Thekla Hedlund and The Bellows: In Their Footsteps - Cape Cod History

Outside The Bellows(c. Falmouth Historical Society)

     In June 1933, Cape Cod, Massachusetts was a very different place than it is today. The current Sagamore and Bourne Bridges that cross the Cape Cod Canal were two years away from being constructed. In their places stood two drawbridges built in the 1910s. The Mid-Cape Highway was two decades from existence; Route 6A and Route 28 were the main roads carrying people all over. 

     There was no television, and there were no radio stations. According to the 1930 census, the year-round population was a mere 32,000 or roughly 17,000 less than Barnstable alone as of 2023. 

     It was a much different world then, except for one thing: food. In any time, people have to eat. As the Great Depression took hold, a new eating establishment opened up in the then-quiet town of Falmouth. At that point, Falmouth’s year-round population was less than 5,000. The new restaurant was simply known as The Bellows. Its owner would make it one of the first landmark restaurants on Cape Cod. 

Thekla (Starck) Hedlund(BobB/Find A Grave.com)

    Thekla Marie Starck was born on June 11, 1872 in Sweden. She emigrated to the town of Lynbrook, New York about 25 miles east of New York City. Thekla met and married Morris Hedlund. The couple came to Cape Cod during the Roaring Twenties, summering in the village of Centerville. It was during her initial years on the Cape that Thekla began to establish a reputation for creating and serving delicious food. 

     In the early 20th century, Cape Cod experienced a surge in the popularity of tea rooms. These establishments offered more than just refreshments. They became social hubs, especially for women seeking both leisure and entrepreneurial opportunities. These tea rooms were often quaint, charming spaces, sometimes set in repurposed barns, old houses, or even grist mills, providing a homelike environment that was both inviting and respectable. 

     Notable Cape Cod tea rooms from the era included: The Sign of the Pine in Wellfleet, The Hangar Tea Room in Falmouth Heights, and the Dunbar Tea Room in Sandwich which is still in operation as of 2025. 

     Thekla and Morris first operated the Hedlund Food Shop and Tea Room in 1924 on Main Street in Centerville. Soon the name was changed to the Lustre Tea Room. Sadly Morris died in January 1929 leaving Thekla and her four children scrambling. 

Morris Hedlund(BobB/Find A Grave.com)

     Despite the tremendous loss Thekla carried on and ran the Lustre Tea Room with the help of her daughters Greta and Maria. Thekla’s skill with cuisine was apparent, but the loss of Morris forced her to learn the business aspect as well. It would prove invaluable.

     Being familiar with how they worked Thekla initially intended on opening up another tea room as her next venture. In September 1932 she bought a piece of property from Clifford L. Hubbard located on Falmouth Heights Road. Hubbard had been a longtime selectman for the town of Falmouth.    

     Even back then it was quite difficult to open a new business. It was far more difficult as a woman. Hedlund found herself initially rejected by the town in January 1933. The reason at the time was that she wanted to build a house and restaurant combination. The town was hesitant as the area was only zoned for residential houses. 

     A second application was accepted in February to allow the building to be constructed on Falmouth Heights Road. This contained three conditions for the establishment. There must be adequate parking. The restaurant must close no later than 9:30 pm. Third was the curious rule that dancing was prohibited. 

Inside The Bellows(Falmouth Historical Society)

     Local builder John DeMello erected the tearoom. Patrons were met with a large reception hall upon entering. The white pine walls, beamed ceiling, and fireplace screamed ‘home.’ The large dining area was complete with maple furniture and a spectacular view of a pine tree-lined garden. 

     Thekla Hedlund, assisted by her daughters Marie and Greta, was ready for the grand opening which occurred on June 17, 1933. Interestingly at this time Hedlund still maintained the Lustre Tea Room.

