being unique in SLT when I moved here in 1972.
The Schmidt family also built the gas station across Sierra Blvd that is now Blue Dog Pizza, the restaurant that is now RE/MAX Realty, and the building housing the Mexican market.. The last two buildings mentioned were sold in 2014 ending continuous family ownership since 1958.
Bill, did you use the photo from the Postcard? I still have several left that if anyone wants one they can contact me. On the back of the card it says Swiss Chef owned. I also have one of the chef’s shirts with the Swiss Chalet logo patch on it.What a great place that was.
Once again Bill…..great stuff. Come over tonight, I’m putting Wampas Cat on the BBQ and serving over grits.
Rojo’s and it’s predecessors has an interesting history as well. Joe’s owned that place for over 40 years and counting. It goes back to the 20’s I believe as part of Globin’s holdings.
Rojoes was Felix bar before that!