“Small Town” Fox Lake

Honors Bunny Berigan

The Flat Topp Café in downtown Fox Lake, Wisconsin, has dedicated a wall to Bunny Berigan, hometown nationally known musician, and Louis Armstrong. The café was opened in January of 2009 and owners Shannon and Joel Stiller have chosen to use favorite pictures and information about music and movies as their charming decor. The music honored includes the classics to jazz and the blues. It is very fitting that Louis Armstrong and Bunny Berigan are displayed on the same wall, as both men found fame in how they blew their trumpets.

Bunny Berigan achieved moments of majesty at his peak and was surpassed only by Armstrong. Louis and Bunny were friends, but Bunny stood apart from all other trumpet players of the time. Joe Dixon, a clarinet soloist with the Berigan Band said “Bunny hit a note—and it had pulse. It’s hard to describe, but his sound seemed to – well, soar… There was drama in what he did—he had that ability, like Louis, to make any tune his own. But in the end all that says nothing. You had to hear him, that’s all.” Armstrong himself provided the last word. Asked by Down Beat to name his favorites among current trumpet players unhesitatingly chose “my boy Bunny Berigan….To me, Bunny can’t do no wrong in music.”

The Flat Topp Café, across from the Post Office in Fox Lake, has parking in the back as well as on State Street in front of the café. They serve breakfast, lunch, and supper with hours that are 5:00 AM to 7:00 PM on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. They are open 5:00 AM to 2:00 PM on Saturday and Sunday. The only day they are closed is Tuesday. The menu includes breakfast specials, soups, sandwiches, salads, daily specials including a fish fry on Fridays.

Another spot in Fox Lake that honors Bunny is the American Legion Clubhouse in downtown Fox Lake. Recently the American Legion has undertaken the complete redecorating of the inside of the Legion. Beautiful cherry wood has been used along with soft colors and lovely lights, now making the interior very inviting. One of the highlights of the Hall is a wonderful picture of Bunny playing his horn. Antique instruments have been hung on either side of the picture, giving life and depth to the memory of Bunny Berigan.