Airport Restaurant
SkyHaven Restaurant
Sky Club Inn
Plane View Restaurant
Skyline Restaurant 

130 Barklow Road
Minford, OH 45653

Original Owner:  Don Aeh
Year started:  September 1960
Year ended:  December 22, 1962

The restaurant has changed named many times throughout its history.  It originally opened as Airport Restaurant.  The name was later changed to:  SkyHaven Restaurant, Stanley's Airport Restaurant, and Skyline Restaurant.

The Portsmouth Times, June 9, 1962 - AIRPORT RESTAURANT FACES DILEMMA

A little known food oasis in Scioto County's rural countryside apparently faces a dilemma come September.

That's the month when the Civil Aeronautics Board decides whether the county really needs the services of the subsidized Lake Central Airlines.

Don Aeh, owner of the airport restaurant indicated that he may close the restaurant if the airline leaves.

The restaurant that Don operates has been used as the showplace of Ohio's Division of Services for the Blind.  The immaculately clean eatery has equipment costing more than $10,000 when installed in 1960.

Pilot and avaiation enthusiasts who eat there have commented that the food is the best and at a reasonable cost.  Yet Don says that if his air-conditioned restaurant wasn't set up under state aid, a private operator would have gone out of business long ago.

"I have yet to see 25 customers in a single day," Don commented.  He added that most of his business comes from pilots and passengers in company planes and from private pilots and personnel at the airport.

He said that the three Lake Central agents provide his most steady source of business.   Don indicated the approximately $100 a month brought in from this source would be sorely missed if the airline leaves.

Other welcomed sources of income for the restaurant come when Don sets up banquet type facilities for clubs and business associations.

Thursdays and Sundays are the busiest days, with Saturdays being surprisingly slow.  One Thursday alone some 14 planes sat on the field at one time.  As a result, the restaurant closes on Saturdays and remains open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. the other six days.

Don feels one of the main reasons that has isolated his restaurant is the wrong telephone number being printed in the directory for the third consecutive year for Scioto County Aviation, Inc.

Ray Looft, operator of the flying service, said that three years ago he was given the number Spruce 9-2716.  However, under the listing in the yellow pages, the number was incorrectly printed as Spruce 9-2719.

So for 1961 as a correction measure the flying service was given the Spruce 9-2719 number that apparently someone caught the original error and last year's airport  number was in correctly listed as Spruce 9-2716.  Looft thought that this year the problem was fixed since he kept the Spruce 9-2719 number.  But alas, the number was again incorrectly printed as Spruce 9-2716 in the 1962 directory.

The Portsmouth Times - November 17, 1962

The proposed closing of the airport restaurant was postponed at least for a week in a last-measure move Friday by county commissioners.

The commissioners requested a week's delay from the state's division of services for the blind in order to consider the feasibility of partially subsidizing the restaurant.

The state has been seriously considering removing the fully-equipped restaurant because of a lack of patrons.

Removal of the restaurant from the relatively new airport administrative building would have Lake Central Airlines office, the sole permanent occupant of the $200,000 structure.

Until Friday's action, Don Aeh operator of the restaurant was considering closing the restaurant next Wednesday.

The Portsmouth Times, March 16, 1963 - COUNTY TOLD STATE CAN'T OPEN DINER

Scioto County Commissioners today received and filed a letter from the Ohio Department of Public Welfare concerning state-owned restaurant equipment at the county airport.

The airport restaurant has been closed since December 22 when the department's division of services for the blink removed its personnel from the restaurant because of operational costs.

The division since has been trying to find another operator for the restaurant.

In the letter, W. P. Gregg, coordinator of the division, said attempts are being made to transfer the operation of the restaurant to the Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation, but the rehabilitation bureau hasn't been able to find an operator for the restaurant.

Gregg said his division is considering moving the restaurant from the airport unless the division can be reimbursed for the equipment.

The commissioners are expected to arrange a meeting on the matter with Gregg at a later date.

Sky Haven Restaurant
 

Sky Haven Owners:  Linville Adams & _____ Sergent
Year Started:  September 1963
Year Ended:  March 1969

The Portsmouth Times, August 10, 1963

Commissioners leased the restaurant area of the Scioto County Airport Administration building to Linville Adams of Route 6.  Adams informed the board he will invest $10,000 in equipment and will have the restaurant open for the Air Fair on September 8.

