Fire destroys Shirley's Tippy Canoe in Troutdale, owner has long history with restaurant

TROUTDALE, Ore. – A fire destroyed Shirley's Tippy Canoe restaurant in Troutdale Friday morning.

Fire departments responded to a reported commercial fire in the 28200 block of East Historic Columbia River Highway at around 5 a.m.

At 6:50 a.m., Gresham Fire tweeted photos showing the restaurant engulfed in flames.

At 8:30 a.m., firefighters at the scene told KATU News that the restaurant was a total loss.

Owner Shirley Welton learned her place was burning down when she watched it on TV.

Welton has owned the restaurant since 2007. It's been in existence since the 1940s. Welton, now 82 years old, had her first drink at the restaurant at 21.

"That's when it was really a little roadhouse," she said. "And it was a lot of fun. You could go in and dance and have a cocktail and do anything you wanted. A lot of guys liked to fight."

A stream of customers, like Kevin Curtis, came throughout the day. His parents brought him here growing up.

"They live in Kansas now, and they grew up here too," he said.

Welton thanked her customers' loyalty.

"I mean, without the customers -- and the kind that I have, they're more than customers, almost like family," she said.

Rumor is going around the restaurant could be for sale and Welton was already thinking it's time to retire.

"No. My kids are thinking about retiring me. So, I'm not sure. It's probably time," she said.

She said the restaurant is insured.

Gresham Fire said they’re assisting Corbet Fire. Fire crews at the scene said the building's tin roof made it challenging to fight the flames.

The Multnomah County Sheriff's Office said when deputies arrived on scene, they saw heavy smoke coming from a second-story window. Deputies quickly cleared most of the property.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.