As one chapter closes for Lake Leelanau’s old Thunderbird Gift Shop building, another begins.

Just one day after Northern Latitudes Distillery vacated the space at 112 East Philip Street, local food and beverage veteran Tony West shared plans on Facebook to convert the building into a full-service restaurant, retail shop, catering enterprise, and community center. Locals Lake Leelanau is tentatively slated to open its doors May 1. The Leelanau Ticker has the scoop, along with other retail and restaurant news from throughout the county.

Locals Lake Leelanau

As the Leelanau Ticker reported last month, Northern Latitudes is moving into its new 12,000-square-foot tasting room and production facility in Lake Leelanau. The new space is still under construction and won’t open until spring, but the distillery’s lease on the Thunderbird building ended last Friday, January 31.

West has wasted no time in getting work started to turn the building into Locals Lake Leelanau.

“[Northern Latitudes owners] Mark and Mandy Moseler’s last day was Friday, we got in on Saturday and made the announcement, and I’m in the building as we speak, ready to pour my heart and soul into this new adventure,” West says.

The main event at Locals will be a full-service restaurant, which will serve “upscale pub-style food” with a local focus. West (pictured right), a 20-plus-year restaurant man who most recently served as director of food and beverage at the Leland Lodge, says he’s in the process of formulating the menu.

“On top of tearing out flooring, sanding, and pounding nails, the menu is the thing that is constantly in my mind right now,” West tells the Leelanau Ticker, noting that his goal is to come up with a menu that “complements” existing Lake Leelanau offerings like Dick’s Pour House, Nittolo’s, and Fiddleheads. “My thought is that we're going to really stay away from fried food and focus more on great sandwiches, wraps, salads, and appetizers.”

West says his big goal is to have some sort of local story or tie-in for every dish. One example: a Polish-themed sandwich in a nod to the Cedar Polka Fest. Other menu items might be inspired by specific Leelanau destinations or built around locally-sourced products. Once complete, West says the menu should be able to tell a travelogue-like story of Leelanau County and what makes it unique.

He plans to work with the Leelanau Historical Society to source décor, photos, and historical anecdotes that he can incorporate into the interior design or the menu itself. “So, you’ll have that polka sandwich on the menu, there will be a little blurb about Cedar, and then a photo of Cedar back from in the day when there wasn’t a single tree in the town,” he explains.

West also plans to offer a “Locals to the lake to-go menu,” where boaters can pull up to the docks at the Narrows and get food delivered directly to their boats. The business will also include a retail component, which will carry Locals merch and goods from area farms, makers, and artisans.

West is undertaking “a complete interior and exterior remodel” of the building to get it ready for the target springtime opening date. 

“I am taking over the entire property, which includes not just the Northern Latitudes space, but also Hannah’s Bakery next door,” West says. “A lot of great businesses have occupied part of this building over the years – from Trish’s Dishes to Lylah’s – but this is going to be the first time where the original Thunderbird store has been converted into a full-gamut retail/restaurant. I’m super excited for people to see that take shape.”

In other Leelanau news…

>With Locals Lake Leelanau taking over the entire Thunderbird building, Hannah’s Bakery has announced plans to close permanently. “This is our last week,” the business shared via Instagram on Saturday. “We will miss you all very much!!!! Please enjoy a cookie or cupcake for half price.”

>The Leland Lodge has also announced a “new culinary chapter.” John Sisson is now helming the Leland Lodge's food and beverage program. Sisson is best known in Leelanau as the former owner of the Leelanau Country Inn (now the Little Traverse Inn), which he operated with his wife Linda for 21 years. Linda has also come aboard at the Leland Lodge, contributing “homemade desserts and other treats” to the menu. Christian Doran is continuing on as head chef.

>Leland Harbor House has announced its annual clearance sale for February 21-23.

>Multiple Leelanau businesses have announced special Valentine’s Day offerings, including multi-course wine dinners at Leelanau wineries like Black Star and Shady Lane, a four-course Valentine’s Day dinner at Fiddleheads, a "Valentines at Home" dinner package for two from Gilchrist Farm Winery, and a Polynesian “Luau of Love” show at Leelanau Sands Casino.

>Nittolo’s in Lake Leelanau is hosting its own “restaurant week” to coincide with Traverse City Restaurant Week (TCRW). Where TCRW only runs from February 23 to March 1, the Nittolo’s version will last for more than two weeks, from Valentine’s Day to March 2. 

>Leelanau Cheese has shared a "save the date" for its 30th anniversary celebration, scheduled for March 1. According to a Facebook post, the celebration will involve "awesome sales in-store AND online, giveaways, epic prizes, classes, tastings and so much more."