Larry Brown

1945 - 2026

Larry was a well-known and respected businessman and restaurateur who believed in the positive effects of working and making your own way. After college, he sold land investments in Tacoma. With the economic downturn in the Seattle region in the late 1960s, he returned to Spokane to become the operations manager for Goofy's, Inc, managing 11 taverns in Washington, Idaho and Oregon. After two years, he determined he would prefer to own his own business. He became a visionary in the local restaurant scene in downtown Spokane beginning in the 1970s, believing restaurants were an important foundation for strong communities. He bought a tavern, which he renamed the Fresh Air Tavern, in anticipation of the 1974 World's Fair in Spokane with its environmental focus. He later opened the St. Regis Café, bought the Union Tavern on Riverside (which he renamed and opened as the Onion Bar & Grill, and is now currently the Onion Taphouse & Grill), the Onion Bar & Grill in North Spokane, the original Italian Kitchen, and the downtown and North Spokane Frank's Diners. The Onion restaurants and Frank's Diners are now part of Landmark Restaurants, which he owned along with his two business partners. His mission for the restaurants was to exceed the guest's expectations. He also believed in empowering all employees to make decisions in order to improve the guest experience. He understood the importance of staying current with the times, and the changing preferences of the guests, which allowed the restaurants to evolve over decades. He deeply cared about the employees working in the restaurants, and he took the time to get to know them and many of their families. He was recognized for his work throughout his career. Most recently, in 2020, he was named an Icon Honoree by the "Journal of Business of Spokane and Kootenai County", for being a business pioneer and innovator, who helped shape the Inland Northwest region.

Larry believed in supporting the community and he donated to countless organizations in the Spokane area over the years. Larry and Landmark's ownership team have always matched employee donations. These donations were then gifted to organizations, such as the Spokesman Review Christmas Fund and Big Table of Spokane to support those in need. As a volunteer at Second Harvest for the Bite2Go program, he helped assemble Bite2Go bags to ensure food-insecure students had meals for the weekends and helped support the Bite2Go program at Finch Elementary. Larry was also proud of his work with the Hutton Settlement, which provides a long-term, family-style environment for kids aged 6-18 years old, in need of a safe and stable home. He first visited the Hutton Settlement in 2019 and continued to visit often up until his passing. While visiting, he and his family had dinner with the children, providing an opportunity for him to share his professional experiences. Larry would employ Hutton children at the Onion restaurants and financially supported the Hutton Settlement in many different ways.

Larry was happiest spending time at Priest Lake at the family lake home. He also enjoyed spending time with his friends, including both life-long and new. He enjoyed fishing, boating, sailing, bicycling, motorcycling, snowmobiling, cars, reading, and traveling. Larry was also a great storyteller. He often shared stories of his adventures including a motorcycle trip he took around the United States in his mid-20s, which inspired many ideas for the current restaurants. He also loved running and ran Bloomsday numerous times. He and his wife Jan spent many winters in Hawaii over the years.

He loved his family most of all. His children and grandchildren appreciated his love and mentorship. He had strong relationships with each one as individuals, as well as with his children's spouses. He was a life-long learner and believed in the importance of being self-sufficient. He made it a mission to teach his family how to fix anything themselves. He spent many hours working in the garage on projects, including motorcycles, which he taught his children and grandchildren how to repair. He was an excellent rider, and his family has many good memories of riding with him in the mountains around the lake.

He will be remembered for his big smile and warm laugh. His kindness and love were appreciated by all those who were lucky enough to know him. He will be missed by his family, friends, colleagues, and many members of the community.

He is survived by his wife of 40 years, Jan Brown, his children Nicole Stagg, Erin Spinnell, Eric Webster, and Jason Webster, along with their spouses Lyle Stagg, Bill Spinnell, Erin Webster, as well as Erin Webster's sister Eve Jones, all of whom he treated as sons and daughters. He is also survived by his grandchildren Andrew Campbell, Shawn Marie Jones, Corinne and Benjamin Webster, Zachary and Alexander Spinnell, Sawyer and Sullivan Greer, and Garnet Stagg, as well as his brothers Jim and Bob Brown and his nephews David Sayler, Chad Brown, and Brian Brown and his nephews' children. He was preceded in death by his parents Mark and Marian Brown, his sister Diane Sayler, and his grandson Nicholas Spinnell.

A memorial service to celebrate Larry's life will be held on March 7, 2026, from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm, with doors opening at 11:00 am, at the Spokane Club, 1002 West Riverside, Spokane, WA.