Part 3 of 4      1935 - 1962

In the mid 1930's, Louis and Ann Groessl were looking for a place on White Lake. Louis was born in Germany in 1886 and came to the United States as a boy. Ann was born in Chicago in 1887. Ann had a brother who lived on White Lake and Louis and Ann wanted to relocate there. Louis and Ann had operated a restaurant and bar in Edgebrook, IL. However, Ann was a very religious woman and did not like the bar business. In addition to the restaurant and bar, Louis had been a salesman for the Railway Supply Company. The depression virtually wiped out his market. When they came to White Lake 1939, they purchased Lakeside Inn from Gertrude Tallant, whose husband, Glenn, had died four years prior. For the first three years Louis and Ann would return to Chicago to work in the winter. However, they soon made Lakeside their year around home. Ann Groessl stated, “We bought Lakeside Inn, after the depression, for Mr. Groessl had been selling to the railroads and almost all railway shops were shut down, so we had no income for nearly two years. We got into the resort business here and although there was very little income for many years, we were happy and we were grateful we could meet our obligations.”

Louis and Ann began a continuing program of adding rooms, cottages and generally improving the Inn. For outside fun they added a tennis court and shuffleboard court. There were always plenty of things to do from swimming in the lake, sunning on the beach and organized activities.

Each week, Ann Groessl would arrange “talent shows” and guests, especially children, would participate, singing songs, dancing, acting in a skit, etc. The talent shows were an important part of entertainment for the guests. They were often given on Thursday nights before they departed on Saturday.
The Groessl's turned their resort into one of the finest and most modern of its time in this area. It was an American Plan resort, which meant guests' lodging, and three meals were all included in one price. The length of stay was usually from one week to a month with weeks always beginning with Saturday arrival.

Louis and Ann were fond of attributing their success to a three-point goal:

1. Sell health through good food,
2. Sell comfort through good beds and clean rooms, and
3. Sell happiness through kindliness, courtesy and consideration for guests.

Mrs. Groessl said, “Be kind to all and don't think 'How much can I make?' but 'How much can I do to make others happy?

The White Lake area had many resorts during this time. A brochure of "White Lake, Whitehall, Michigan - Michigan's Complete Vacationland" shows the variety of resorts, motels, and cottages in the area in 1944. In 1945, Leslie (Bud) Groessl and his wife, Bea, came to White Lake to go into business with his parents, Louis and Ann. Bud was born in Chicago in 1918 and the only child of Louis and Ann. Bea was born in 1917 in Saint Marie, IL and was married to Bud in Chicago in 1939. Louis and Ann worked together with Bea and Bud for many years.

In the early 1950's, Louis and Ann added a four apartment unit overlooking White Lake Golf Course and White Lake. In the off season the largest apartment served as their home. During the 1950's and 1960's, Lakeside Inn was changed to a Modified American Plan Resort, which included breakfasts, dinners (no lunches), and lodging in one weekly rate. Typically, there were two choices of an entree for dinner each night. No alcohol was served. Meals were served during a specified time, usually in an hour and half time period. Guests were called to eat with a bell that rang periodically through out the serving time. In the morning the bell would start ringing at 7:30 am and continue, sometimes rather vigorously, as the waitresses and dishwashers wanted people to come in early and not all come at the same time - at the last moment.

Chambermaids, waitresses, cooks and dishwashers stayed at the Inn all summer. The girls slept in a large room above a storage/bathroom area. The boys slept in another building. Often the staff was made up of the children of guests of past years. Frequently the staff came from "far away" places like Grand Rapids and Chicago. The staff, typically college aged, worked six days a week serving all the meals. They each had one day off.

Louis and Ann Groessl (right) worked closely with Bud and Bea. Louis and Ann retired in 1956.
	Bud and Bea (left) worked hard continually upgrading the Inn. They were ever mindful of the demands of the resorting public for better accommodations.

Bud and Bea added more rooms on the second floor of the Inn, put tile baths in some rooms, installed knotty pine paneling through out the resort, and enlarged the dining room with almost solid glass on the lake side. The windows afforded a beautiful view of the lake for guests while dining.

Todd Groessl todd@lakesideinn.net 5700 N. Scenic Dr Whitehall, MI 49461 Phone: (888) 442-3304  (231) 893-8315 Fax: (231) 893-1368