The contract calls for rental of $10 a month for the first two years and $50 a month for the next three years.  The renter has the option to extend the lease for five years at $50 a month.

The Portsmouth Times, September 7, 1963: 

The Portsmouth Times, March 20, 1969
NOTICE - Linvel Adams has sold Sky Haven Restaurant and will not be responsible for any debts after March 17, 1969.  The restaurant will be open under new management. 

Sky Haven Restaurant 

Owner:  Lanny & Sue Pruchnicki
Year Started:  March 1969
Year Ended:  August 1970

The Portsmouth Times, March 5, 1969
Lanny Pruchnicki is the new manager of Scioto County Aviation Company located at the Scioto County Airport.  Pruchnicki is a pilot.  Mrs. Pruchnicki is office manager of the company.  James Wilder resigned as manager.

Airport services were reduced in August 1970 and Lanny Pruchnicki was released from his employment.

Sky Club Inn

Owners:  Bernard & Dollie Sexton
Year started:  circa 1971
Year ended:   circa 1973

The Portsmouth Times, August 17, 1971 
RESTAURANT OPENS AT COUNTY AIRPORT 

The restaurant at Greater Portsmouth Airport is now being operated as the Sky Club Inn.
Portsmouth Airmotive Company, operator of the airport, opened the restaurant last week.  The facility will be open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week, David Vornholt said today. 

The Portsmouth Times, 1972

Go to the church of your choice, then come to the Portsmouth Airport Restaurant for dinner.  Dollie and Bernard Sexton, owners. 

The Portsmouth Times, October 23, 1972 - AIRPORT IS VANDALIZED BY THIEVES

Thieves stole several hundred dollars worth of fodd and caused extensive damage at the Greater Portsmouth Regional Airport during the weekend.

Sheriff's deputies said the thieves gained entry to the building through a window in the flight control room.

Entrance to the airport restaurant was gained by breaking two large glass doors.  Food valued at $460 was taken from the restaurant, which is operated by Bernard and Dollie Sexton.

Food was strewn about the restaurant, a new color television set was taken, a bulletin board torn from the wall and fronts torn from coin-operated machines.

The floor was strewn with pies, apple sauce, noodles and steaks.

An air conditioner was stolen from the flight control room where filing cabinets were ransacked and books and papers scattered about the room.

The radio in the flight control room, a wind gauge and an antenna were also damaged.

The break in was discovered at 8 a.m. Sunday. 

Owner:  Mrs. Troy Stanley
Year started:  1974
Year ended:  circa 1975

The Portsmouth Times - March 30, 1974
PORT IMPROVES FACILITIES - (partial article)
The restaurant at the port leased by Mrs. Troy Stanley of South Webster is open during the day seven days a week.

 Sky Haven Restaurant

Owners:  Lorraine Lewis & Juanita Ratliff
Year started:  1976
Year ended: 

The Portsmouth Times, April 5, 1976 - AIRPORT TO REOPEN RESTAURANT

The restaurant facilities at Greater Portsmouth Regional Airport here are to reopen April 14, Harvey Lecollier, Jr., airport manager said.

Hours of operation are to be from 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. initially and breakfast, lunch and dinner are to be served.  Carry out orders and aircraft catering are to be offered.

Lorraine Lewis is to manage restaurant operations and she will be assisted by Juanita Ratliff, both are Minford residents.

Lecollier said these two women have years of experience in all phases of restaurant operations and have the ability to provide good service.

He added an operating restaurant at the airport is an asset to the community and an attraction for both business and pleasure air travelers.

Restaurant operations have been discontinued for the last several months.  No name has been selected yet for the restaurant, he said. 

Owner:  Mike Sparks
Year started:  1988
Year ended:

Skyline Restaurant

Owner:  Tammy Culp Blackburn
Year started:  1999
Year ended:  

The Portsmouth Daily Times
September 11, 2020
LOCAL RESTAURANT ORDERED TO COMPLY WITH MASK ORDER
Click here to read article.