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| (All photos by Nicole Rupersburg) |
The idea started when I picked up a tub of "Pub Cheese" from Trader Joe's, imagining the sharp, slightly tangy flavor of the famous Win Schuler's spreadable cheese (the Original Cheddar, of course). Alas, the Trader Joe's version paled in comparison to what I had envisioned in my head (as is the case with every single one of their cheeses I have tried; what is up with that?) - nothing beats the old brown, orange and blue when it comes to spreadable cheddar.
So when I found myself about to pass by the original Schuler's Restaurant & Pub in Marshall, MI - the place where the recipe for that wonderful cheese originated - en route to Chicago, it just felt like serendipity.
The history of Schuler's Restaurant & Pub goes back to 1909, when Albert Schuler Sr. opened a cigar store on Main Street in downtown Marshall. He soon added a bakery and a lunch counter, which became known for its 25-cent blue plate dinner special. In 1924 Albert bought the Royal Hotel and Restaurant and renamed it Schuler's. As decades passed, Schuler's became a prominent family business. They expanded to increase their restaurant space and added Winston's Pub, named after Albert's son Winston. Schuler's is now in its fourth generation of family ownership. To really put that in perspective, consider this: according to the Family Firm Institute (FFI), nearly 70% of family-owned businesses fail before reaching the second generation, 88% fail by the third, and only about 3% survive to the fourth.
