About Our Owners

The O’Neills have been present in the Glen Lake area for 40 years! Mary Ann and John O’Neill purchased The Woodcock Dining room in 1979 and turned it into an award-winning French restaurant La Becasse.

Mary Ann studied at La Varenne in Paris in 1976 obtaining a culinary degree. 4 out of the 5 O’Neill children worked at the restaurant from 1979 to 1987.

Husband and father, John P. O’Neill maintained his law practice in Birmingham, Michigan. During those years but you probably could catch him on the weekends in the dining room or unloading supplies from Detroit that were not readily available in northern Michigan in the late 70’s early 80’s. 

The Detroit News awarded a Blue Ribbon to La Becasse for the best restaurant in 1984 in Michigan.  Once out of the restaurant business the family bought a cottage on the east side of big Glen Lake where they enjoyed over 25 years of summers. 

In the summer of 2008, the O’Neill Sisters Mary and Ellen bought Laker Shakes with the intent to run a “general store” focusing on local Michigan products.  Each year the shop evolves with more products and menu offerings to the Glen Lake and Burdickville community in the summer. Continue reading about the history of Laker Shakes here.