When driving up or down the Leelanau Peninsula on M-22, many commuters pass through the scenic commercial district of Suttons Bay. The downtown area is the very picture of a small lakeside American town with the marquee of the Bay Theatre, a family-owned department store, Bahle’s, and several buildings in between. These were all designed by local architect Larry Graves.
The Graves family has lived on the peninsula for over 50 years, moving here in January 1973 from Ann Arbor after Larry graduated from the University of Michigan’s college of architecture and design. Larry said that he and his wife, Barbara, were attracted to the area by the natural beauty and a desire to be closer to his mother- and father-in-law living in Bellaire.
Graves started out working for architecture firms in Suttons Bay and Traverse City before establishing his own practice, now at 421 N. Saint Joseph St., in Suttons Bay. Despite being at retirement age, Graves said that “he can’t seem to retire.” Although he doesn’t design commercial projects anymore, he continues to work on residential buildings, usually for friends and personal contacts.
