What was beginning to be suspected has been confirmed. St. Joseph’s Lakehouse Bar and Restaurant will NOT be re-opening. The confirmation came in a social media post from owner Amy Bleich Heugel after much recent speculation about the future of the popular eatery at Lakeshore Drive and Hilltop Road.
The Lakehouse had been shut down since December, when cold temperatures caused water lines in old, poorly insulated portions of the building to freeze and break, flooding part of the Lakehouse. At the time, Heugel said it would take some time to put things back in order before re-opening. However, in recent weeks, with no further comment from ownership, social media had begun predicting the demise of the restaurant, now confirmed.
Heugel’s statement suggested the recovery and operational issues tipped the scales on a decision that was being contemplated anyway:
“Due to freezing temperatures over the holidays, the LakeHouse experienced significant water damage. We have made the difficult decision to not re-open as our family moves on from the hospitality business. We had an amazing 8 1/2 year run, and we would like to thank everyone who has supported us over the years. It has been an honor to serve each and every one of you! We also thank our many loyal employees who became part of the LakeHouse family. We contributed to many charities, teams, causes, etc in our community and we will continue that support. We are in the process of determining the next steps for this true gem of a property that is near and dear to our hearts. We are so grateful for the many years of support from all of you!”
The Lakehouse is generally thought to have one of the best restaurant locations in the region, with a stunning sunset view of Lake Michigan from a largely unobstructed bluff. Under certain conditions, the Chicago skyline can be seen—and always imagined—as customers watch the sunset with a cold drink in their hand and a tasty meal in front of them.
In recent decades, there’s always been a popular restaurant on the site, in the building sometimes referred to as ‘The Mansion’. But while they appeared successful, none of those restaurants achieved longterm success that turned them into a household name like several of their competitors offering a trademark St. Joseph Sunset View. Veteran diners will recall ‘The Mansion Grille’ at the location, followed by a Mexican-themed restaurant that appeared to thrive and then quickly faded.
The Bleich family, longtime owners of the property, then undertook major remodeling and updating (new floors, windows, new bar, etc) before unveiling ‘The Lakehouse’ around 2014.
Many challenges have been introduced into the bar and restaurant business in the past three years, amid the pandemic, changing wage and tip laws, evolving employee attitudes and record inflation. However, it’s probably fair to say that someone with a vision to establish a leading restaurant in the area has an opportunity to play out that dream rin one of the finest restaurant locations in Michigan’s Great Southwest, if they can put together a workable, bankable plan for the former Lakehouse location. Many potential customers would look forward to the Grand Opening.
By Gayle Olson, MOTM Contributor
