Del-Mar

Originally built in 1950, the Del Mar Hotel at 229 Ashmun Street in Sault Ste. Marie was an elegant building that featured an upscale restaurant on the main floor, banquet room and cocktail lounge in the basement and 18 hotel rooms on the upper level. As an early advertisement put it, “We’re Famous for Tender Steaks, Fish and Chicken. Specializing in Home Made Pastries. Dancing nitely with Orchestra.” Owned and operated by Russ and Helen Wygant, the Del-Mar welcomed guests and musical entertainment from all over the country until the Wygants sold it in 1977. In the years that followed, the building saw different owners and businesses before ultimately falling into disrepair.

Then in November 2024, local couple Lynde and Brent Blair purchased the building with plans to restore the former Del-Mar, honoring its roots in the community while creating a space for future visitors and residents to enjoy. The couple met working their first jobs in a restaurant 35 years ago and each have years of experience in the food industry. The redevelopment plans included a restaurant and event space on the lower level and six apartments on the second level, offering much-needed housing to the community and reactivating a prominent downtown space.

“We were attracted to the building for its rich history, solid foundation and convenient location,” Lynde Blair said. “It was always our dream to open a restaurant, but we know how much time and commitment it takes to run a successful business. We also wanted to raise our family, so it was put on hold. Now that our kids are older and Brent was approaching retirement, we found this building and decided the time was right. The housing was a huge bonus.”

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) announced support for the redevelopment in May 2025 through a $984,399 Revitalization and Placemaking (RAP) grant. The RAP program provides access to gap financing for place-based infrastructure development and real estate rehabilitation and development. Nikki Radke, interim director for the Sault Ste. Marie Economic Development Corporation, provided the introduction to the MEDC.

“We initially found out about the MEDC through Nikki, who has been such a huge advocate during this whole process,” Lynde said. “We wouldn’t be where we are today if it wasn’t for Nikki and the RAP award. The RAP award significantly helped us be able to finish the project in whole and provide six apartments for rent.”

In addition to the RAP grant, the Blairs received a grant from Headwaters North, an MEDC-supported Small Business Support Hub and SmartZone serving new and early-stage businesses in the Eastern Upper Peninsula region. The grant went toward the purchase of a point-of-sale system, which Lynde says is crucial to the success of their restaurant business.

Through revitalizing the functionally obsolete building, the Del-Mar redevelopment is adding vibrancy to the Sault Ste. Marie community. Celebrating a soft open in May 2026 with an official ribbon cutting ceremony in June, the Blairs are excited to see the project come to fruition. Residents are excited, too.

“We’ve had a great response from locals,” Lynde said. “From the very beginning, we’ve felt supported and excited to provide something to our community. We both grew up in the area and have seen this building go through many changes, so to bring it back to life has been so fun – stressful at times, but very fulfilling.” 

The six apartments on the second floor are fully rented out, and the new Del-Mar Restaurant is ready to serve Italian/American fare. Though the space is new, the history of the building lives on, with a tribute to the Wygants on the front wall. It’s a testament to the Sault Ste. Marie institution, and the celebration of a new chapter.

Learn how the MEDC supports the vibrancy of communities like Sault Ste. Marie and small business owners like the Blairs.