The Bellows menu from August 1934

     Word spread slowly during the first season. Hedlund relied on her reputation from the Lustre Tea Room and positive feedback from those customers who took a chance on her new establishment. Those who did come in for breakfast, lunch, or dinner were treated to fine cuisine. Local lobsterman Sam Cahoon, who had provided lobsters to Hedlund at Lustre, caught them for The Bellows as well. 

     This was no tearoom. It was a full-fledged restaurant. The menu was loaded with delicious choices like chicken, steak, lobster, swordfish, and the very popular corn fritters. There was an array of soups, sandwiches, and desserts. The centerpiece of the menu was the Shore Dinner. For $1.75($41.22 in 2025) one could get an appetizer, main dish with sides, dessert, and beverage. 

The Bellows Shore Dinner choices.

     A seasonal spot, The Bellows set a schedule of opening in mid-June and closing in mid-September. Thekla returned to Long Island with her two daughters for the winter.

     Upon returning to the Cape for the start of the second season at The Bellows, Hedlund found that business was booming. Whereas in the first season, one could show up and find a table, it was now necessary for people to telephone ahead and make reservations. 

     Perhaps it was Sam Cahoon’s fresh lobsters, which were part of a $1.50($34.56 in 2025) lobster dinner. It could have been the $.75($17.28 in 2025) dinner specials every night but Sundays and holidays. Whatever it was, The Bellows was a certified hit, and it would only get bigger. 

     In the summer of 1935, Thekla finally had to sell the Lustre Tea Room to focus solely on the booming Bellows. It was George Doubtfire who bought the Centerville establishment from Thekla. In 1938, Hedlund received permission to expand The Bellows and it was sorely needed. The business was getting too big for the original building. John DeMello returned to help build two additions.  

The Bellows menu from 1934 with the daily specials.

     The Bellows grew in business and reputation into the 1940s, with Thekla and her daughters shouldering the load. Often were the days when people waited outside for tables. It was a dream scenario for Hedlund, but the good times came with a price. That wear and tear eventually came to claim Hedlund. In August 1945, nearing the end of her twelfth busy season at The Bellows, Thekla suffered a cerebral hemorrhage. Her daughters immediately closed down to tend to their mother. 

     Despite their best efforts, Thekla would never again open The Bellows. Thekla’s health worsened with a stroke and a fall resulting in a broken hip. The beloved restaurant was sold in March 1946 to Charles Colligan when it became apparent that Thekla would never be able to undertake her duties again. 

     The Falmouth Enterprise newspaper upon the sale of The Bellows commended Hedlund’s creation. She in turn was modest, remarking from her hospital bed: “We don’t deserve so much praise, but it makes me very happy.”

     Thekla passed away on April 13, 1946, at Symmes Hospital in Arlington, Massachusetts at the age of seventy-two. Charles Colligan sold The Bellows less than two weeks after Thekla’s death to New Hampshire restaurateur William Doukas. The sale was held up briefly as it appeared that Colligan had bought and sold the establishment before even taking control of the title.  

     Doukas carried on Thekla’s tradition as best he could. He brought in well-established chef Val Daigle from Dinty Moore’s in Boston. Doukas spent two seasons running The Bellows. 

     Doukas sold The Bellows to prolific local businessman John Sheehan in February 1948. Sheehan turned The Bellows into an inn with accommodations for up to thirty-five guests. He also renamed it the Red Horse Inn, possibly due to his love of horse racing. After fifteen years The Bellows was officially no more.

     Sheehan opened the new Red Horse Inn on June 19, 1948. It had a public dining room that could seat forty. It appeared as though Sheehan was keeping the restaurant lineage alive at the location on Falmouth Heights Road. This included bringing aboard Edward Masterson the former chef at Chatham Bars Inn.

     The dual role of the Red Horse Inn did not last. Over time the food service was phased out and the establishment was run as a guest house only by Sheehan’s parents. 

