Category: 0 Michigan

The Cherry Hut - Beulah, Michigan

9/10/2019

Lunch Stop on Highway 31

When in Michigan, you have to embrace the cherries! Don and I did last July, when we stopped for lunch at The Cherry Hut!

Welcome to The Hut

The exterior was pretty welcoming with red house, green lawn and white picket fence. But the smiling Cherry Jerry face on the sign, was even more so!

Cherries Everywhere!

When we headed inside, we spotted lots of smiling Jerry's on the jar labels, behind the counter. There were shelves of cherry jams and sauces, cherry candy and popcorn and even cherry dog treats!

Corner Table!

Don and I were actually meeting up with my sister and sister-in-law. They had arrived before and grabbed a cute corner table. Jennifer and Kate humored me with some playful, menu posing.

None of us had eaten at Cherry Hut, before, but we were already fans. For a number of years, gifts with smiling Jerry labels have come our way... thanks to my brother and sister-in-law. That very morning, we had come from their home on Lake Michigan. A sibling reunion... with lots of cherries!

Homey and Red

I quickly took in my surroundings and decided I was in diner heaven.

I loved my cup and saucer and coffee carafe. Even the paper placemat with cardinal, had a vintage style to it. The placemat told me that the Cherry Hut had been around nearly 100 years!

I almost expected to get crayons with my smiling menu, but then I remembered where I was. You don't have to be a kid to smile about cherries!

Cherry Hut History

There was a large booklet on the table that gave us lots of history about the Kraker Family and their sweet business. The "hut" began as a way to sell pies and other products from their orchards. They moved to the current location in 1937.

The book was packed with history, but mostly I enjoyed the photos. Everything about this one, was retro fun. The hut, with awning and window... the smiling jam selling gals in their aprons...

Our Apron-wearing Server

I was tempted to ask if our server would mind posing with some jam, in a photo. I decided that would just sound weird.

I did snap a photo, to show that the uniforms haven't changed much. These photos also share a blurry glimpse of the booths and cherry wallpaper. The dining area was packed, just a while later.

Lunch!

I ordered the Cherry Chicken Salad, which came with fruit and a cherry muffin. It was all so yummy, I felt like I was having dessert for lunch! My only complaint (which I kept to myself) was about my plate.

I wanted a retro china plate, like the one that held Kate's muffin. Don didn't have a Cherry Jerry face on his plate, but he did have a Maraschino cherry garnish, with his chicken tenders! I think the sauce was cherry flavored, as well.

A Cheery, Cherry-filled Restroom

I do appreciate a little restroom surprise with my dining adventures, now and then! I was pretty delighted by the cherry framed mirror and the fresh, red & white flowers. Best of all, the restroom smelled of sweet cherry lotions and soaps... displayed on a delicious little plate!

Heads Up

Before heading out, I made sure to look above the window, to admire the painted wall mural. What a sweet image of what I'm guessing was the Kraker's original roadside Cherry Hut stand. The image with cherry orchards, Lake Michigan, barn and farmhouse, reminded me of so many scenes we'd seen during our Michigan visit. We'd even seen a few roadside stands, selling cherries and other goodies.

Off We Go

As we headed to the car, Cherry Jerry smiled down. It made me a little sad that I hadn't saved room for pie.

When the Krakers first began selling their cherry pies in the 1920's, they cut the smiling face of Jerry on each pie. I don't think they do that anymore, but I'm sure they still taste pretty wonderful.

Maybe I should have one shipped? Too bad. I just looked and they don't ship as far as Texas.

Then and Now

As we headed to the car, I noticed a flat building, that stood behind the house-shaped restaurant. I know the 97-year-old business has moved and expanded over the years. Maybe the boxy building was from 1937, before inside dining was added. I left wondering.

Escorting Jerry

We headed off happy. I sent this photo of Jennifer, Jerry and me, to our brother and sister-in-law.

David responded to the photo, with concern. "It looks like you're manhandling Cherry Jerry!"

I assured him we weren't, but it does look like we are about to escort him to our car. Which leaves me with one more question. Has Cherry Jerry ever been stolen?

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The Root Beer Barrel, in Douglas, MI

8/18/2019

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Hot Dogs and Root Beer!

How can anyone resist a food adventure, that involves a barrel-shaped building?

If Don and I had spotted this beauty while driving, we would have screeched on the brakes and raced towards it.

