The good old Bungalow Inn, brightened the corner of Bass Lake Road and Highway Fifty-Two for over 40 years. Elmer C. Hartig was running a gas station when he took over a small neighborhood bar at 6221 56th Avenue North. He grew the bushiness and expanded into a popular restaurant and lounge. In the 1960’s the Bungalow added the first electric heated motel in the Twin City area. The two story sign featuring a blue flashing lightning bolt became a landmark.
The “Total Electric” Bungalow was not just popular for wedding receptions, anniversaries, Easter dinners and family reunions, it was a place to be and be seen. People who never ate out brought out-of-town guests to the Bungalow. Local television personality, Mel Jazz ate there on a regular basis. Live music at the Bungalow was limited to an organ and piano bar but, Johnny Holm’s Traveling Fun Show often rented rooms and ate at the Bungalow Inn.
Before the motel was razed in 1984, Hartig told Jack Tubert it would cost over two million dollars to duplicate, but the atmosphere and the Bungalow’s memories were priceless. Souvenir hunters had a field day before the buildings were all torn down. Hartig’s grandson claimed the giant door knob that led into the Bungalow. He told his grandfather, “Think of the tens of thousands of hands that touched that doorknob, people who touched your life.” Lets hope they remembered to wash their hands.
Just One Mile North of Robbinsdale!