How A Historic Minnesota Church Became A Restaurant Without Losing Its Heritage

A publicist and a farmer walk into an empty church. They sit on the dusty old pews and take a look around. What do you think, the farmer asks. We'll put the kitchen in the back and the bar in the front, the publicist answers.

Some cocktail lovers think of their favorite bar as a sanctuary they can escape to for happy hour. But patrons of a popular watering hole in Minnesota's lake country can really enjoy a cold brew in the vestiges of an old cathedral. Two business partners who worked together at a local pizza parlor stumbled upon the holy theme for 1894, their restaurant in the small town of Perham, Minnesota. When Pamela Osterfeld and Marcus Zitzow bought an out-of-use German Lutheran church in 2018, they initially planned to remodel it and open a standard spot to serve food and drinks.

But as they did the renovations, they became inundated with old photos and relics stored inside the shuttered church, which was originally built in 1894. Stashed away in the crevices of the building was history. Osterfeld and Zitzow found sermons written in German from the church's early days and there were images of weddings that took place there over the years. So with the help of family and friends, the new owners decided to incorporate as much of that rich history into the ambiance of their restaurant. They spent 14 months completing the makeover and 1894 opened its doors in May 2019.

The 125-year-old church has changed names over the years but was last known as St. Paul's before it shut down. The building was in jeopardy of being torn down but its exterior remained an iconic sight for folks in the small Minnesota town. Osterfeld and Zitzow went to great lengths over a long, 14-month renovation to restore some old luster to the hallowed grounds. (The decision to build in a church had nothing to do with legal exemptions, unlike this tequila bar during the pandemic.)

For example, the restaurant's main dining hall is in what was once the sanctuary, they transformed the old choir loft into a second floor balcony with tables, and the bar's counter is made of oak from the old pews. The church's bell tower has also been revamped to its original form and is now a private area from customers who want an intimate dining experience. But the window frames, pulpit, and wood flooring from the old church remain intact.

Items on 1894's food and drink menus even hark back to the restaurant's sanctified roots. One of the favorites is the bell-tower burger and there's a grilled cheese that you can make "heavenly" by adding chicken and bacon. During "yappy hour," you can order a Holy Lemonade –- cranberry vodka mixed with soda and lemonade. There's also a healthy supply of locally brewed craft beers and IPAs on tap. Not to mention that much of the beef on the menu at 1894 comes from Zitzow's very own farm.