If it ain't broke... Bud's Bar is returning to Schoolcraft, and the new owners will keep the familiar name and the iconic sign when they reopen this spring.

The small town of Schoolcraft was shocked when Bud's Bar unexpectedly closed in 2019, and that a local favorite would close on Superbowl Sunday with no advance notice to customers or staff is unbelievable. A fixture since 1952, Bud's became famous for their olive burgers (with green and black olives, plus bleu cheese) and the Bud Burger stacked high with ham, pepper-jack cheese, green olives, lettuce, tomato, and mayo on a toasted brioche bun. Then, the Coronavirus pandemic happened and disrupted many businesses, hitting local restaurants hard, dashing hopes (if any) of them reopening.

We heard no news until early in 2022 when the Villager of Schoolcraft shared the news that they had a buyer for Bud's and the establishment would be back in business soon. A target date for reopening was set as April or May of this year with promises of renovations to both the exterior and interior of the building. Now, we know more.

South County News did a feature on the new owners Shannon and Tom Brady in February and revealed the news that the pair would be keeping the tradition of Bud's alive, retaining the name and big red sign out front. “Oh yes, we will have the old neon sign repaired and it will remain above the front entrance,” confirmed Shannon Brady. Her husband Tom is a builder and did much of the work of gutting the bathrooms and kitchen and replacing the flooring throughout the space. The new planned opening date is May 1.

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