The closing of Bud's Bar in 2019 came as a surprise to the people of Schoolcraft. The bar, which had been open since 1952, closed unexpectedly without any warning. Read more below:

With that in mind, it's understandable that a recent announcement about Bud's Bar has people excited.


On Monday, 1/3/22, the Facebook page for the Village of Schoolcraft made a post that read, in part:

Good Morning to you and Happy New Year! I just wanted to give you some good news this morning to start the new year on a positive note. Bud's Bar has been purchased and is a done deal.
The post went on to say that the goal for reopening is April or May of this year with promises of renovations to both the exterior and interior of the building.
While Bud's Bar was established in 1952, it went through a handful of owners before closing. According to a 2015 article from South County News, a man named Nate McNeal took over Bud's Bar in 2004 as the spot's fourth owner. Bud's was known for its great menu, locally distilled liquors, karaoke nights, live music, and a place that always had a steady stream of locals walking through its doors. Hopefully, the new owners will be able to restore Bud's Bar to its former glory.
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Locals seem to be thrilled about the return of Bud's Bar, judging by the comments on the original Facebook post. A few of the comments read:
  • "This is great news!!!" - Lesa K.
  • "Wonderful news! Miss that place" - Thomas L. 
  • "Thank you to the new owners!" - Toby M. 

A few seemed skeptical of the legitimacy of the announcement. Perhaps, they heard the rumors circulating in 2020 that the location had an interested party that seemingly went nowhere:

For now, the people of Schoolcraft will just have to have a little faith and patience as they await the reopening of the beloved Bud's Bar.

Bud's Bar, while currently closed, is a part of Schoolcraft's history. And owning that piece of history has to be fun in the sense of learning all of the stories, legends, and more about the place. In fact, if you love historical buildings, there's a place in Paw Paw that could be yours:

Here's Your Chance to Own a Quaint Piece of History in Paw Paw

The historic Yesteryear Bed and Breakfast is for sale in Paw Paw

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The nice thing about all these locations is that they'll take no more than an hour to get to and it's also a good chance to explore Southwest Michigan and do something off the beaten path. Here are 10 small town restaurants near us that you seriously need to check out:

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