The history of the Roslyn Café is inextricably linked to the history of the town of Roslyn - once the largest town east of the Cascades, bustling with over 4,000 inhabitants. Originally inhabited by Yakama First Nations people, when a deep seam of coal was discovered in the early 1880’s, Roslyn became a company town of the Northern Pacific Coal Company under the auspices of the Northern Pacific Railroad Company. The mines attracted a unique, multicultural workforce from places like Slovenia, Italy, Croatia, Lithuania and Poland.

The origins of the Roslyn Café began in 1888 when the Owens Family, who still operate Owens Meats in Cle Elum, moved their business into the building after a fire destroyed much of downtown Roslyn earlier that summer. The building was designed by an Italian architect, with its ochre colored sandstone being quarried locally.

For a great many years, the building was owned by a gentleman named Frank Musso. Frank sold the building and the land around it to Mary Andler, whose ‘freezer shop’ was in business during the 1960’s and 1970’s, selling ice-cream, hamburgers and sundries. Mary also founded the Roslyn Museum that adjoins the Café.

The present day Roslyn Café was opened in 1978 by local resident Kim McJury as a bohemian café and local gathering place. Kim's easy-going nature led to the creation of the mural that adorns the side of the building, made famous by the TV show Northern Exposure.

Today the Roslyn Café is owned by Bret and Theresa Alexander who completely restored the Café in the spring of 2004. Click here to read more about Bret and Theresa. The Café has also maintained its ties to the past, with Kim McJury’s niece Andrea now working as head of the Café’s wait staff.