Something Else You Could Care Less About: Hard Times at the Village Inn

The Associated Press reported that hard times have fallen on the Village Inn, a chain of nearly 400 restaurants primarily the mountain and western U. S that focus on lower-income customers. Think Denny's with much better food and a better, cleaner atmosphere. If you can get a chicken avocado sandwich, it isn't exactly lowbrow. Plus, it was the first place I ever ate where they brought a thermal pot to the table if you ordered coffee.

Their restaurants were a welcome relief when I helped Alicia move from Columbus to West Hollywood in August 2003. After driving through Kansas in the dark and witnessing the most beautiful lightning storm ever (the Kansas prairie let the streaks fill the entire sky), we wanted a decent breakfast before pushing past Denver.

With the first peak of the Rockies now in sight, we picked a Village Inn in Denver. After a long night behind the wheel, eggs and coffee were absolute essentials. For pair of small-town reporters rushing across the country, a reliable sit-down meal at low cost was critical.

We crossed the Rockies and landed in Grand Junction, then crashed out through the afternoon. When dinner called, we picked the Village Inn again. It was not a mistake.

What I remember most, though, was the last time I ate there, almost four years ago in Phoenix, after my sister graduated from Arizona State. Don't ask what I ate - my memory only goes as far as the lobby. My recollections from Colorado led to the Melville family choosing it for their last meal before scattering across the country again.

While we waited for a table, a handicapped man and his mother exited the dining room. The handicapped extended his hand the hostess and poked a few words of thanks through a speed impediment. Obviously he was a regular, and the hostess showered him with attention, saying she'd catch him next Saturday.

Isolated incident or not, anytime I read or hear "Village Inn," that tiny moment long forgotten by anyone else in the room still emerges in my mind.

Now, Chapter 11 is hardly a death sentence for a company. They do it all the time (thank your Congressman for tightening the screws on the average American who dares to use this business privilege). On its merits, the place deserves a chance to get its finances in order.