Wolffy’s Hamburger restaurant at 1229 N. Hamilton, near Gonzaga University, served its last hamburger on the night of Jan. 16.

Largely a COVID-19 casualty, the restaurant closed due to the continued statewide restrictions imposed in the continued attempt to slow the spread of the virus, claims owner Justin Davis.

Davis also owns and operates Wolffy’s Breakfast, Burgers & Brew, at 12807 W. 14th, in Airway Heights.

“The Airway Heights location was keeping the Hamilton restaurant afloat,” Davis says. “We just couldn’t go on any longer.”

The restaurant only had bar stool-type seating with room for 17 patrons, further hindering the Hamilton restaurant’s operations under pandemic-related restrictions.

“Bar stool seating has been deemed more dangerous than tables with regard to the spread,” Davis says. “The only business there was at the drive-thru.”

Davis’ father and grandfather co-founded the original Wolffy’s Rockin’ ’50s hamburger restaurant at the northeast corner of Monroe Street and Francis Avenue in 1988. The family sold that site to Safeway Stores Inc., which constructed a gas station there in 1996.

The family also had operated a Wolffy’s hamburger restaurant in Spokane Valley, and Wolffy’s Old West Steakhouse, on the North Side, both of which were sold more than 14 years ago.

Davis’ father, Bob, continued to run the Hamilton Street restaurant after the Airway Heights restaurant opened in early 2017.

But late last year, Bob Davis took on a more active role caring for his mother, which resulted in Justin Davis having to add staff to the already struggling Hamilton restaurant.

“Ultimately, it just wasn’t worth it to try to keep it going,” he says.

As word spread about the restaurant’s pending closure, Justin Davis received a call from a Seattle resident who frequently does business in Spokane. He had one last request.

“He wanted to eat the last burger the restaurant ever served, pre-paid for it ... even drove over,” Davis says.

Finally, as food supplies dwindled to the last burger patty that night, Davis called the man and told him it was ready.

“It didn’t seem right to put it in a bag and give it to him through a drive-thru window,” he says.

In more ceremonious fashion, Davis allowed the man into the restaurant to eat his meal hot and on a plate.

“I figured, what are they going to do, shut us down?” he says.