In 1998, Bob Koelfgen and brother Frank bought the building that is now Beckhams’s Bar & Bistro and Snacks on Mille Lacs at street level, with upper level apartments in the building located in downtown Isle at 230 West Main Street. Over the years, the brothers had vacationed in the Isle area and decided to buy what was then an historic building that was condemned.
For 20 years, Bob had a successful Twin Cities business called Metro Handyman, doing HUD rehabs and remodeling of mostly commercial properties. He sold that business. He and brother Frank bought the 230 Main building, and also together own Molly’s Café & Silver Lake Motel in Silver Lake, MN.
17 years ago, after the first redesign and remodel of the apartments and coffee shop at 230 Main, Bob wanted to go to the next level. He updated all the apartments again, adding windows, remodeling kitchens and upgrading flooring etc. He also wanted to serve the local folks in the south Mille Lacs area, and open a quality bar/restaurant in downtown Isle. It was long in the making, but Beckham’s opened their doors in spring of 2016.
With his many years of experience restoring and updating properties, The 230 Main building was a work in progress of updating the structure and meeting codes, while at the same time maintaining the historic integrity of the building. Anyone who steps inside Beckham’s can see the effort was a resounding success.
The management and marketing behind Beckham’s immediate success and appeal has been to give people what they want while offering fantastic food at reasonable prices. New Specials are introduced regularly. The ones that are most popular are then added to the menu as regular features. The menu has 30 regular selections now, many of which are “Signature” creations. But the menu is ever changing, which adds to the fun of going to this great little eatery. For breakfast, try the “Paul Bunyan” or try the “Bob Burger” that stands 6 inches tall. There are also other features like wraps, ribs, sandwiches and more. The bar is full service with many unique beers and other drinks.
Bob humbly attributes his success to having talented and trustworthy staff to help run Beckham’s and Snacks. “I could not do this without my great staff” he proudly says.
Hours vary, but usually are 10am to 10pm Monday through Thursday, 10am-11pm Friday and Saturday, closed Sundays. Stop in today for a taste of Big City cuisine in a classy but comfortable Small Town atmosphere.
Note: Beckham’s is named after Bob’s grandson by the same name.
