Kloss Tavern Minnetonka Beach c. 1960s. Photo: Lake Minnetonka Historical Society
For decades, Minnetonka Beach was home to Annie Kloss, known by many as “Ma,” the town’s legendary entrepreneur and proprietor of Kloss Tavern.
A savvy businesswoman, Kloss weathered the Great Depression with an iron will and a warm heart. Her tavern became a welcoming place, founded in her front yard, following her husband’s death and the repeal of Prohibition in 1933. With hearty breads and steaming soups, made with her garden ingredients, Kloss’ generosity was her hallmark; she never turned away a hungry visitor.
After World War II, the tavern doors were thrown open each year on Kloss’ birthday, a tradition that continued until shortly before her death in 1974. The community she loved was invited to celebrate with a menu of her favorites, featuring a lake-style smorgasbord of baked beans, homemade pickles, potato and egg salads, and ham and roast beef sandwich delights.
Kloss credited her ability to cook for a large group to her early married days, managing the family’s boarding house where she daily fed 25–50 men, plus her six children. Quick to share that she never used a formal recipe, patrons recalled everything that Kloss created always turned out delicious.
Liz Vandam is a member of the Lake Minnetonka Historical Society, which tells the story of Lake Minnetonka by collecting, preserving and sharing its history. Discover more at lakeminnetonkahistory.org.
