Trustees Honor Roll

Bencic, steve

Restauranteur and Promoter (1933)
Inducted on November 25, 2000

Americans are grateful to Steve Bencic for introducing the Oktoberfets beer festival to North America. Steve was born of German parents in the former Yugoslavia. He emigrated to the U.S. in 1957 and soon was managing the East Side Sachsenhelm German Club in Cleveland. In 1961, Steve opened his Hofbrau Haus restaurant, with polka music every weekend. German and Cleveland-Style bands have performed on a regular basis ever since, such as the Melody Orchestra, Hank Haller, Johnny Pecon and Duke Marsic. Steve sponsored his first Oktoberfest in 1962. The festival is still a popular annual event at the Lake County Fairgrounds, where Steve serves tons of wiener schnitzel, sausages and strudels with beer chasers. He always hires plenty of polka bands for entertainment. That's why Steve Bencic epitomizes the German word, "gemutlichkeit" - good hospitality.