THIS BUSINESS SHALL CONTINUE FOREVER." –WILLIAM "TINY" ZEHNDER
No matter how you measure it, forever is a long time, especially when you’re in business. 2018 marks the 130th anniversary of the Frankenmuth Bavarian Inn. Only two families, the Fischer's and the Zehnder's, have ever operated the business that has become a staple of Michigan tourism.
Located about halfway between Flint and Saginaw, the Frankenmuth Bavarian Inn is a composite of miracles, dreams, two families and prayers answered. It is a touchstone of Frankenmuth, Michigan. Over the last 130 years, a lot of things have changed, but in the words of our late founder Tiny, we have remained "efficiently old-fashioned."
In the early 1950’s the first retail area opened selling Stollen, African violets, and fresh eggs. Answering the demand of our guests, our product line soon expanded. Today we offer thousands of items at various locations including Bavarian Inn Restaurant, Bavarian Inn Lodge, Frankenmuth River Place, and many others.