MAUMEE – In the heart of Maumee’s uptown district, Levi & Lilac’s has built a reputation as both a whiskey destination and a gathering place steeped in history.
The historic 190-year-old building has been owned by Megan McClellan and her husband, Sean McClellan, for nearly seven years. When the space became available in Uptown Maumee, curiosity turned into commitment for the couple. “Through each step of the process, we were like, ‘Okay, well, let’s just go a little bit further,’ and next thing you know, we had a restaurant,” she said.
The building itself acts as a cornerstone for Levi & Lilac’s distinct character. Constructed in 1836, it has served various roles throughout Maumee’s early development, from general store to post office. “It’s said to have housed pre-presidency Abraham Lincoln…[Ulysses S.] Grant,” McClellan said. Local lore also suggests ties to the Underground Railroad and Prohibition-era smuggling.
The building’s layered past ultimately inspired the name. “Often Sean and myself get asked if we are Levi and Lilac, and we are definitely not,” McClellan said.
Levi Beebe built the structure in 1836 but died about a year later and is said to be one of the spirits who still lingers there. Another of the famous ghosts for the location is known as the “Lilac Lady” who is said to leave the scent of lilacs in her wake. “So, we were tossing out names; we figured we may as well include the ghost.” McClellan said.
One of the various ghost-related questions that intrigued guests have asked is whether the staff adds the scent of lilacs to the building or not. “We definitely had guests ask us if we put the smell of lilacs into the building, and we don’t. But people do say that they smell it, which is what the lilac lady is said to do,” said McClellan.
While the history and tales of ghosts draw people in, the whiskey and food are what keeps them coming back. The bar typically stocks between 350 to 380 labels of whiskey.
“When we get a good amount of allocated items in, we can be pushing close to 400,” McClellan said. Besides whiskey, Levi & Lilac’s also has a variety of cocktails that change seasonally each quarter. One of the recent additions to the drink menu that will last till mid-April is their conspiracy-theory-themed drink list based on various well-known conspiracy theories.
While whiskey remains central to the brand’s identity, customers helped shape the food menu.
“It definitely evolved over the years,” she said. “But burgers have always been our thing from the beginning,” McClellan said. Seasonal features rotate quarterly, alongside changing appetizers, salads and cocktails.
Live music also plays a key role in the atmosphere. Performances are scheduled four days a week, featuring primarily local solo acts and duos. Mondays have become a draw thanks to half-off whiskey specials and a standing musical guest.
In a building that has served as a big presence in the community since 1836, blending commerce, community and a few unexplained happenings, Levi & Lilac’s continues to honor its past while pouring toward the future.
