MOSES LAKE – Mike Hamilton has a long history of owning restaurants in Moses Lake. He’ll hit 50 years of business in Moses Lake in October. With the help of his wife Krista and his son Jordan, he's created a legacy with Michael’s on the Lake, Michael’s Market and Bistro and Rock Top Burgers & Brew. 

“I've always known I wanted to own a business,” Mike said.  

Mike purchased his first restaurant in 1975 at the age of 18 when he was given the opportunity to purchase Chet’s Drive-In which is now occupied by Jack in the Box in Moses Lake. He had been working there through high school and the owner, Chet Payne, decided he wanted to open another restaurant in town and offered to let Mike buy it. 

Chet’s Drive-In was a car hop concept where customers would park and an employee would come out to take the order and bring it back to the car. He would run the operations at that restaurant for about three years before buying the A&W restaurant in from Joy Carnovale, where El Rodeo is today. 

When Mount St. Helens erupted in 1980, Mike invited those who were stuck in Moses Lake to eat at the restaurant and allowed them to stay around the building for shelter. That same year, the restaurant earned the award for being the #1 A&W restaurant, said Jordan. 

“I think it was about ’77-’78 he bought A&W and then he operated that until probably ’83-’84 when he dropped the franchise,” he said.  

Mike kept the property and rebranded it to Paddy Wacker’s Burgers and Brew. 

Barney Googles was located where Moore Brewing is today and was another restaurant Mike opened in 1986 while running Paddy Whackers. There he went into partnership with Joy and ran the restaurant for about seven years, said Krista.  

“Then the opportunity to buy (the Michael’s on the Lake building) came up and he and Joy went their separate ways,” she said. 

In 1991, Mike purchased Michael’s building, which initially opened as a nightclub. Half the building was a dance club with a DJ and bar that hosted special events. 

By 2006, the Hamiltons made the decision to close the nightclub for a variety of reasons.  

“It was just too much work, we were down here until midnight and (Jordan) was here until after two or three in the morning,” Mike said. 

A family discussion led to a rebrand and new layout that’s known today, Jordan said. 

Michael’s on the Lake became a more comfortable dining experience. Keeping to the original roots, the restaurant still holds live performances for special occasions. 

“It’s really toned down compared to a full-on band and DJ,” said Mike. 

With the success of Michael’s over the years, the Hamiltons turned to starting their next business. The Lucky Break Cafe had gone out of business and the building was up for sale. The family decided to purchase the building in an attempt to keep the spirit of the cafe in the community. The building was gutted by the time they got to it and had to be completely remodeled.  

The family wasn’t sure what to do with it at first, but after about two years, inspiration struck. 

The idea for Michael’s Market and Bistro came after a trip to Seattle, when Mike and Krista decided they wanted to bring a Pike’s Street feel back to Moses Lake. On July 17, 2009, the Hamiltons officially opened the bistro.  

“We wanted to bring that small market (feel) over into this area because it was something we loved over there,” said Krista. 

It took a bit for the bistro to gain momentum.  

“It was rough the first two years,” said Jordan. “But we stuck through.” 

In the beginning, the Bistro featured produce carts and fresh flowers, which didn't catch on and were one of the first things to be modified out, said Krista. They focused on creating a menu to give the restaurant its own personality, distinct from Michael’s on the Lake. 

“You learn in this business to modify and listen to your clientele and work within what your goal was and what gets accepted,” said Krista. “It was good for Moses Lake in the end.” 

The family was given another restaurant opportunity when the Moses Lake Golden Corral shut down and they bought the building in 2012, said Jordan. By April of 2013, the Hamiltons had opened Rock Top Burgers and Brew. 

Unlike the Bistro, Rock Top took off immediately. 

“In the beginning, that was a little more than what we were ready for,” Jordan said. “We were struggling to keep up. There were 60 days of 14 hours a day, no days off. 

Today, each of the restaurants has become a community staple. Mike said creating a distinct feel for each restaurant has been important. In doing that, each restaurant has garnered a unique crowd. 

“They’re not overlapping each other,” he said. “You’re not reinventing the wheel down the road a little way. They all have their own niche.” 

Supporting the community has been the cornerstone of the Hamiltons’ success. Over the years, the family has been most notably involved in donations to school programs and to the Boys and Girls Clubs. They’re also known for catering a variety of nonprofit events to support local causes. 

Jordan said his father has taught him that it is equally important for them to give back to the community as it is to have customers coming in.  

“I think that’s why we give as much as we can and we’re always donating into organizations, we’re always involved in organizations and we give a lot back to the community,” said Jordan. “I think that’s why we’ve been so blessed in this community.” 

“We’re nothing without the community we’re a part of,” said Krista. 

The Hamiltons said the pandemic was one of the biggest examples of community support, as customers still came to order food. That and other efforts helped the restaurants remain stable throughout the COVID-19 strain.  

Mike and Krista said they will pass the businesses to Jordan as they plan on going fully into retirement.  

“Every project we’ve been doing, he's been right in the middle,” said Mike. 

While the restaurants will experience some subtle changes over the years, such as renovations, Jordan said things will mostly remain the same. He does have plans on creating new businesses around town with some of the properties that are currently available but has not decided yet exactly what they will be used for. 

“We’re still moving and doing stuff, trying to stay relevant,” said Jordan. “I’m not going anywhere, just keep going and keep making it better like they always have.” 

    Michael’s on the Lake was purchased by Mike Hamilton in 1991 and started as a nightclub scene. In 2006, the Hamiltons decided to transition the building into the restaurant of today.
  

    Michael’s Market and Bistro was opened in 2009 as the sixth business owned and operated by Mike Hamilton over the years. The building was formerly the Lucky Break Cafe.
  

    Rock Top Burgers and Brew was the seventh business owned by Mike Hamilton over the years. The building was purchased in 2012 after operating formerly as a Golden Corral.