After more than 70 years, Wally and Bee's Last Stop Resort in Hubertus is closing

Cathy Kozlowicz, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
·3 min read
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Many family members of the current owners of Wally and Bee's Last Stop Resort worked at the tavern since the 1950s. Pictured (from left) are Sherry Palmer, Kathy Januchowski, Kandi Frederick, Pamela Christman, Kristy Janson and Ann Palmer.
Many family members of the current owners of Wally and Bee's Last Stop Resort worked at the tavern since the 1950s. Pictured (from left) are Sherry Palmer, Kathy Januchowski, Kandi Frederick, Pamela Christman, Kristy Janson and Ann Palmer.

As a tavern, Wally and Bee's Last Stop Resort's primary role was to serve drinks, rent out boats, serve as a boat launch and provide a quiet and beautiful picnic area. Its kitchen was not used to cook or serve food.

The tavern in Hubertus also provided a greater service, said owner Ann Palmer: To sit and listen.

Palmer said in 70-plus years, she heard so many stories, some of them even "strange," she said. "We have heard it all." She said the tavern has had so many magical moments where strangers would come to the tavern, and soon all of them would have one conversation.

David and Ann Palmer are shown by the bridal bush at Wally and Bee's in Hubertus. After 70 years, the tavern will be permanently closing.
David and Ann Palmer are shown by the bridal bush at Wally and Bee's in Hubertus. After 70 years, the tavern will be permanently closing.

After more than 70 years of owning the tavern, Palmer had a farewell weekend Aug. 26-27 for Wally and Bee's customers to say goodbye. Palmer said the business was sold earlier this summer.

At the farewell weekend, people drove from as far as Oklahoma to say thanks and wish her and her husband well, Palmer said. People have been sending cards, writing messages with chalk outside the tavern and thanking them for being a teacher, mentor and friend.

Palmer and her husband David have owned and operated the tavern since Bernadine (Bee) Radermacher, Palmer's mother, died in 2013.

Bee and her husband Walter (Wally) owned it before then, having purchased the tavern from Bee's parents, John and Anna Radermacher, in 1951.

Palmer said six generations of her family have been raised at the tavern.

"I hated to see the weekend end," she said, of the farewell weekend. "This was difficult for me."

Tavern is housed in a historic building

The historic building that houses Wally and Bee's Last Stop Resort was built on Friess Lake in 1912. According to the Richfield Historical Society, it was built using wood that was hauled down the frozen river. John and Anna Radermacher ran it as Radermacher’s Resort, which had a boat livery and little cottages. They then added a tavern.

Palmer recalls that the tavern was still in business during the Prohibition Era from 1920 to 1933, when there was a nationwide law that did not allow the production, importation, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages. She said during that time the business sold "near beer," which was allowed as there was a very small percentage of alcohol.

Wally and Bee's Last Stop Resort in Hubertus will be closing. It was a tavern for just over 70 years. This is a photo of the establishment in the 1960s.
Wally and Bee's Last Stop Resort in Hubertus will be closing. It was a tavern for just over 70 years. This is a photo of the establishment in the 1960s.

Palmer said that while the tavern was not a restaurant, it sold chips and candy, where the kids would stop in after swimming or playing outside. She said kids who went to the tavern with their parents would get a free lollipop.

The tavern was a place for people to gather, take swimming breaks or snowmobiling breaks, depending on the season, or just to socialize, said Palmer.

They were a sportsmen's bar, and they had a group of deer hunters who came every year to the tavern for over 45 years.

They sold deer hunting and fishing licenses, rented fishing boats and sponsored a Vietnam veterans ice fisheree for over 25 years.

And many of these customers came back on the final weekend to say their farewell, said Palmer.

The future of the property is uncertain

Palmer said even though they sold Wally and Bee's Last Stop Resort, she said she and her husband are still going to live on Friess Lake, by the tavern.

"I will still be there," she said. She said she looks forward to going to Friday fish fries in the area, working on her house, gardening and doing things in the community.

She said the new owners are planning to build a house on the property and keep the tavern zoned as a business.

Details on the new owners or their business plan are not yet known.

Cathy Kozlowicz can be reached at 262-361-9132 or cathy.kozlowicz@jrn.com. Follow her on Twitter at @kozlowicz_cathy.

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wally and Bee's Last Stop Resort on Friess Lake is closing