Here is the history of The Lorelei Inn to the best of my knowledge. I talked to P.J. Lawler, whose parents owned the grocery store around 1925 which was located where our far parking lot is now. He told me that the building originally was a bar called Bob's Allouez Tavern, starting around 1930. Where the near parking lot is now was the gravestone business that is now across the street.

Around 1952/53 a German gentleman named Tom Eschelweck took over the bar and turned it into The Lorelei Inn. Sally Kubiak, Tom's daughter, informed me the bar was originally on the left side of the room as you enter. A few years later he moved the bar to the right side where it is now. The bar still has the same old coolers and bar rail. Only the bar top was updated along with the inner workings of the coolers. At this time, Tom also added the dining room to the south. I assume the gravestone place moved and he had the opportunity to expand. Tom was proud of his German heritage and featured German cuisine and beers. Tom continued coming in as a customer all the way up to the time of his passing. I always enjoyed waiting on Tom and his gal Hazel. He was always dressed to the nines and taught me a German saying to tell to the ladies. There is a poem/ode to Tom hanging in the dining room with the sub title "The Little Fella!" It is a great read. Tom truly had a vision, and I am thankful he solidified The Lorelei as a Green Bay landmark.

In 1970 Tom's son Dave took over and ran the restaurant until 1980 when he sold it to the Kubiak family which I spoke of earlier. Jim, Sally and their son Mark ran it until August 16, 1983. Both families continued what their father started and changed little to the best of my knowledge.

My parent's, Len and Marilyn Hack, took over on August 17th, 1983. My father was from Chicago and was a die hard Bears fan. Some of his Bears collectibles are still in the bar. I was 13 years old when my parent's bought Lorelei. I started helping out cleaning on Saturdays, then dishwashing a couple years later, onto to bussing tables, and finally bartending when I was twenty. Thirty one years later I'm still mixing drinks and pouring beer. My sister Lynne Stahl and I took over in 2000, and a few years later her daughter, my niece, Meagan Colombo came on board as a third generation co-owner!

The Lorelei has remained largely the same, and we still use Tom's recipes for the German features. Along with supper club type cuisine including steaks, some seafood, and of course Friday Fish Fry. German beer has been on tap here back to the Eschelweck days. The Lorelei was one of the original places to serve imported beers. Today we still do, and have expanded our taps to also support the craft beer scene. And don't forget about our Guinness on tap. As fine of a pint you will find this side of the pond. Did I mention our Old Fashioneds?

Some of our regular customers have been coming here for 50/60 years. The Lorelei is truly a "neighboorhood place" and as our mother used to say, "A place where old and new friends meet!"

Prost,
Dave Hack