About Us
A Note from The Todd’s
Our family first came to Onalaska by way of the Army via Colonel Michael Todd when he was assigned to be the 181 Infantry Brigade Commander at Fort McCoy. Having moved 17 times in 24 years as an Army family with three children in tow, living on the east coast, west coast, Europe and the Middle East, who knew this would become our forever home? Our family fell in love with the area and the people feeling as though Onalaska combined the best of all the places that we had been. With kids in high school, Michael decided to retire so we could settle in and become Wisconsin residents in “God’s Country”. He then returned to Fort McCoy in a civilian position and remained in that role the first few years of the business while Corinna took on running the restaurant. All three Todd kids and our two daughters-in-law also worked at Red Pines making it truly a family endeavor. Today, the Todd’s are joined in ownership by their son Connor and his wife Natalie. Connor has been involved full-time since 2015 and has run the Red Pines kitchen for most of those years.
Our influence has always come from Europe as Corinna’s mother was born and raised in Belgium and her best childhood memories of hospitality, food and drink come from summer’s spent in Belgium with family. Being stationed in Germany and the Middle East also played a role in our love of food and helped inspire our Wednesday International Specials and other unique dishes added to the menu. Our offerings are extensive with the hope that there is something for every craving which is ideal for those who often dine with us multiple times a week.
Our goal is always to create a space that focuses on food made from scratch, genuine caring service and a welcoming atmosphere with the beautiful lake views as an added bonus. One of the biggest lessons we learned in Europe that helped shape our business is that kindness and hospitality are key. When we lived in Vilseck, Germany, our favorite restaurant owner, Frau Hammer, personally greeted us every time we went to the restaurant, and she often gave the children chocolates and took them back into the kitchen to get ice cream – an experience that was like visiting a grandmother that they still remember. We tell everyone that Red Pines is like our house and we want every guest to be treated as if they are coming to our home. We expect our staff to treat guests with the same personal attention and they all know “Caring” is our #1 Rule.
As a family-run business, everything is personal and we are thankful for everyone that “chooses” to come through our doors even knowing sometimes there may be a wait for a table. We know you could choose to go anywhere, so thank you for choosing Red Pines!
Warm Regards,
The Todd’s
PROPERTY HISTORY
Red Pines Bar & Grill is located on the same site that was once home to Red Sails Resort & Campground. This was a popular local spot in the 80’s and stories continue to be told about it. The Red Sails Bar was located near the lake where we currently have our lower parking lot. That location burnt down but the campground/apartment complex remained. Mark Koblitz bought the former Red Sails Resort and Campground property in May 2006 and switched to the Red Pines name.
In 2008, the 3,100-square-foot, one-story building was constructed with the Northwoods look and feel which is the current Red Pines Bar & Grill. This building was also one of the first non-smoking venues before it was a requirement.
In 2010, Barb & Larry Leis purchased the Red Pines Bar & Grill business and expanded the menu and restaurant offerings, many of which are still offered today.
Current owners, Michael & Corinna Todd, purchased the business in 2015 from the Leis’s who were very generous in making sure the transition was more like a “turnkey” operation offering great guidance and mentorship. As the business began to grow, the Todd’s finally purchased the entire complex including the lodging building at the end of 2017 from Mark Koblitz.
Having access to the entire property, the Todd’s began the transition to create the current Red Pines complex. All campers and campground sites were removed and ultimately, the apartments were renovated and converted from long-term housing into 9 Airbnb/Lodging units carrying on the Northwoods theme throughout.
The outdoor patio was enclosed to allow for year-round heated seating. The back-room seating area and a back kitchen were also added to accommodate more guest service in 2018.
In 2020, the lower deck was added as well as a deck to the outside Pine Cone Bar. In 2024, based on feedback from guests, 3 lodging rooms were gutted and renovated to create the latest addition – The Red Pines Café offering full breakfast, lunch, baked goods and full bar with outdoor pavilion and water feature. The Lodging building now has 6 rooms available for rent – four – 1 Bedroom rooms and two – 2 Bedroom rooms.