Apr. 26—ROCKWOOD TOWNSHIP — The new owners of a popular restaurant and bar south of Bemidji are no strangers to the place.
Mike Amble and Chris Larsen were co-workers at what was then known as the Squirrel’s Nest in the summer of 1995.
“He was the cute bartender,” Chris said.
“She was the cute server,” Mike said.
They soon started dating, finished their degrees at Bemidji State University, married three years later, had a son, and went on to pursue careers. Mike works for the state of Minnesota, and Chris has worked in child care and nutrition.
But they always thought about owning their own business, and since both were experienced in the food and beverage industry, that’s where their dreams pointed.
This week, 30 years after they met, Mike and Chris took over ownership of the former Schummer’s Backwoods Bar and Grill, which they’ve renamed Scrambie’s Trailside Tavern. It’s located four miles west of U.S. Highway 71 on Hubbard County Road 9. They purchased the business from Paul and Alicia Schummer, who had owned it for nearly 13 years.
The name “Scrambie” dates back to Mike’s days at Bemidji Junior High when he played quarterback for the football team.
“I didn’t have a very good arm,” he chuckled, “so I always ran the ball. So they called me Scramble Amble. It got shortened to Scrambie and it just stuck.”
The name “Trailside” comes from the busy Reserve Trail that runs past the business, offering opportunities for snowmobiling, four-wheeling, sled dog treks, horseback riding and hiking. Users have made the establishment a regular stop over the years.
The bar and restaurant dates back to 1948, when Paul Schummer’s father, Clarence, built it and opened Schummer’s Tavern. It burned down in 1953, but Clarence rebuilt it and kept the business alive. Since then, it has been known as Harry’s Tavern (owned by Harry Coons), The Donat Hole (owned by Sam and Shirley Donat), the Squirrel’s Nest (owned by Greg “Squirrel” Earl), the Blue Moon Saloon and Hungry Hollow Eatery (owned by Diane Blue), and Schummer’s Backwoods Bar and Grill (owned by Paul and Alicia Schummer).
“It’s one of the last little small community bars where everybody’s a neighbor and you kind of take care of each other,” Alicia Schummar said. “You work together as a community. If somebody needs something, there’s usually somebody sitting right there who says I’ll help.”
With that tradition in mind, the Ambles don’t plan to make any major changes to the business.
“The things that are on the menu have been on the menu since Squirrel had it,” said Chris, who grew up in Pequot Lakes and came to Bemidji for college. “I think people are creatures of habit, and I’ve always liked the food here.”
Mike added, “I think our main goal is to keep the fine tradition that the Schummers had the last 12-plus years and keep it going.”
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