The history of the building precedes 1931. Around the turn of the century, the wood frame structure was bricked over and known as the Wildfang/Staebler Block. It housed a piano dealership, farm machinery sales office, and upstairs, the post office and the Tavistock Gazette newspaper office and a photo gallery. In later years the main floor was a car showroom operated by Andrew Baechler. The restaurant lineage begins in 1931, with the opening of “Joe`s Place” under the founder Old Joe Steinman. It began as a lunch counter, tobacco shop and barber shop. In 1946, Joe`s son Clarence “Hap” Steinman, joined his father. They incorporated the bowling lanes that were located at the rear of the restaurant, where the Quehl`s banquet facilities are now located. In 1959, a partnership between Hap and Les Rogers was formed and the name was changed to “Les & Haps”. Les retired in 1972 and in 1974, Hap sold the business to his nephew Joe Steinman and the name returned to “Joe`s Place” and remained until 1981. It was then purchased by Bill Quehl (The name Quehl, is pronounced like the bird Quail). Bill had acquired, what was then, the 40 year old catering business of his grandmother, Ruby. Bill closed down the bowling alley, and used the solid oak lanes to form many of the tables used today at Quehl`s. He renovated the original dinning area of the restaurant, to what you see today. In 1987, Ruth and Steve Cahill, purchased the restaurant and neighboring buildings (formerly Weicker`s butcher shop and the Weicker House. They maintained the Quehl`s name and Steve made extensive renovations to the neighboring buildings and joined them together with the original building. This was done by inclosing the alleyway that ran between the restaurant and the Weicker butcher shop, thus making one large building with a total seating capacity of 250. A partnership was formed in 1993 with the current owners, Cindy and Brian Larsen, until the Cahill`s retired from Quehl`s in 1996. All owners have maintained the small, home town quality of Quehl`s. Each of the several dining areas of the restaurant are named according to previous owners. The “Old Joe`s Room” the “Ruby Quehl Room” the “Weicker Room” and the “Les & Hap`s Room” each are unique and offer the flavor of a bygone era. The alley way that is now the main entrance to Quehl`s, once led to the rear barns for Weickers butcher shop, back at the turn of the century. As the horse drawn wagons would round the corner to the barn, the hub of the wheels would scrape the bricks, and the grooves are visible to this day. As well as a restaurant, Quehl`s has become somewhat of a museum, with artifacts from the Tavistock area, dating back more that a century. The catering side of Quehl`s is heading into it`s 60th year, with many of the original recipes still in use. Catering events range in size from 50 people to an event Quehl`s catered for 5,500 people. Within the past 10 years, Quehl`s has served on average 150,000 meals each year. Quehl`s has become the destination for many motor coach tours, prior to and returning from, the Stratford Festival, being only 20 minutes from the Theatre. We have abundant facilities to accommodate a tour. We are an Eat Smart restaurant, Smoke Free and Allergy conscious. Quehl`s uses traditionally raised meats and organic products, supplied by local producers. All the owners have meticulously recorded the changes made to the operations over the years. The walls of the restaurant are adorned with pictures of the restaurant and other buildings of Tavistock that make for interesting comparisons of the past and present. Other reminders of past eras, particularly in the railway motif, and now models of vintage cars, make a visit to the restaurant a worthwhile experience. Your Hosts, Cindy and Brian Larsen.
