Tom's Burned Down Cafe is the 'clubhouse' of Madeline Island. Leona's burned to the ground in 1992. Owner Tom Nelson never rebuilt, but he also never closed. His motto: "You've got to be tough if you're going to be stupid." In this episode, Jay Gabler takes us to La Pointe, Wis. to learn the cafe's story from Tom himself.

You can find the column for Northlandia, which features articles, photos and sometimes video, at duluthnewstribune.com/topics/northlandia. The Northlandia podcast is a product of Forum Communications Company and is brought to you by reporters at the Duluth News Tribune.   If you enjoy this podcast, please consider supporting our work with a subscription at duluthnewstribune.news/subscribe. Your support allows us to continue providing the local news and content you want.