Burned Down Papa Charlie’s At Lutsen Mountains Begins Rebuild

LUSTEN, Minn.– More than a year after fire gutted a beloved restaurant and bar at Lutsen Mountains, construction to rebuild is about to begin.

It was the morning of June 24, 2023, when those massive flames took over Papa Charlie’s.

Rendering of new Papa Charlie’s

Nobody was injured, but the building was deemed a complete loss.  While the lot where Papa Charlie’s once stood is just a pile of dirt right now, crews are expected to get to work and start building next week.

“This restaurant was a major community staple. And without it, you can definitely feel the absence. And we’re really excited to bring that back. Papa Charlies, we’re extremely excited about. Construction actually starts on Monday for the new building. Fingers crossed we’ll be open by June. By then we should have a fully functioning restaurant,” said Zak Trimble, Chief Operations Officer at Lutsen Mountains.

Lutsen Mountains has been around since the 1880s. It’s the largest ski area in the Midwest with 95 runs spread over 1,000 acres overlooking Lake Superior.