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The
Vierling
History
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The Vierling Restaurant &
Marquette Harbor Brewery
The
Historic Vierling Restaurant has been a focal point in downtown Marquette
for over one hundred years.
Located on the corner of Front and Main Streets, the building was
originally owned by Martin Vierling.
It has had a variety of other names and proprietors over the years,
but it has remained a place to meet, talk business, relax and
celebrate.
Martin Vierling first
moved to Marquette in 1862.
Six years later, he established himself in the retail liquor
business. Within the year the
store was destroyed in the memorable fire of 1868 which razed almost the
entire downtown business section.
Vierling rebuilt on the corner of Lake Street and Baraga
Avenue. However, this second
location proved to be less than satisfactory. The iron ore boom was in full
swing and gentlemen found the proximity of the ore docks to be
unfashionable. In 1883
Vierling again relocated his saloon, the third and final move, to the
corner of Front and Main.
On this corner the business
prospered until Martin’s retirement in 1890, at which time he turned the
business over to his son Louis.
The “Gay Nineties” found Louis conducting a brisk business and
hosting many of the towns celebrated events. One such occasion was the
dedication of Marquette’s new street car. Unfortunately, the street car
derailed at the orphanage, delaying its arrival, but not the
celebration. The street car
finally arrived downtown, hours late and just in time to take the towns
dignitaries safely home.
The Vierling Saloon also
had a “Sample Room,” a necessity back in those days for any establishment
wishing to cater to female clientele. By having a separate room apart
from the saloon area, woman who were escorted in and out could enjoy a
meal and drink or “sample.”
The Vierling continued
operations until 1917 when prohibition closed its doors. After that a string of businesses
operated from this location.
On January 1, 1985, the
cafe on the corner of Front and Main Streets was purchased by Kristi and
Terry Doyle. They closed the
cafe and after nine months of restoration reopened as the Historic
Vierling Saloon & Sample
Room, complete with original stained glass and oil paintings from Martin
Vierling’s collection! Full
renovation with close attention to historic detail, including a one
hundred year old oak bar and large windows overlooking the lower harbor
make the Vierling Restaurant one of Marquette’s most enjoyable dining
spots.
With an emphasis on “fresh
and homemade,” the Vierling offers an extensive lunch and dinner
menu. There is a variety of
daily specials and they feature fresh
Lake Superior Whitefish,
homemade soups, salad dressing and desserts. A well-stocked wine cellar is an
added attraction!
In Dec. 1995, the Vierling
became one of Michigan’s first brewpubs with the addition of a five barrel
micro-brewing system. The
brew equipment, direct from Budapest, Hungary is configured to produce
some of the finest ales and lagers in 155 gallon hand-crafted
batches. The relatively small
sized batches of beer insures a fast product turn-over which enables the
Vierling to serve the freshest beer possible with a multitude of
varieties.
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