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LITTLE BOHEMIA (aka Little Bo; aka Lil Bo) was built as a hot dog stand in 1932, featuring outdoor seating, a drive up window and an annual ritual of making sauerkraut in the basement. Located in the heart of “Little Bohemia” as this area of Traverse City was known, and being of Bohemian decent, the original owner named Lil Bo n honor of the Bohemian community that settled on the western perimeter of the city. Lil Bo immediately became the gathering place on Saturday nights. Today the ethnic group has scattered, but Lil Bo has stood the test of time and still maintains its original name. At the end of prohibition the building was expanded to include a tavern (ending the making of moonshine in the basement) and its popularity continued to grow into the Traverse City landmark and icon it is today.
LIL BO is blessed with fame in its own right, but basks in the glory of the late Sir Walter Hagen. The golf legend, who settled on Long Lake after he retired, spent every afternoon at Lil Bo where he would “hold court” or play a few games of bumper pool. His exploits still abound when old timers congregate within the original beautiful wood paneled walls. Mr. Hagen lovingly referred to Lil Bo as his “home away from home” and often spoke of Lil Bo in his travels. On the day that Arnold Palmer won his 1st British Open in 1961, “The Haig” congratulated him personally via a transatlantic phone call from inside Lil Bo. The phone call was the beginning of a life long friendship between the two men. When Mr. Palmer attended a memorial for Mr. Hagen in Traverse City in 1980, he made it a point to stop by to visit Mr. Hagen’s “Lil Bo home.”
TRAVERSE CITY was growing and with a 2nd expansion in 1947, so did Lil Bo. A much needed renovation took place in 2005, which included a new roof, siding, oak floor, tongue & grove pine ceiling, new Formica, 4 short bars (replaced 5 booths, 3 remain in the back room), new furniture, fresh paint, and restroom upgrades. A full gas kitchen and an expanded menu featuring made to order sandwiches, delicious pasta dishes with homemade sauces, and many other signature items, completed the renovation and brought new life to the little neighborhood family tavern. Many menu items have been featured in Traverse Magazine since 2006 and our famous signature “Lil Bo” & “Big Bo” Burger, voted “The Best Burger in Town” by locals and visitors since 1969 and in the C&VB Dining Guide 2008, also named “The Best Burger in Northern Michigan” by NM3 in 2008, is still on the menu. STORIES Seems everyone has a story about Lil Bo; this one is about the bricks at the main door. During the renovation a portion of West Front Street was dug up to install a new 2” tap into the city’s water main. Bricks baring the name, “Nelsonville Block” were discovered under the layers of asphalt and concrete. A local resident with knowledge of Traverse City’s rich history was present when the bricks were unearthed. He stated that the bricks were at least 85 years old and could be as much as 125 years old. The bricks were going to be thrown into a landfill – not! A family member had a better fate in mind for these very special bricks. She salvaged 35 of them (for 35½ years, that date, that Lil Bo had been in her family), painstakingly cleaned each one with Muriatic Acid, placed them in the new sidewalk, pressed in the letters L&B (actual wooden letters that once adorned the front of the building) into the concrete and finished it off with 2005, marking the date and securing the bricks as a permanent part of Lil Bo history.
Nelsonville Brick Company: Hocking Valley, Ohio, an area abundant in clay, shale and coal provided the perfect environment for the commercial production of brick. Nelsonville Brick Company, one of four such businesses to spring up in the Nelsonville area, was formed in 1871 and continued until 1937, finally a victim of the Depression and changing construction ideas. In 1904, the Nelsonville Brick Company won first prize at the World’s Fair in St. Louis, MO for its street-paving brick. Further distinction came with the contract to provide the Indianapolis Motor Speedway with paving bricks when the change over from a dirt surface to brick took place. Although today the bricked racing surface has been asphalted over, there still remains a 1½ foot wide strip of the original Nelsonville pavers at the finish line. To this day, the track carries the nickname, The Brickyard.” Source: Nelsonville Brick Company on the World Wide Web.
IN 1969, Eugene and Phyllis Freund purchased Lil Bo from the original owners, Frank and Corrine Kucera, making them just the 2nd owners in its history. In 2005, Eugene and Phyllis’ children Nancy A. Freund, from California, and Edward J. Freund, a local jeweler, took over the family business. Through their efforts, Lil Bo continues to add to its warm and rich history. Sadly Geno (as he was known) passed away December 7, 2006, but through his children’s efforts, Lil Bo continues to add to its warm and rich history.
PRICELESS Your patronage and pleasure are our reward. Please visit Traverse City’s only rustic gastro pub soon for excellent food - fair prices - outstanding service! After your visit, please tell others, for word of mouth is absolutely priceless! LilBo.com or Email@LilBo.com
Featuring Traverse City’s first and only 4 season mural by local artist Barbara A. Wilson
