The Castle On-The-Lake Part 2

Here's another phone book ad for the Castle On-The-Lake, this time from 1953.

I'm kind of surprised that the place is referred to as a 'supper club' in the ad. (If you've never heard that expression before, then click here. But be sure to come back!)

I mentioned that I had my wedding rehearsal dinner at the Castle, back in 1989. It wasn't very long after that (within a year or so) that the place closed. (I guess it's a good thing I got married when I did.)

But that wasn't the end of the Castle's story. It was just the end of the Castle's carefully maintained image. From then on, when you drove by the place, you were never sure what you were going to see.

Around 1991, the placed reopened as Tequila Charlie's. Two years later it was (believe it or not) the Sugar Castle Amish Buffet. Then it was the Castle Feast.

Around 2000, it was closed again.

Shortly after it closed, it reopened as Castillo Grande. Finally, it seemed like a formula for success. And it was, until it closed in March of 2009. Then it became El Arriero.

I wish the owner of El Arriero a lot of luck in this latest venture. While I hate to see 'old Lorain' fading away, I'm glad that the building is still being used as a restaurant, and is still creating good times and memories.

Next: Then and Now Photos