Lena Lou

There once was a restaurant just outside of the village of Ada on the east side of the Grand River, at 392 Pettis Avenue. It was a locally famous landmark that survived seven owners, two major fires, and at least six names.

The first restaurant on the site was a small sandwich shop operated by Ralph Standard. Lena and Lou McCausey bought it in the late 1920’s and remodeled it, adding living quarters to the second floor. They opened the Lena Lou in 1929. The restaurant became very well known for their food, especially the chicken dinners.

The McCauseys advertised weekly and for holidays, “Give mother a rest and bring the family out to the Lena Lou for Thanksgiving dinner” was one slogan. Of course, Showboat week was a local holiday. Showboat week deserved the Showboat special, which was the chicken dinner, the Lena Lou’s claim to fame, at a special price.

Though the McCauseys were most proud of their food, especially the chicken dinners, they saw the value in growing the reasons to bring in diners. After prohibition was repealed, they added beer and wine. Later hard liquor was added at customers’ request. They hired live orchestras, making the Lena Lou the local place to go for an evening of dinner and entertainment. In 1940 a fire destroyed the newly remodeled Lena Lou. The McCauseys rebuilt but Lena died in 1942. Lou remarried but the name stayed the same.

In 1953, Lou sold the Lena Lou to Lowell businessman Bruce McMahon. He was well known in the community and had served as a Major in the U.S. Air Force during World War II, earning a Purple Heart, the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal.

McMahon was able to continue the success of the Lena Lou. He added a dance floor and the live music on the weekends was dance music except for Sunday afternoons, when diners could relax to dinner music. McMahon brought “a new idea to small music combos.” This was “to combine two brass instruments with the organ and drums. Since the Hammond organ very closely reproduces all reed instruments, by adding the brass section it is possible to get a large orchestra sound.” This way the Lena Lou was able to play all styles of music from ballads to Dixieland, with a small team of musicians instead of a full orchestra. McMahon advertised “Make the Lena Lou one of your stops for weekend dancing and listening pleasure!”

McMahon was able to bring events and banquets to the Lena Lou. These included dinners planned by the Grand Valley Boat Club as part of their moonlight cruises that went from their club grounds in Grand Rapids on the Grand River, upriver to dinner at the Lena Lou and back. Many groups held banquets at the Lena Lou.

McMahon sold the business in 1966. In 1973, with yet another new owner, the name was changed from the Lena Lou. In 1990 Bill Holmes, owner since 1979, after another fire and repair, brought back the name Lena Lou in an attempt to recapture the past. He also added a building on the lot next door intending to add an entertainment and sports complex. The Lena Lou continued to operate until the end of 2007, when it closed for the last time.

Today the building is gone, and the site is home to office tenants and the Ada Indoor Country Club, an indoor golf facility.

Images:

The original Lena Lou

Interior during the McCausey ownership

Lou McCausey and Bruce McMahon

Margaret McMahon
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The Lena Lou