Today we’d like to introduce you to Mark Smolak.
Hi Mark, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Legs Inn, named for the cast-iron stove legs that trim its roofline, is one of Michigan’s most exuberant and unusual landmarks. The building, a State of Michigan Historic Site, reflects the creativity of Stanley Smolak and the craftsmanship of local Odawa (Ottawa) people. A Polish immigrant, Smolak came to the United States in 1912 and settled in Cross Village in 1921.
Smolak enlisted the help of Odawa and other area residents to construct the inn from locally gathered timber and stone. A self-trained artist, he used tree roots, limbs, and driftwood to carve fantastical creatures into the furniture and decorative objects throughout the inn. He called these carvings “nature’s oddities.”
Until his death in 1968 at the age of 81, Smolak continued his creative work at the inn, which had become a social center for the community.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Stanley Smolak had one son, Jospeh, who was also a talented artist who worked alongside his father creating sculptures for the Inn. Following Joe’s untimely death as a result of a car accident in 1953, Stanley’s legacy seemed uncertain. He ultimately reconnected with family in his native Poland, and his brother John immigrated to the United States with sons George, Alex and daughter Anna in 1963 to help continue Stanley’s dream.
Following Stanley’s death in 1968, John managed the Inn until 1972, when his son Alex took over. Alex was a larger-than-life character who expanded the kitchen and improved the lakeside cottages. Under his watch, Legs Inn became more of a lively roadhouse known for live music, late nights and memorable stories from the 1970s and early 1980s.
In 1987, George and Kathy Smolak assumed ownership and management of Legs Inn. Two years later, they secured historic site designation and, over the next three decades, expanded the property’s renowned outdoor gardens, patios, and seating areas. Today, Legs Inn is celebrated for its breathtaking views of Lake Michigan and remarkable panoramic sunsets, helping establish it as one of Northern Michigan’s most distinctive dining destinations.
Today, their sons Mark and Chris have assumed primary responsibility for the daily management and direction of this multi-generational landmark. As the next generation of family stewards, they continue to honor Stanley Smolak’s vision while preserving and strengthening the legacy of his remarkable creation.
The Smolak family is truly grateful that, more than a century after its beginnings, Legs Inn remains family-owned and operated, allowing Stanley’s dream to continue serving the community across generations.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Legs Inn is truly a unique destination, difficult to describe, located almost in the middle of nowhere, at the end of the famous scenic drive M119, Tunnel of Trees. At the end of this road, overlooking Lake Michigan, time seems to slow. The old world Polish cuisine, the breathtaking gardens and views and one man’s lifetime of dedication and craftsmanship, along with the history of Cross Village, combine to create a place that feels less like a restaurant and more like a step into another era.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
Cross Village, Michigan, is one of the oldest continuously inhabited communities in the state, with deep Odawa (Ottawa) roots. Originally known as Anamiewatigoing (“Place of the Prayer Cross”), it was part of a long-established network of Odawa villages along the northern Lake Michigan shoreline.
In the 1600s, Jesuit missionaries arrived in the area, and tradition holds that a large cross was placed on the bluff, leading to the French name La Croix (“The Cross”), which later became Cross Village. The community remained an important Odawa settlement and mission site through the 1700s and 1800s, closely connected to regional trade routes and nearby Fort Michilimackinac, shaping its enduring cultural and historical significance.
By the 19th century, Cross Village developed around fishing, lumbering, and Catholic mission life, eventually becoming one of the oldest continuously inhabited communities in Michigan. Today it is a quiet, historic village known for its Native heritage, scenic bluff overlooking Lake Michigan, its “end of the road” feel at the northern tip of the Tunnel of Trees and home to the State of Michigan Historic Landmark Legs Inn.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.legsinn.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/legsinn/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/legsinn
