Above: Allen Campbell’s patrons will be greeted by staff wearing kilts. Here (L-R), Lance Brown, Geoff Parsons, and owner Dave Parsons stand beside some of the restaurant’s lunch and coffee time offerings. The eatery will be open 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fridays through Sundays starting April 15 and 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. seven days a week starting May 1.
In how many Cook County restaurants can you be served by three men wearing kilts and knee socks? How many places offer sandwiches with names like “Sir Thomas” and “The Willy Club” or soups with names like “Braveheart Chili” and “Hearty Celtic Stew?” How many eateries feature changing displays of artwork projected on electronic screens? How many places have owners who will sit down and explain to you the difference between the British Isles, the Commonwealth of England, the United Kingdom, and the Celtic Nations?
Probably only one – Allen Campbell’s, the new restaurant owned by Dave and Tara Parsons, located on the south side of Highway 61 at the top of the hill just west of downtown Grand Marais. Who is Allen Campbell? Allen was Dave’s mother’s maiden name, and Campbell is a family name on Tara’s side.
Dave, a native of Wales, and Tara, a native of Cook County, are launching the restaurant on the grounds of Grand Marais Gateway Lodge (formerly Tomteboda) and the Canadian Gateway Centre (yes, spelled the English way).
The largest section of the building was moved from the old Consolidated Paper property on the county’s West End and restored, with all of its wood refinished and transformed into window frames, wainscoting, and a front desk that will serve restaurant patrons, lodge guests and tourists alike. When they walk into the new building, visitors will find Hudson Bay blankets, furs, barrels, and shipping crates reminiscent of fur trading days stacked up against a wall. Giant picture windows overlook one of two decks – on the north and south sides of the building – where guests will be able to enjoy the scenery.
Several years ago, Dave Parsons started working with the province of Ontario to create a visitor’s center that would feature Fort William historical parks and other Canadian attractions. Fort William has a Celtic/Scottish theme, Parsons said, a good tie-in with his own ancestry— he has Scottish roots on his mother’s side. As an alternative to perusing racks of brochures, visitors can prompt a touch-screen to access videos on the area and will soon find computers that will take them to a website touting features around the entire perimeter of Lake Superior.
Fort William Historic Park is promoting itself all the way to the Twin Cities, Parsons said. He is hoping the visitors’ center will encourage people to stop in Grand Marais on their way to the border, giving the local economy a boost.
Parsons has big plans for the property. He would like to see it become an international trading center with a perpetual art fair and envisions assisting local residents as well as visitors plan their trips to Canada. Artisans from Fort William— in character—will conduct demonstrations from time to time.
Parsons has been introducing the project to numerous locals involved in the tourist industry by inviting them over for lunch. On Thursday, March 25 he and his kilted crew served lamb stew, chicken on puffed pastry with mashed potatoes, gravy, and peas, beef pasties, smoothies, gourmet coffees, and a fudgie dessert. “The food is fast,” Parsons said, “but we will have some creative elements.” The mashed potatoes, gravy, and peas, he said, make Welshmen like him feel at home.
The restaurant will be open 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fridays through Sundays starting April 15 and 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. seven days a week starting May 1. Parsons hopes to have a beer and wine license by May and is working with a beer-brewing friend on creating a special Allen Campbell’s brew.
The menu will not be static, with a variety of offerings from muffins and scones to salads, soups, and sandwiches to cakes, pies trifle, and “wicked chocolate.” One thing Parsons expects will please Canadian visitors will be the Thunder Bay Persian, basically a large pink-frosted doughnut. All of it, according to the menu, “guaranteed to delight.”
So what is the difference
between all those terms
named earlier? The British Isles
is the grouping of islands west
of Europe’s mainland. The
United Kingdom is the governmental
entity that includes
England, Wales, Scotland,
and Northern Ireland, which
meet together in the United
Kingdom Parliament. The
Commonwealth of England
(or the British Commonwealth)
is a consortium of nations
including the United Kingdom
and several of its former colonies
that still give tribute
to England, such as India,
Australia, New Guinea, and
Canada. The Celtic Nations
refer to the areas, such as
Scotland, Wales, and all of
Ireland, that share a common
cultural history including
the use of various Celtic languages.
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