Most of all, "it's just adored by so many people," says Verhil. And rumor has it that Mike Wallace, the late "60 Minutes" journalist who started his career in Grand Rapids, would call in stories at The Cottage Bar when he worked as a WOOD radio broadcaster. In the 1950s and 60s, it routinely was the watering hole of choice for Grand Rapids Press and Grand Rapids Herald reporters, who worked nearby. The 89-year-old restaurant is also a destination for performers of the nearby Civic and Circle Theatres, as well as other local theatre troops, who grab a bite after rehearsals and performances. USA Today even named the Cottage Bar as having the best burger in Michigan in 2013. "It's the original burger bar in Grand Rapids and still is today," Verhil says. Only changing hands once before being purchased by Verhil's father, John Verhil, in 1967, The Cottage Bar has served as a downtown staple for burgers and beers. The room also served as a secret location for card playing and alcoholic beverages until Prohibition was repealed in 1933, upon which the Coons obtained a liquor license to sell beer, wine and, later, liquor. Serving the workers of surrounding factories with orders of sometimes 200 to 300 burgers at a time, the Coons kept busy, and sometimes slept in the bedroom upstairs. Founded in 1927 by Earl and Marie Coon during the height of Prohibition, the couple built into their private residence to open a classic burger joint. "It's authentic it's the real deal," says Dan Verhil, owner of The Cottage Bar & Restaurant on LaGrave Avenue, which is known as the oldest continuously operating bar in downtown Grand Rapids. These spaces are truly one of a kind, with the historic bars boasting stories of hauntings, Al Capone, Ernest Hemingway, selling spirits on the sly during Prohibition-and a whole lot more. With the cement still drying on so many fresh bars and breweries, we thought Grand Rapidians deserved a look back at a few of the oldest watering holes in the greater Grand Rapids area -some that have kept their doors open for more than 100 years-for a seasoned perspective on the ambitious business owners that laid the foundation for today's entrepreneurs. Though many of the establishments serving alcoholic libations are relatively new, the bar and brewery scene began long ago. With more than 20 breweries in GR's some 45 square miles and seven more set to open this year, along with dozens of bars, our moderately sized city by the river has certainly earned the title. Formerly the mecca of furniture manufacturing, this metropolis has dabbled in a variety of industries over the past two centuries and recently has taken on the moniker of “Beer City, USA,” a label acknowledging the hard work by the city’s craft brewers, beer sommeliers and small batch enthusiasts. Founded in 1826, Grand Rapids is the second largest city and fastest growing metro area in Michigan.
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