The Oaks Will Open Again (Let’s Hope By Summer!)

  The Oaks, an Ogden Canyon landmark since 1902, has been sold, with plans to re-open it sometime this year. It’s great news for those of us who miss having a burger or ice cream cone at one of the The Oaks’ scenic outdoor tables next to the Ogden River.

According to a Standard-Examiner article, the new owners are David and Cora Neal. David is a culinary instructor at Ogden-Weber Technical College. Cora is a math and statistics professor at Weber State University, according to WSU’s faculty listings. Reading that David previously owned a restaurant in Northern California, gives me hope that he can use his experience to make The Oaks successful again.

  Real estate broker Braden Shupe announced the sale on his Facebook page, adding “The new owners are ready to bring fresh energy to the space, with plans for a major remodel. Stay tuned — this beloved spot will be reopening soon with some exciting changes!”

  This Ogden Canyon landmark first opened around 1902, about a mile away from its present location. The website, The Mystery of Utah’s History https://mysteryofutahhistory.blogspot.com/2015/09/the-oaks-of-ogden-canyon-began-in-1903.html gives more information on some of its early days, when it was known for chicken and trout dinners. The website says The Oaks moved to its current spot in 1933  — higher ground — to avoid flooding from the Ogden River.

   When Keith and Belinda Rounkles bought The Oaks in 1981, it only offered a takeout menu, according to an interview I did with Belinda Rounkles a few years ago. The Rounkles built a patio to offer outdoor dining with a view of the river and mountainside. For 38 years, it was a popular stop for those traveling through the canyon for summer boating or winter skiing. Then in January 2019, the Rounkles shuttered the restaurant and put it up for sale.

  In 2020, The Oaks re-opened under new owners. Chris and Christina Bowler, said in a Standard-Examiner that they were long-time customers who hated to see it close.

  During the Covid pandemic summer of 2020, the outdoor tables with their mountain views and canyon breezes offered a social-distancing getaway. My husband’s favorite was The Oaks burger with sweet potato fries, and I usually went for the spinach salad, luxuriously studded with candied walnuts, dried cranberries, and blue cheese. We would get Farr’s ice cream cones as a portable dessert for the drive home.

  It seemed that The Oaks quickly gained a fan following that summer. But in February 2021, a TV news story reported The Oaks was struggling to stay afloat. Its last Facebook post in Oct. 2021 didn’t mention that a closure was imminent, but it apparently closed soon after.

 I hoped someone would revive The Oaks, take over the place, honor its history and let the diners enjoy its canyon setting once again. And it looks like it’s finally happening. According to the Standard-Examiner article, the Neals will focus the menu on burgers and fries at first, since that’s what The Oaks was known for. Gradually, they plan to add more complex dishes.

 Neal is already cleaning the building and working on renovations, with a goal of opening in the next few months.

  If it’s anything like other recent local restaurant openings, I’d warn fans to be patient. Eateries moving into old restaurant spaces in Ogden have taken months longer than expected to get the buildings renovated and open, with lots of requirements and inspections. I’m thinking of  Scrambled! in the former Sonic building on Washington and 12^th Street; Red Fort in the old El Matador building, Two-Bit Bistro (which just opened) in the Bigelow Hotel, and Weller’s Bistro in the former WB’s Eatery on 25th Street (which likely won’t be finished with its remodel until May).

  Hopefully, we will see you at one of The Oaks’ outdoor tables this summer. And after that, let’s hope that the other Ogden Canyon landmark — Graycliff Lodge — will also find a new owner and new life.