REGNATZ, CAROLINA/CAROLINE OBELZ (1879-19 Jan. 1936) was one of Cleveland's best known caterers and restaurant proprietors.
Born Carolina Obelz in Belli-Kikinda, Austria-Hungary, she was the daughter of French parents, Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Obelz. Receiving no formal education, Carolina applied herself in the catering business. She married Anton Regnatz in 1901 and they came to America in 1906.
Regnatz began catering in 1917 for churches and organizations. She operated a soup kitchen for WORLD WAR I Doughboys, ran a kitchen at JOHN CARROLL UNIVERSITY, served dinners at the Cleveland Air Races at HOPKINS AIRPORT, operated the cafeteria for CLEVELAND NEWS employees, and taught a cooking school for girls attending area Catholic high schools.
In 1920 she opened her first Regnatz's restaurant, the Roseland Dining Hall, on 3218 Warren Road. Seating 40, Regnatz expanded the Hall in 1922 to 3242 Warren, sat 400 and served nearly 1000 meals daily. Totalling 9 acres, Regnatz's Hall also included 3 baseball diamonds, swings and slides, umbrella tables for outdoor fashion shows/card parties, an outdoor stage for theatrical productions and a winter skating rink. There also was a delicatessen offering her famous foods.
Regnatz provided limousine service from EAST CLEVELAND to her West Side establishment. She opened two more restaurants, one at Fairmount and Cedar and, in 1931, Regnatz's at 3618 Euclid Ave. Caroline adopted two nephews, Joseph and Anthony, and raised them as her own. A Clevelander, she is buried in St. Mary's Cemetery at W. 41st & Clark Avenue.