1. 8-B — The Daily News, Iron Mountain-Kingsford, Michigan Wednesday, October 21, 2015
BusINess
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Newspapers In Education
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Big
Holiday
ARTS, CRAFTS
& GIFT FAIR
Theresa Proudfit/Daily News Photo
PATTI WILLIS OF Pembine, Wis. has taken over the
ownership of a restaurant in Beecher, Wis. Former-
ly Mary’s Place, the restaurant is now called Pat-
ti’s Platter. The restaurant is located on U.S. 141
at the corner of Highway Z. Patti is shown here in
the restaurant that was updated in 2011 after fire
had damaged the building. There was a complete
remodel of the dining room.
New name, same great
food at Beecher restaurant
By THERESA PROUDFIT
Staff Writer
BEECHER, Wis. — Pat-
ti Willis of Pembine, Wis.
p u r c h a s e d t h e f o r m e r
Mary’s Place on Aug. 1,
from longtime owner Mary
Willis, who recently retired.
Mary’s Place has been
famous for their pies and
friendly service in down-
town Beecher for more than
20 years. Patti’s Platter, as
it has been re-named, is
located on U.S.141 at the
corner of Highway Z.
Willis plans to continue
business as usual at the
restaurant, but has extended
the menu to include break-
fast steak, onion tanglers,
steak sandwiches, deep fried
pickles and they now use a
homemade gravy recipe for
their biscuits and gravy.
“I’m ecstatic. It’s proba-
bly the best move I’ve made
in my life,” Willis said.
The diner was updated in
2011 after a fire damaged
the building. They did a
complete remodel of the
dining room, which can
accommodate up to 65 peo-
ple.
“It was updated before I
took over — everything is
up to snuff,” Willis added.
She has worked as a
waitress at Mary Place for
17 years before taking over
the business. Patti’s Platter
currently employs 14 peo-
ple.
Willis, who now bakes
the pies, said that they are
their top seller.
“We still got them great
pies, but our breakfasts are
excellent. You don’t find a
better breakfast around,” she
said.
Willis has five children
— all boys who live in
Pembine or the surrounding
areas. Her father, Pat Willis
is also an important asset at
the diner.
“He does all the mainte-
nance work here, thank God
for my Dad,”she added.
Patti’s Platter in Beecher
is open daily from 5 a.m. to
8 p.m.
Menu extended at Patti’s Platter after new owner takes over Aug. 1
Donation to ski program
Thrivent Financial Northwoods Chapter recently provided $500 to the Moving
Mountains Adaptive Program (MMAP). Thrivent Financial associate Jason
Anderson, left, and Northwoods Chapter records director, Allen Mendini,right,
presented the check to Moving Mountains Board members and co-ski school
managers, Denise and Bud DeLano. MMAP is an organization that provides
opportunity to those with disabilities to experience the adventure of downhill
skiing
Iron Range Farm Bureau
annual meeting is Oct. 27
CHANNING — Carl Bed-
barski, current President of
Michigan Farm Bureau, will
speak at the Iron Range Farm
Bureau annual meeting, to be
held Tuesday, Oct. 27, at the
Mansfield Township Hall.
Registration begins at 6
p.m. with dinner served at
6:30 p.m. Cost is $5 per per-
son and $3 for children, ages
5-10.
To make a reservation,
contact Shannon Sanders at
774-1774, or Marsha Wainio
at 542-3858.
MIGHTY DEER LICK Co. of Powers has introduced
the “Big Buck Coupon,” which provides a discount
on the purchase of deer lick blocks, which are man-
ufactured by Morton Salt.
Mighty Deer Lick Co.
introduces ‘salt’ currency
POWERS — The phrase
“a buck or a dollar” was
coined back in the 1800s
when deer hides were sold
and traded at the value of a
dollar.
In that tradition, the
Mighty Deer Lick Co. of
Powers has created a new
monetary standard — the
salt standard.
The new Tractor Sup-
ply/Mighty Deer Lick “Big
Buck Coupon” looks like
hard currency, much like the
American dollar, and its
backing is rock solid. Salt
has been used as a form of
monetary exchange since
ancient times. Roman sol-
diers were paid their wages
in salt.
“With fluctuating curren-
cy values, we are saving
people money, having fun
and helping people put that
big buck of their dreams on
the wall,” said Mighty Deer
Lick Co. spokesman Ted
Janke.
Look for the currency in
Tractor Supply stores. They
are being distributed in
Tractor Supply’s free “Out
Here” magazines.
“Be sure to save some of
your Tractor Supply Big
Buck Coupons as they are
sure to become quite valu-
able to collectors in the
future,” Janke said.
Ted and Steve Janke are
the founders of the Mighty
Deer Lick Co. and the com-
mercial deer feed industry.
They started their business
in the garage at their family
farm in Powers in 1974.
The blocks are now manu-
factured by Morton Salt, the
largest salt company in the
world and distributed by
some of the largest retailers
in the world. For best results
in attraction and antler
growth, Mighty Deer Lick
should be fed all year round.
The brothers note that
they still have hopes for a
salt manufacturing and dis-
tribution center in Escanaba
in the years ahead.