We were lucky to catch up with Jacob Voss recently and have shared our conversation below.

Jacob, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?

I can point to many instances in my life where I have taken the values or lessons my parents have instilled in me or taught me to help guided me into doing the right thing. I’m lucky to have two really amazing people that I get to call Mom and Dad. They have been incredible role models and people that my siblings and I continue to look up to. I’m proud of my parents and their many achievements, they both own successful small businesses, and both have strong reputations in the community. As small business owners I saw first hand the importance of hard work. They both worked many long hours and weekends to make sure they supported their customer and clients; however, they still always made time for their family never missing any of our school activities and always sitting at the table helping with our homework assignments when we needed them. They also really cared for the people around them. If anyone needed help both my parents were first up to lend a helping hand, it’s just what they did. Now as an adult, I really recognize the sacrifices my parents made for us and really appreciate all they have taught us and the tools they have given us in order for us to be successful in our lives.

Jacob, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is Jacob Voss and I’m the owner and General Manager at Fishers Club. As a young adult I worked primarily in the restaurant industry and throughout high school I worked at Fishers Club. It is during that time that I really fell in love with the business, often times after a busy night my cousin Cory and I would talk about how great it would be to own Fishers some day. Fast forward to my last year of college, Fishers Club became available and my cousin Cory and I decided to buy and re open up Fishers Club after it had been closed for 3 years.

One of the things we loved about Fishers was the atmosphere and the rich history. We really worked hard to keep those things alive at Fishers while adding some of our own touches to the restaurant. For many when you walked back into the restaurant it had that same feel as when the Fisher’s family use to run the business and for us that was a great compliment. Some of the additions we added was a full bar and 14 tab beer system. We expanded the drink and food menu while keeping the classics and we added live music.

The history below:

George “Showboat” Fisher had just retired in 1932 from ten years of major and minor league baseball, playing for the Washington Senators and the St. Louis Cardinals. He was 33, loved hunting and fishing, and didn’t want to get tied down with a year-round job so he opened Fisher’s Club on the northeast shore of Middle Spunk Lake. The dance floor by the jukebox was added in 1937, and the sale of cold beer and playing of slot machines made the summer-only bar a popular place. So popular, that Showboat would spend most summer nights sleeping by the front door, with his shotgun and hunting dog as his only companions. This was to protect the day’s gambling takes.

Back then, ten-year-old George Jr. and his brothers Lewis and Dick would fish area lakes all week for Sunfish, Northerns, and Crappies, “Anything that would bite,” said Junior. His dad would give the fried fish away free at the bar until one summer night a savvy nightclub owner from St. Cloud walked in and told Showboat, “You should get walleye and sell it.” He took her advice, created a secret breading recipe, and the legendary Fisher’s Famous Walleye began. That recipe is used here today. It’s still a secret, and no, we won’t tell you what is in it.

Fisher’s was closed during the final two years of WWII, reopening in the summer of 1946. The Bottle Club feature was added then, and Flo cooked fish and sandwiches in a tiny kitchen space behind the current bar wall. The main dining room was added in 1953, and the porch in ’54. Junior came home from a construction job in Greenland to work with his dad at The Club. “Stick around to help me here at The Club or I’m going to sell it,” Junior says his dad told him. So he stayed.

In 1959, Junior and his wife Sally took over the operation of Fisher’s Club, expanding the current kitchen and adding their own touches to the place. This includes the celebrated red wallpaper in the bar area, bought by Flo and Sally and hung with the help of friends Hazel Lundberg, Marge Blattner, and Joy Netter. Sally and Hazel spent one long, hot summer making batch after batch of potato salad until they arrived at their now-famous recipe, which we faithfully follow. Fisher’s children Tammy and Bing both spent many of their summers working all aspects of the restaurant business.

Minnesota’s own, Lake Wobegon resident Garrison Keillor, became one of the owners of the Club by purchasing it from Junior & Sally in 2005, making minor upgrades to the property and operated it until 2012.

Fast forward to today, and Fisher’s is across the road from the Lake Wobegon Trail, overlooking the shores of Middle Spunk Lake, and is still serving their famous walleye dinner. Cousins, Jacob and Cory Voss, as well as their families have continued the legacy started by the original Fisher family. The seasonality remains, starting in May and extending through December, as well as the addition of a full service bar. Private events are available year round with the addition of full heating and air conditioning. Creating new memories, and reminiscing of old times with fine friends, good food, and a cool beverage is what Fisher’s has always been about.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

I think two things really helped build our reputation within the market place.

1. I really invested in our people. They are really what makes Fishers, Fishers. I invested in them working along side them to help train and provide feedback in order to improve their skillset for Fishers and beyond. I also focused on building a strong culture, a place where they felt welcomed and wanted to work. On a yearly basis I would sit down with each member of my team individually and have them come prepared to answer some questions on how I can lead them better and make working at Fishers better. We also always had what we called family dinners, at the end of each night we would sit down for 30-45 minutes and eat together and connect.

2. Be present with your customers and in your numbers. First, I found it really important to stop at all our tables and not just thank them for coming out but to get to know them. That small gesture really allowed me to build a connection with our customers. Also be involved in the community and really invest in the community doing so you’re investing in the people that invest in your business. Finally, always work to get better. I really focused on looking at our metrics and processes to continue to find ways to make them better in doing so I’m able to provide a better experience for my customers and my team.

How did you build your audience on social media?

This is an area where we continue to look to get better; however, from where we started to where we are now we have made some nice improvements.

1. I think setting a goal each month is important. It helps you set your sites on where you want to be on building your social media following. With that goal we were then able to assess the body of our work each month and determine what worked well and what didn’t work well.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.fishersclub.com/
• Instagram: Fishersclub
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fishersclubmn/