TWO HARBORS - A fire destroyed the restaurant portion of a 50-year North Shore landmark -- the Dixie Bar, Grill and Bottle Shop -- about eight miles north of Two Harbors early Monday morning, and caused damage to the rest of the structure.
Two Harbors Fire Chief Mark Schlangen said the fire was reported at about 2:30 a.m., and the building was fully engulfed - with flames through the roof - when the Two Harbors and Silver Bay fire departments arrived on scene. The restaurant portion of the building was a complete loss; the bottle shop was still standing, but took a lot of damage from the fire.
The bar owned by the Scott Larson family has had a strong local following and been a popular stop for snowmobile riders in the winter and anglers heading north in the summer. The restaurant reportedly was named after the daughter of a previous owner.
Scott and Deanna Larson bought the business - at the time known as Dixie's Saloon and Deli - in spring 2007 from previous owners Terry Hood and Ona Heimstadt, who had owned it for 17 years.