Red Horse Inn in 2024

     In 1952, the Red Horse Inn was sold to Raymond Duffy to be used as a guest house with no restaurant. Previously Duffy and his wife Dorothy had owned the Falmouth Stationary store. Though the couple had good intentions their other business ventures required a lot of their time. This meant that their ownership of the Red Horse Inn was relatively brief.

     They sold the property to Grace and Bob Cashman in July 1956. However, they ran the inn for the remainder of that season before ultimately moving to Denver, Colorado. Their sale meant that the establishment had been sold five times in the ten years since Thekla Hedlund’s death.

     The Cashmans worked hard to make the Red Horse Inn into a landmark in Falmouth. They brought some much-needed stability to the former Bellows and held onto it for forty-seven years. It was sold to Cape Cod business icon William Zammer who was owner until his death in 2021. As of 2025, Red Horse Inn is still thriving. 

     However, one cannot help but think back to a different time, a different generation. Thekla Hedlund’s principles of good food and unwavering quality in cooking and service are the hallmarks of any great restaurant. It is easy to understand why The Bellows was one of the first true iconic establishments on Cape Cod. 

In Their Footsteps: The Riverway Lobster House, South Yarmouth, MA

    To be an icon is rare. To have the sort of lasting success that crosses over several generations is something that most strive for but will likely never see. In the case of the Riverway Restaurant in South Yarmouth, Massachusetts it spent more than three-quarters of a century crafting great food and great memories for countless patrons. Although it might be gone now the building that housed the former Cape Cod giant has a new lease on life. This lease might possibly be serving an ever greater good than the Riverway itself did.

    The story of Cape Cod’s iconic Riverway Restaurant began in the years leading up to World War II. In 1933 property was purchased by Edith Angell for the purpose of being a shop and restaurant. Legend has it that Angell decided to get into the restaurant industry when Prohibition’s repeal caused her illegal bootlegging business to end.

Edith Angell, the original owner of The Riverway(GenieQueen)

    For several years the restaurant, located at the ‘four corners’ area in South Yarmouth at present-day 1338 Route 28, was known as Spa Lunch. It was a simple and nondescript 35-seat establishment selling light fare, wine, and beer. That all changed when in 1940 Angell desired to expand. She wished to expand the building into a larger restaurant complete with a full liquor license.

    Three times she applied for said license and was rejected by the town. On the fourth try, she changed the name of her establishment from Spa Lunch to Riverway Restaurant. Her appeal was yet again rejected, but the new name stuck. Finally, in May 1941 the full license was granted, clearing a major hurdle for Edith Angell.

    Known in local newspapers as the Riverway Restaurant, Cafe, or Lobster House, Angell’s new restaurant was a success. However, running a successful restaurant is a lot of work. The Riverway closed in the fall of 1943 and when it reopened things would be completely changed.

    As she approached her 50^th birthday in 1944 Angell decided to sell the relatively new restaurant after only a handful of years. It has to be said that although the Riverway was only a few years old Edith had been running her own business for a decade by that time.

    The new owner of the Riverway, Michael Pazakis who purchased it with help from his brother James who ran the Mayflower Restaurant, reopened the business in June 1945. From that point on the Pazakis family was synonymous with the Riverway. Michael and his wife Mary continued the success begun by Angell and built upon it.

    Throughout the rest of the 1940s and 1950s, the Riverway began to establish itself as a premiere dining location on Cape Cod. Not only was it popular for traditional dining, it became increasingly popular for meetings and special gatherings thanks to The Captain’s Room and Chart Room. Seemingly endless streams of local organizations met at the Riverway to the point that the restaurant was being mentioned in newspapers for that fact on a nearly weekly basis. Celebrities like Ted Williams, Tip O’Neill, Rudy Vallee, Muhammad Ali, and John F. Kennedy paid visits to the South Yarmouth eatery on more than one occasion.

