Axels River Grille in Mendota

The Parker House opened as a bar and gambling hall in the late-1930s. The original owners, Willard “Buck” Parker and his wife, Alice, ran the establishment in a building on the main street of Mendota, Minnesota, that was once a Buick dealership. 

This strategic location on the main drag made it easily accessible to soldiers from nearby Fort Snelling. The influx of young, single men at the fort as the United States geared up to enter World War II, the Parker House began selling food along with their usual offering of beer, spirits, slots, and dice. 

In 1943, jazz pianist William “Red” Dougherty purchased the business from the Parkers. He did away with the gambling (at least officially), and brought in top musicians from across the country to play at the Parker House. By the end of the war, the Parker House had a reputation for fine dining and great music.

When Red passed away in 1982, his son Bill took over the restaurant. Business dipped throughout the late 1970s and 1980s, but the restaurant continued until 1993, when it closed for good.

A short time later, the site was purchased by Linda Young and Charlie Burrows. Linda’s parents both worked at the Parker House (her mother was the head chef), and Linda had practically grown up in the restaurant. 

Together, the partners remodeled the building and opened Axels River Grille. It found its footing as a supper club-style steak house in a historic town and garnered much acclaim. The owners claimed that Axels was a continuation of its predecessor, standing on the shoulders of the Parker House as it made its way through the rapidly changing restaurant business. 

Linda and Charlie went on to open several other successful restaurants, including several more Axel’s around the Twin Cities. Linda died in 2018, but Charlie still operates several existing and new restaurants.

Axels River Grille closed for good on September 30, 2024. As of the time of publishing, the fate of the old Parker House site is unknown.