About

At the Glenwood, we work hard to make every guest’s dining experience special in some way. We have owned and operated the restaurant since 1994 and can’t imagine doing anything else. In addition to the restaurant, we now run the Glenwood Market in Manistee and offer our distinctive dressings, sauces and jams for sale online and to the public. We are fortunate to live and work in such a beautiful community. Our building and restaurant have some interesting local history and our business has benefited from the generosity and talent of our guests and staff. We are proud to continue the Glenwood legacy in Onekama and invite you to come join us for a delicious, lakeside dining experience soon!

The Owners

Michigan natives Donna Ervin and Chris Short met several years ago while employed at a restaurant. Both loved working with food and customers, and thrived under the demands and creative challenges of a bustling restaurant. Soon, they hatched a plan to buy a place of their own where they could manage as they saw fit. In 1994, they realized their shared dream and bought this historic lakeside restaurant to provide guests with outstanding food and service.

Today, much of their success can be attributed to the continued attention to detail and emphasis on personalized guest service. Donna manages the front of the house, oversees employees, prepares desserts and develops menu features. Chris manages the kitchen and food prep staff. Whether it is your greeting at the front door, the careful preparation of your entrée, the development of new recipes for the weekly features, the creation of delectable desserts, or bringing freshly harvested produce to the kitchen, you can be sure that Donna or Chris had a hand in ensuring the Glenwood experience has been prepared to the liking of each and every guest.

History

Although the Glenwood restaurant in its present state has only been around since 1994, the building itself has a rich history dating back to the early 1900s. Over the years this building has been many things — including a summer lodge, a hotel, and a restaurant. We have come across some old photos of the building, and it sure hasn’t changed much over the years! One of our customers, now in her 90s, worked here as a busser when she was 14! Preserving this history is important to us, and we have tried to keep the building as it was back in the early days. The historic charm of the restaurant coupled with the great food and friendly service is all for you at The Glenwood.

If you have any old photographs or information about this location,
we’d love to hear from you!

Rock Bass

Whether you’re at The Glenwood or the Glenwood Market, you’re bound to notice a 5 ½ foot long whimsical fish with a surface painted to look like Michigan’s state stone, the Petoskey. The Rock Bass is the unofficial Glenwood mascot, and we are often asked about the story behind this unique piece of art.

In July 2007, the Rock Bass was one of 15 colorful fish designed and donated by local artists for a charity auction to benefit the Portage Lake Watershed Forever Endowment. An endowment with the Manistee County Community Foundation, the fund was established to ensure the protection and wise use of Portage Lake and its watershed as outlined in the Portage Lake Watershed Forever Plan. In the weeks and days leading up to the auction, the fish were displayed all over the streets of Onekama. Artfully designed and cleverly named, Salmonenchanted Evening, Mojo Coho and Uncle Salmon were just a few of the others auctioned off, the fish generated quite a bit of interest and speculation. A friendly competition developed over which fish would bring the highest price at auction.

The Glenwood helped promote the auction and proudly displayed the Rock Bass and bragged to anyone who would listen that it had been painted by artist and Glenwood employee William Hattendorf. Our staff and customers couldn’t help but get attached to the Rock Bass and the day it left for the auction was bittersweet. The Glenwood catered the auction and while we were busy serving the crowd, we kept close tabs on the auction results. The Rock Bass was the last fish to be auctioned off and the grand finale bidding was intense. The final two bidders went head to head in a heated battle, and when the hammer came down, the winning bid had far exceeded the amounts of all the other fishy contestants. Rock Bass and our community made us proud that night, raising over $50,000 in total auction proceeds to support and protect our lake and watershed. We said goodbye to our beloved Rock Bass and headed home knowing the fundraiser had been a tremendous success.

So imagine our surprise when, the next morning, the Rock Bass migrated back to the Glenwood, a wonderful donation to the restaurant from the generous bidder. Whether you encounter Rock Bass at the restaurant or the market, know that it reflects the generosity and charitable contributions of the many people who care deeply about the protection of Portage Lake and the watershed that supports it. Learn more about the Portage Lake Watershed Forever Plan by going to www.onekama.info/watershed/info. Details about the work of Manistee County Community Foundation can be found at www.manisteefoundation.org.