A Little Bit About Us
Uncle Ed’s BBQ Grill has been owned and operated by the Klein family since 1962, previously known as Harbor Lights. We changed our name for simplicity and better recognition in the marketplace. We offer our own Uncle Ed’s Backyard BBQ Sauce and Marinade in local stores and some area restaurants. You can also find us at several local festivals.
Try us out for catering—whether at your home, for a company event, or, if a day on the lake is what you’re after, check out our pontoon and rowboat rentals. Powers Lake is a beautiful place to spend your time, so come enjoy a day with us. We are open year-round!
The Birth of the Original Formula
Harbor Lights Restaurant, Powers Lake, WI—Labor Day Weekend, 1988. A weekend that turned out to be a total flop as a promotion for our family restaurant. Our first annual rib roast looked like it might be our last.
There were several reasons for this. We were using beef ribs, the weather didn’t cooperate, and the sauce we got from our supplier just wasn’t cuttin’ it! So, I started searching for a good BBQ sauce recipe. (After finding nothing on the market that we thought would work.) We experimented with 228 different recipes.
Late one night, I put away my latest experiment, tucked the recipe into my shirt pocket, and went home dog-tired. The next morning, I headed to work, took a taste of the concoction, and—wow—this one could work! Now, where’s that recipe? Uh oh. The washing machine!
I rushed home only to find the load had already finished. I grabbed my shirt, carefully unfolded the recipe, and tried to salvage what I could from the ink-streaked paper. Some of it was still legible, some wasn’t, so I made another batch.
It worked!
Over the next two years, we tested this recipe with everyone we knew. More and more people started coming to the restaurant just to buy the sauce, and before we knew it, they were asking us to put it in stores! That meant we needed a name. The only things that came to mind were my nephew and niece and the fact that this recipe was truly born in our backyard.
Our logo? A grill with the essential weapons every meat-burning cook knows well—fork and tongs. We wanted it to represent what we all are by nature: Backyard Cooks.
By 1990, we test-marketed our sauce at the Dane, Racine, and Kenosha County Fairs, and the results were overwhelmingly positive. We served rack ribs, chicken, and garlic bread, selling the sauce on the side. Funny enough, the rib sandwich was actually a mistake—but that’s another story!
By 1993, I walked into a local store to see if they’d take a chance on us. That store was Speigelhoff’s Pick-N-Save in Burlington. We sold out of every bottle we brought in, and the manager immediately re-ordered! From there, we landed two more stores and ramped up production. Before long, we had over 30 private and corporate store partners and were participating in special events throughout the year.
That brings us to where we are today—where our future is not only bright but tasty, too! Our commitment has always been to our customers, because without your support, none of this would have been possible. So from the bottom of our hearts, thank you.
No matter your age or experience—whether you’re a pro, a novice, a backyard griller, or a kitchen cook—just remember, you’re always welcome in our backyard.
— Uncle Ed and Family
The Story Behind Our Home
The Old Building
The old building was about 100 years old when it was donated to the fire department. It stood on several different foundations, which gave it its unique floor structure. The perimeter was supported by cedar posts and cinder blocks.
A flood in 2000 seriously damaged the foundation, causing it to settle six inches in just six months. Despite this, the building never stopped operating throughout its 100 years of service—this has always been a place for merriment.
The structure consisted of five different additions, each with its own unique design and foundational support. The floor was made of virgin maple, estimated to be at least 300 to 400 years old. That means the trees that made up the floor started growing around 1602—long before the United States was founded in 1776 (just for perspective).
The New Building
The new building sits on 27 ten-inch pilings, each driven 81 feet into the ground. (For perspective, go to the north corner of the building and look at the new utility pole. Imagine two of those stacked on top of each other—plus one extra foot. That’s 81 feet.) These pilings are filled with concrete, topped with 14 inches of structural steel, and then layered with 12 inches of Span Crete—the same material used to build road bridges.
The building itself is constructed with 2×6 framing, reinforced with custom truss work to support the roof.
The floor and wainscoting come from the old building, preserving a piece of its history. All of the trim was personally handcrafted by the Klein family. The bar, also built by the Klein family, is made from red oak, with medallions crafted from cherry, maple, and black walnut.
The kitchen features the best equipment available at the time and is air-conditioned separately from the dining room for optimal comfort.
We hope you enjoy your time with us. We’ve done our very best to give the community something we can all be proud of. Every detail of this restaurant was designed with comfort and ease in mind—this is the very best we have to offer.
Thank you for coming, and we hope to see you again soon!