GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The longest-running restaurant in downtown Grand Rapids will soon be up for sale, according to an announcement from the owner Wednesday.
The owner of Cottage Bar and One Trick Pony Grill and Taproom, Dan Verhil, announced he is retiring and plans on selling both iconic establishments.
Verhil has owned and operated Cottage Bar for 40 years, the restaurant has been in his family for 53 years. He opened One Trick Pony next door back in 1996.
"With One Trick Pony, it’s the music. We brought music into downtown Grand Rapids which wasn’t happening in 1996," he recalled.
Verhil wants to sell the businesses to someone who wants to carry on the legacy of both businesses.
“What I’m hoping for and looking for is a buyer with a sincerity of keeping a legacy of these restaurants the iconic restaurants moving along as they have. My second goal is making sure my staff is taken care of by my next owner. The third thing is to maintain a strong relationship with my customers," he said.
The original restaurant – the Cottage Sandwich Shop – dates back to 1927 when it was owned by Earl and Marie Coon. After the prohibition, the owners obtained the first liquor license in the city and renamed the restaurant The Olde Cottage Bar and Grill.
John Verhil, Dan’s father, was the third owner of Cottage Bar and bought the business in 1967. Dan took over in 1980, and under his ownership the restaurant was dubbed to have the 'best burger in Michigan' by USA Today.
“As I make this transition, I look forward to visiting with – and thanking – the wonderful colleagues, customers, partners and community members who I have come to know as friends," Dan Verhil said in a press release. "[I] trust they will continue to support and enjoy these heritage restaurants long into the future.”
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