When you operate a 107-year-old establishment, there are times when renovations, facelifts and advances in technology and equipment become necessary. Schuler’s Restaurant & Pub in downtown Marshall, Michigan, is in the midst of its latest series of projects aimed to enhance their customer experience.
As guests enter the main lobby of Schuler’s, they’ll soon be greeted by a newly configured reception area and retail space, in an area connecting the main dining room and Winston’s Pub on the left and meeting spaces to the right. These upgrades will provide a more relaxing space for guests to sit and visit before or after their meal. New carpet, light fixtures and furniture, as well as equipment upgrades like phones and computer systems, are expected to round out this renovation project.
In Winston’s Pub, new ovens and fryers have been installed which will allow the culinary team—under the direction of Executive Chef John Stovall and executive sous chef Tim Gibbs—to create new menu items for this casual dining area. Guests will see other changes to the menu throughout the coming months, as fresh new items are added to complement the classic dishes that Schuler’s is noted for.
The Centennial Room, the restaurant’s largest dining space with seating for up to 190 people, is seeing increased use. Due to such demand, a new service bar has been added.
Renovations began last year with the Heritage Rooms—comprised of three individual spaces (East, Center and West), which can be opened up into a larger 70-foot by 27-foot room. Here, new wall coverings, paint, and décor provide an elegant atmosphere. New carpet will be installed in these rooms in 2016, and currently the management team is researching state-of-the-art technology options so as to provide the best services for future meetings, groups and special events.
“There’s a unique challenge when you have a historic property,” says third-generation owner Hans Schuler. “You want to maintain the integrity of the restaurant—which generations have come to expect, while at the same time advancing with the times to attract future customers. I’m proud of how our team has worked over the recent years to move our brand forward, without losing touch with our past.”
