Jesperson‘s

Sept. 27, 2009

Jesperson‘s
By Kristi Kates 9/28/09

Owned and operated by the same family for a whopping 106 years, Jesperson’s Restaurant in downtown Petoskey is a Northern Michigan classic, and one that many generations of other families return to every year.
“We have four generations of some families dining with us every summer,” Jesperson’s co-owner Bill Fraser says, “our customers, in many cases, were introduced to our restaurant by their grandparents.”

FAMILY RESTAURANT
Jesperson’s bright and friendly dining room, which seats around 65 people, includes another traditional feature, one that Fraser and his crew are most proud of.
“Our dining room includes an old-fashioned lunch counter with 14 soda fountain-style stools,” he explains, “people love to sit there and watch the goings-on of an old-fashioned restaurant.” That “old-fashioned” approach lends itself to more than just the decor. Founded in 1903 by Jorgen Jesperson, who arrived in Grand Rapids from Denmark to work for the railroad, and eventually made his way to Petoskey, Jesperson’s was taken over by Jorgen’s son, Robert Jesperson, who followed his father into the business and operated it until his retirement in 1969, when his daughter Bobbe took over. She was soon joined by Bill Fraser “in life and in business,” as he puts it, and they continue the operation together to this day.
“Our restaurant has evolved as a truly family restaurant,” Fraser says. “We treat our customers and our employees like family. Over the years, it has not been unusual for an employee to join us for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. We only serve the best food we can buy, cooked like your grandmother cooked it at her home; this way of doing business has become our lifestyle.”
FAMOUS HOMEMADE FOODS
Fraser says that Jesperson’s specialty really is homemade food – and that the term is not simply a cliché. “We make everything from scratch,” he emphasizes. “We serve a menu of soups, salad and sandwich type food that we make fresh from scratch every day. We roast the turkey breasts, make all our sandwich spreads, and make all our soups from scratch. One of our most unusual menu items is the Swiss Dill Sandwich, a sandwich spread made from grated Swiss cheese, chopped dill pickle and mayo, served grilled on Pumpernickel bread; this sandwich has a cult following and is a big seller.”
Jesperson’s is also pretty famous in Petoskey and beyond for their homemade pies, which have won many awards and have been featured in publications from the Detroit Free Press and the Detroit News to the Chicago Tribune, Midwest Living, and the Los Angeles Times. Even Ernest Hemingway was a fan.
“Hemingway was a regular when he lived at Walloon Lake as a young man,” says Fraser, “and during the days of the MRA (Moral Re-Armament) on Mackinac Island, we were visited by many high-ranking officials from foreign countries; we’ve enjoyed the patronage of many corporate and political leaders, famous artists, musicians, and actors.”
Fraser won’t spill the beans on exactly who, though, as part of Jesperson’s appeal is respecting the famous folks’ privacy and allowing them to enjoy their old-fashioned meal in peace and quiet. But as far as local folk are concerned - the pies are waiting.


Jesperson’s Restaurant is located at
312 Howard Street in downtown Petoskey and will remain open through the Christmas holidays. They will close after New Year’s and reopen around May 1. Telephone
231-347-3601.