As a longtime summer homeowner on the Gunflint Trail, I feel I have to respond to the March 19 letter to the editor regarding restaurants in the Grand Marais area. The letter paints a rather pessimistic view of the local dining scene.
I don’t see that lack of dining options. From memory and the Internet, I come up with just a rough count of over a dozen dining establishments, not counting the fast food establishments or those places west of town, along the Highway 61 corridor. The number of restaurants does not determine whether a tourist town can survive.
It could be said that the number of restaurants in Grand Marais is just about right from a business standpoint. Despite winter tourism, the population declines after the fall color season. Businesses have to be able survive that drop. Restaurants close because they are economically unsustainable.
As far as places no longer open, sometimes when one restaurant closes another takes its place as with Chez Jude and Harbor House Grill, or new maybe even larger, restaurants open. There is not necessarily a net loss.
A major factor in what type of restaurants open or who are successful, is trends. While there is still a place for supper clubs and fine dining establishments, the trend is to more casual places, but with high quality food. People are expecting more diverse menu offerings. Even bars are becoming more creative in their menus. Made from scratch food, including condiments, are becoming more the norm. Trained chefs are now working in the types of places that once hired a fry cook to sling prepared or frozen burgers on a griddle.
As a member of the “baby boom” generation, I too remember supper clubs, but memories can sometimes seem better than the realities. For the most part, the quality of food in even casual dining has gone up.
Just watching television makes me very aware that I am no longer part of the prime demographic that marketers of goods and services are trying to reach. The “millennials” are now the coveted group and their tastes greatly influence everything including restaurants.
That said, there are places in Grand Marais that still serve more traditional menu offerings. While it’s nice to look back at what used to be, we have to move forward. I welcome these changes in the Grand Marais dining scene. I don’t see the town of Grand Marais failing for lack of good supper clubs.
Nancy Wasik
Bemidji/Gunflint Trail
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