Longtime Battle Creek Lounge In Need Of Community Support

Battle Creek's Dolphin Lounge has been owned and operated by the Leiter family for 40 years and with your support, they hope to be here for 40 more.

Unbeknownst to current owners Lori and Kevin Leiter a fundraiser was started by their daughter to keep the longtime family-owned lounge just that, family-owned. Lori says they have been closed for in-person services for the last 11 months unable to provide the services allowed by the expensive liquor license they purchased as many months ago.

Lori says that they recently purchased a smaller than normal amount of alcohol in hopes they would once again be able to serve the customers who she says are really more like family, but that date has once again been pushed back another two weeks. While the state has routinely offered to buy back liquor, the Leiter family say they would rather hold on to it in hopes that they are once again allowed to serve in-doors on the next target opening date of February 1st.

While the family is passionate about keeping the business going that Kevin's parents Bob and Mary originally opened and operated for 25 years, they do not want to go against state orders. The lounge is now manned by a skeleton crew of three and food sales have been their primary source of income, keeping them going, but it's just not enough.

Lori said she is hopeful they can open the lounge to in-person service on February 1st but that hope is tempered by the reality of so many target opening dates being pushed back.

If you would like to help support this family restaurant you can click here to contribute to the fundraiser started on their behalf. Other ways to help include adding them into the rotation of options for carry-out for both food and cocktails. The Dolphin Lounge is located at the corner of Capital Ave SW and Grandview. If all of us replaced eating out at corporate-owned restaurants once a week, we could save so many of the local businesses that we've enjoyed for years to come.

It is also worth noting that today, Friday, January 15th, is nacho day at the Dolphin Lounge.... and they look amazing!!!

Enter your number to get our free mobile app