Lake Orion Places
- Description:
- "This restaurant sat on the northeast corner of east Clarkston and M24. The business was started by the Sorebelli family in the mid 1940s. It began as Lake Orion's first drive-in restaurant called the "Bella- Villa". The frive-in was located in a small wooden building close to M24. They served the famous 'Villa' sandwich which was the forerunner of the 'Sloppy Joe. By 1950 the Sorebellis had obtained the first liquor by-the-glass license in Lake Orion and established the 'Villa Inn' in the large farmhouse behind the 'Bella Villa' drive-in. 'The Villa' with chef Jim Dolfi developed into a very fine, first class restaurant. They entertained some of Lake Orion's most prominent residents such as Bruce Beemer and Jimmy Hoffa as well as many others from northern Oakland County. The original 'Villa Inn' burned in 1965 and was replaced with the current building by Joseph Pardis in 1967. This new resturant-bar was again called the 'VIlla Inn'. It was sold to the Christi family in 1977 and th name changed to the 'Orion House'. It remains a fine restaurant-bar today in 1995. Historically interesting is the fact that the 'Orion House' was Lake Orion's major hotel in 1874, being adjacent to the train station and the lake" c.1940 Jim Ingram Photos
- Notes:
- Oakland County Historical Resources hosts digitized materials from Orion Township Public Library and many other local cultural heritage organizations in Oakland County, Michigan.
- Data Provider:
- Oakland County Historical Resources and Orion Township Public Library
- Place:
- Lake Orion
- Subject Topic:
- Buildings
- Format:
- Photo/slide
- Rights:
- Users can cite and link to these materials without obtaining permission. Users can also use the materials for non-commercial educational and research purposes in accordance with fair use. For other uses or to obtain high resolution images, please contact the copyright holder.
- URL:
- http://oaklandcountyhistory.org/knowvation/app/consolidatedSearch/#autologin/guest/lb_document_id=201644