Social media in Southwest Michigan is abuzz with news that the popular LakeHouse Restaurant will be reopening under new ownership.
The LakeHouse, at the corner of Lakeshore Drive and Hilltop Road in St. Joseph has been closed since December, 2022. A series of setbacks began with the pandemic and ended with frozen water pipes and flooding, causing the previous owners to close permanently.
Enter local hotel owner/operator Jay Patel, who had earlier purchased the neighboring Holiday Inn Express hotel. Patel has now bought the LakeHouse as well, so the two businesses will once again be united under common ownership. Retired St. Joseph attorney Don Bleich owned both enterprises in their most recent incarnation. Bleich’s daughter, Amy Bleich Heugel had operated The LakeHouse for over eight years before the shutdown.
In addition to the Holiday Inn Express, Patel and business partners own the Silver Beach Hotel downtown and the Comfort Suites hotels at Exits 23/Stevensville and Exit 29/Pipestone Road.
Patel told MoodyOnTheMarket.com that his crew has been readying the restaurant for reopening for several weeks, but declined to pinpoint a specific opening date at this time. Patel said he has engaged an experienced restaurant operator to run the LakeHouse and will announce the details in a few days. Stay tuned!