The Riverway Lobster House as it appeared in the 1950s

    The Pazakis family crafted an atmosphere of casual elegance at the Riverway. Naturally, the menu was loaded with fresh local seafood as well as steak, prime rib, chicken parm, and the famed Wednesday stuffed turkey dinners. For those approaching it was hard to miss the building thanks to its bright white exterior and prominent neon sign adorning the roof.

    Another huge attraction nearly from the get-go was their salad, more specifically the special house-made dressing. Brought aboard by Michael when the Pazakis family became owners, the creamy garlic dressing has a history as long and storied as the restaurant itself. It was purportedly based off of a recipe given to Michael by a local fisherman. So beloved is the Riverway Cape Cod Dressing that it is still for sale to this day including its own website run by the Pazakis family.

    With the popularity of the Riverway thought naturally turned to expansion. Smaller renovations happened in 1955 and 1956. A major one was undertaken in 1965 as the restaurant eventually swelled to 391 seats by the turn of the 21^st century. It was known nationwide, and recommended by such travel magazines as Duncan Hines and Mobil Travel Guide. Word of mouth was so strong that the Riverway did not run any advertising until the 1980s, roughly forty years after the Pazakis family took over.

    Michael Pazakis suffered a massive heart attack in 1962 leaving his 19-year-old son Rosetto to take a major role in the business. The entire family from parents to children to grandchildren all plied their trade inside the walls of the Riverway to varying degrees over the decades. It was a family affair from Day One for the Pazakis family.

    By the time original owner Edith Angell passed away on April 3, 1979, at the age of eighty-five the Riverway was a Cape Cod icon. What had begun as a small restaurant known as Spa Lunch had grown and blossomed into a nearly 400-seat juggernaut. Michael Pazakis passed away in 1978 at the age of seventy-one. Rosetto continued running the restaurant with the rest of the family.

A view of The Riverway in 2019(Google Maps).

    The 1980s led to the 1990s and the end of the 20^th century. The years of success came with a price, that being long hours of hard work. It came to a head in 2003 when Rosetto, then sixty years old, along with his wife Barbara decided it was time to sell the Riverway. The venerable Cape Cod institution was sold for $680,000 to David and Ann Carboneau, the former owners of Carbo’s restaurant at Deer Crossing in Mashpee. After nearly sixty years the Pazakis family was no longer a part of the Riverway.

The Riverway website header from 2010(Archive.org)

    Though there were talks of a potential change the Carboneaus kept the Riverway intact. It kept going strong through the rest of the 2000s. A subsequent sale in 2009 did not slow down the restaurant’s business. It seemed as though nothing could stop the Riverway from remaining one of the true legends of Cape Cod establishments. Sadly something unforeseen was on the horizon.

    The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 spelled doom for many businesses worldwide. Cape Cod saw its share of losses. The Riverway attempted to roll with the punches for several months. However, in November 2020 it was decided to close down with the hope of reopening early in 2021. That never came to pass. The Riverway closed its doors for the final time after more than seventy-five years of feeding Cape Cod locals and visitors.

    Although the restaurant itself closed the building it occupied still stood. It did not take long before some new occupants came along. A nonprofit organization, Family Table Collaborative, began in March 2020 at the dawn of Covid. Founded by Jeni Wheeler and Harry Henry is to feed those in need. According to their website, they have served more than 94,000 meals since the beginning with eyes on tripling their output by 2024.

Visit FamilyTableCollaborative.org

    Family Table Collaborative is run by volunteers, including established and talented chefs. Their meals are available for anyone to purchase and donations are welcome as they will help with the mortgage of the property now known as The Commons at Riverway. The property also includes Woolfie’s Bakery.

    For more than seventy-five years the Riverway Lobster House was a Cape Cod destination. It served untold numbers of meals to untold numbers of people. Begun as a small restaurant by Edith Angell and turned into an institution by the Pazakis family the Riverway was as much a part of Cape Cod as the beach. Its days as an iconic restaurant might be over but the former Riverway building is still going strong feeding those in need to this day thanks to Family Table Collaborative.

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