But we learned about The Barrel, before we laid eyes on it.

The Adventure... That Led Us to The Barrel

Last July, Don and I were in Saugatuck, Michigan. We were off on a morning adventure with my sister and sister-in-law. First we crossed the Kalamazoo River in a hand-cranked, chain ferry.

Then we climbed 300 steps up to the top of Mount Baldhead. That name refers to the 600-foot sand dune, that is now covered in vegetation. The round bald-headed tower that we found on top, was actually a radar tower, constructed in 1956. The overgrown image was an eerie reminder of the days, when schools did Duck and Cover drills, to prepare for Nuclear invasion... yikes.

View

A more refreshing view was looking down towards the town of Saugatuck.

Through the trees, we could see where the Kalamazoo River widens, into Kalamazoo Lake, before it flows into Lake Michigan. I chatted with a local, who was doing his daily step-climbing hike. He described the scene in the winter! Snow!

Cool Off Time

After enjoying the view, we headed down and decided to cool off inside a lakeside museum, located inside the old Pump House. (Shown in the vintage photo) It was in this marvelous little museum that we became more and more intrigued with the history of this wonderful waterside community!

The Photo!

The museum shared much of the community's history, through old family snapshots. I spotted this one, with two kids and the shiny barrel.

When I read the words below the photo, I got excited! The roadside favorite that was built in 1952, had recently reopened!

It stilled served hot dogs and root beer! Yay!

I asked the young woman at the counter about the place and she thought it might be too far to walk. She suggested we call for the 2-dollar shuttle service. Yay!

A Barrel on the Lawn!

It took a while for our shuttle, but it was worth it. The van dropped us right off at the corner of Center and Ferry, in Douglas.

What a scene! There were shady trees and kids playing badminton and corn hole. A young woman performed on guitar and summer food smells wafted out of the barrel windows.

No Line

The picnic tables were almost full, but there was no line for ordering. After taking a peek at the menu, we stepped right up to the window.

Pick Up Window

Waiting for our orders took a little longer, but that's because food was made to order. This was not a concession stand at the ball park.

It was actually entertaining watching the buzz of activity inside the round space. Three men worked swiftly under the whirling fans. I recognized one as Michael White, from a photo I'd seen. The incredibly polite and hardworking man, is main force behind the business.

I read the info sheet near the window and wondered about the last two sentences. Who were the rude, impatient people who made them have to address abuse and respect? Everyone working in the barrel seemed top notch to me!

Sharing the Table

We were able to grab the end of a picnic table, just as our orders finished up. It seemed more authentic, sharing our retro, Root-Beer-Barrel-Dining-Adventure, with a family we didn't even know.

Our Feast

The cold, root beer was straight from the keg. It was refreshing, even if it wasn't served in a frosted mug. I'm now wishing I'd had the root beer float!

Our gourmet treats were definitely a modern twist on the Barrel's original dogs. I had "The Donna", which was smothered in mac-n-cheese, with bacon! Don went a little more traditional with the Kraut dog, served with stone-ground mustard. Both, pretty fun and yummy!

The Size

This photo better shows the size of my crazy dog! It was yummy, but I am a hot dog fan and a macaroni fan. Maybe I would have them side by side, next time.

Thanks!

So our morning adventures led us to a delightful treat! Eating at The Barrel was like taking a trip back into someone else's childhood. I don't have memories of coming to this place as a kid, but I'm guessing there was at least one adult sitting at one of those tables, who had that memory!

It's hard to believe, this iconic place was nearly demolished, after it closed down in the seventies.

Thanks to Michael White and "Friends of the Barrel" who volunteered years of time and lots of money, to refurbish and reopen this fun place!

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Lakefront Dining in Saugatuck, MI

7/17/2019

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Waterfront Dining!

In July, Don and I spent a couple of nights in the sweet town, once named Kalamazoo Village.

We were traveling with Jennifer and Kate and the 4 of us were eager to enjoy our 2 evenings, looking out at the Kalamazoo River.

The BARge

The first night, we ate on the roof of The BARge. The sign, with its bold emphasis on the first 3 letters, should have made me worry that we oldsters wouldn't fit the crowd.

Happy Four

But no one shooed us away!

Our group was happy with our table, looking down on the water. The sun only melted us for 5 minutes and then we had shade.

