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For almost 50 years, one of the few locations where patrons could visit a history museum of Suttons Bay was Eddie’s Village Inn restaurant. Owned and managed by two generations of the Rothgarber Family from 1956 until 2004, this beloved eatery served as the central hub for local news, gossip, family and friend gatherings, and tourists looking for a delicious, home-cooked meal while enjoying Suttons Bay history laid out on the walls throughout the restaurant and behind the bar.

“Every time I walked into Eddie’s Village Inn restaurant in Suttons Bay (currently the V.I. Grill), the black and white vintage photos on the walls created a time capsule effect,” writes Rebecca Carlson in part 11 of our Leelanau farming families series. “Eddie and Mary Lou (Walter) Rothgarber carefully curated this amazing collection that they shared with every guest who walked into their restaurant. As the tapestry of pictures narrated the story of Suttons Bay and the surrounding area, the restaurant served as a semi-historical museum.”