Lockview Restaurant returns for the season May 11

Dec 22, 2023

SAULT STE. MARIE — As the name implies, Lockview Restaurant has one of the best views in the city to see freighters pass through the Soo Locks each and every day.

Established in 1945, a tradition of selling the freshest whitefish in the area began. Those are the opening words to "Welcome to Lockview," a brief historical telling of the Lockview Restaurant.

In 1945, local resident Herb Turley and his wife Elsie bought an empty lot across from the Soo Locks. This was back when there were no fences around the locks, and any fisherman could walk up to the water and fish directly in the St. Marys River, just yards away from passing ships.

"It's been a family-owned restaurant since day one, even when it was owned by other people they always ran it with their families," said current owner Amy Goetz.

Herb realized he could use this easy and free access to his advantage, and opened up his own whitefish restaurant just a few steps away from the water where he caught the fish. For years, Herb would walk straight across the street to the river and fish for the lunch he would be serving in just a couple hours.

It wasn't long until the location became famous for its whitefish lunches. Though they would eventually go on to expand their menu, nothing could beat the iconic fresh caught fish.

Back then the restaurant was little more than a log cabin, large enough for a kitchen and just a few tables. Over the years, it became more and more popular and had to expand. In just two years, the building would have a massive expansion that saw the front of the store extended.

Originally, the restaurant closed down in the winter months because the log cabin had little insulation, and it became too difficult to have fresh caught fish with the frozen river. As time went on, and the City of Sault Ste. Marie became a more popular tourist destination, people began coming to Lockview not just for the food, but for the view that gave it its name.

"This restaurant has always been a seasonal restaurant and this part of town has always had a lot of tourism," said Goetz.

Sitting directly across the street from the Soo Locks Visitor Center, and with a view of all the freighters that come through, Lockview became the go-to destination for tourists who had never seen the locks before.

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In the 1960s as tourism was increasing in the city, Lockview opened up a second floor. At this time, fences had already been installed around the locks, and this imposed on the view. The second floor helped to keep that view alive.

Now, in the modern day, between the fences and border security, it's no longer possible to walk straight to the river, but all fish served in Lockview is still fresh caught from the Great Lakes from local fishermen.

Since Lockview has been around for so long, it has seen a lot of history in Sault Ste. Marie. The owners are passionate about sharing that history. Every diner at Lockview is presented with the Lockview Restaurant paper, a copy of their menu designed like a newspaper.

Through this paper, Lockview helps to tell the story of how Sault Ste. Marie was founded, and how long Lockview has been a part of its history.

Now owned by the Goetz family, the restaurant is still a well-known local establishment, and employs 50 or more people each season.

Lockview is preparing to open its doors for the season this week, on May 11.

— Contact Brendan Wiesner: [email protected]