We watched a few party boats and a paddle boat, while we dined on salads and fish tacos. The food was yummy and the air was balmy. The water activity was both entertaining and relaxing.

Old Resort Waterfront Dining

On night #2, I was itching for a dining adventure, that could take us back in time. I had two places, on my radar.

I love an old resort, especially if it hasn't been remodeled and over glitzified. The Coral Gables and The Butler, both have a long history in Saugatuck. I was eager to learn more.

Coral Gables

Don and I headed over late afternoon to check out Coral Gables. The 3-story structure definitely had a lot of gables! The long porch was inviting and I was curious about the glowing, Old Crow Bar sign.

The Leindecker Inn

There was a lot of history behind the sprawling complex, built by the Leindecker brothers in 1906. It was a hotel until the 1970's.

Tom Johnson purchased the hotel and Old Crow Bar, in 1958. He changed the name from Saugatuck Hotel to Coral Gables and his son owns it today.

Riverside

Coral Gables no longer rents rooms, but the building holds about 3 restaurants and 4 bars. The decks in back could hold a lot of people.

Unfortunately, the Old Crow Bar was not open and the inside lower level lounge, was a little worn and noisy. The charm of the old building was totally lost, in the basement type space, but we gave it a try and ordered a drink. I hoped we'd get some scoop about the place, from some local men at the bar. But they'd been drinking a while and started talking politics. We didn't linger.

The Butler

Don and I headed over to find another place that we'd heard about. The Butler Restaurant had also been a hotel at one time.

The structure was built in 1892 and operated as a powered grist mill. The building was sold and opened as a resort in 1901. There were 30 rooms, a restaurant and a bar.

New?

The building didn't look anything like the old photo. I assumed The Butler was in a new building. Maybe the original structure had burned down. But the Whites, who purchased the building in 1961, removed the top two stories in 1972. The White's children own the business today.

A Quick Look

It was still too early for dinner, but Don and I stopped to have a look.

I loved seeing the arched glass doorway that I'd seen in the old photo. There was lots of knotty pine and many nautical accents. That always appeals to me.

The inside had two walls of windows, overlooking the marina. I was sold.

Back in the Evening

Jennifer and Kate were game. We returned in the evening and the crowds were mostly out on the deck, under green and white umbrellas.

But we opted to head inside and enjoy the view from the windows.

Window Table

We were a little surprised to find the place nearly empty, but no complaints. We got a table overlooking the river AND the swimming pool. That was sort of amusing, since we knew they were no longer a hotel.

Patsy was our server. She said she'd been serving at The Butler for 29 years. She seemed a little weary, like maybe could use a break from the biz. But she couldn't have been nicer.

Food

The food came fast and Jennifer and I were ready to dig in! Kate was a little bummed that they'd sold their last Prime Rib, but she didn't mope.

My chicken with mushrooms had tons of cheese. That plus a baked potato, was decadent. Don's Perch Basket with Butler Fries and Cole Slaw wasn't much healthier. All was decent and by the time we finished the sun had set and a carpet sweeper was making the rounds.

A People Encounter

As we headed towards the door, I noticed a woman straightening a few tables and checking on things behind the bar.

I had guessed right, she was one of the siblings who now own The Butler. Sadly I cannot remember her name, but she graciously showed us around and shared some history.

I'm even more disappointed with myself, that I didn't catch the story about this wonderful table. She told Don something about the people who once sat here. Those are some interesting names!

The Old Stuff

I was glad to hear that the old fireplace was original. The black and white photos on the wall, showed us how the place looked when the Whites bought the hotel, nearly 60 years ago.

It was fun hearing about how the kids in the family helped with the hotel, when they were short on staff. She said that she and her sibs would get a call at home and they'd hop on their bikes to come over and help out. She said she wished they had photos of the hotel rooms, which she remembered well, from cleaning. I wanted to go back in time and be her childhood friend... and swim in the pool!

Memorabilia

Before we headed out, I took one more glance at a case full of memorabilia. There were hotel keys and old menus... photos of the fireplace and photos of the reconstruction.

Most dining guests probably don't spend too much time reading this stuff, but I was happy to absorb the hotel history and nostalgia.

Out of the 3 waterfront dining spots, The Butler took the prize for most memorable.

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The Cherry Hut - Beulah, Michigan

The Root Beer Barrel, in Douglas, MI

Lakefront Dining in Saugatuck, MI

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