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Keeping tradition: Ricker’s black Cadillac leads Glen Arbor Fourth of July Parade

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Ed Ricker has driven the grand marshal in Glen Arbor’s Fourth of July parade in his iconic 1976 black Cadillac for decades. This year, Glen Arbor Township has bestowed the honor of grand marshal on Ricker, himself. The owner of Glen Lodge, pride of Miami University (Ohio) and longtime fixture at Art’s Tavern, passed away under tragic circumstances last November. Ricker was 95. Former Art’s owner Tim Barr will drive the Cadillac; Ricker’s daughter, Glen Lake Chamber president Darci will ride next to him.

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Iconic Art’s Tavern sells to Barb and Paul Olson

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When Tim Barr walked out of Art’s Tavern late on Saturday night, it represented the final time he closed Glen Arbor’s iconic establishment as its owner. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Barb and Paul Olson will officially become Art’s fourth owners since Prohibition. The storied venue will reopen on Wednesday. “The first question people have asked me is ‘Will you take credit cards?’ Nope. ‘Will you change anything?’ Nope,” Paul Olson told the Sun. Everything will remain: the pennants on the walls and ceiling, the Christmas decorations, the retractable pool table, the shot ski. All of it. It’s been so much fun to tell people who get Art’s that we’re buying it. The people who get the history, the special place it is. Art’s is an iconic restaurant. I just want to be its steward.” Read more about Art’s history and previous owners Tim Barr and Bonnie Nescot’s legacy in Glen Arbor.

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How Tim Barr got Art’s liquor license

Art’s Tavern in the heart of Glen Arbor celebrates 90 years this year. Tim Barr (who tourists often confuse with “Art”) bought Art’s from Mike Wiesen on July 17, 2000—smack dab in the busy summer season. He couldn’t afford to wait an extra day, or week, for the liquor license to transfer names, so Tim—together with Tom Reay, a long-time Art’s bartender who had just opened Funistrada restaurant in Burdickville—chartered a plane from Traverse City to Lansing to sign the paperwork late in the afternoon at the Michigan Liquor Control Commission. They flew home and returned to Glen Arbor, where Art’s was packed. “Being my own boss was the number 1 priority,” recalled Tim.

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“Art” and “Joe” top boys’ names in America—buoyed by popularity of local taverns

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Leelanau County has added another notch of fame to its belt. Now the two most popular boys’ names in America have their roots in beloved taverns in Glen Arbor and Empire. Last year, 18 percent of all newborn boys nationwide were honored with the names “Art” and “Joe” on their birth certificates. “Art” for Art’s Tavern in Glen Arbor, and “Joe” for Joe’s Friendly Tavern in Empire.

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Art’s gets rooftop solar panels

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Just before Christmas, Ian Olmsted and a team from Peninsula Solar completed the installation of 70 rooftop solar panels above the Art’s Annex, the former gas station turned t-shirt shop next to the popular tavern in downtown Glen Arbor. The solar array will generate 30,000 kilowatt hours annually —satisfying 15-20 percent of Art’s energy load.

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Art’s to close for Christmas. Happy holidays!

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Art’s Tavern Tim Barr reports that “Art’s will be closed from Monday night, Dec. 23, at 10 p.m. until breakfast at 7 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 26, for re-varnishing the bar and other maintenance tasks. “Merry Christmas to all!” he says.

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Art’s Tavern honored as Leelanau Peninsula Chamber business of year

Tim Barr and Bonnie Nescot, who own Glen Arbor’s world famous Art’s Tavern, were honored with this year’s Leelanau Peninsula Chamber business of the year award. The award was presented at the Chamber’s annual dinner on Oct. 25. This is the third year in a row the award has been issued. Previous winners include the Bahles in Suttons Bay and the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians’ Economic Development Corporation.

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Detroit Public Television’s “Under the Radar” features Glen Arbor icons

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Check out this great video from Detroit Public Television’s traveling “Under the Radar” series. You can stream the owners of Cherry Republic and Art’s Tavern, the Deputy Superintendent of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, and Glen Arbor artists Becky Thatcher and Beth Bricker into your homes, thus satisfying your wanderlust.

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Chamber seeks volunteer marshalls for 4th of July parade

The Glen Lake Chamber is requesting volunteers to be parade marshals for the big Glen Arbor 4th of July parade. We need volunteers to bring brooms to the parade to sweep back the candy from the street to the kids along the parade route as well as assisting along the route from Glen Haven into town. We need approximately 50+ people. Please contact Tim Barr from Art’s Tavern directly at (231) 499-2787 for more information, to sign up to volunteer, and to get a parade marshal shirt.

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Tim Barr turns 60!

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Art’s Tavern owner Tim Barr turned 60 years young on Feb. 16. Nearly 100 Glen Arbor locals came out to the tavern to celebrate him. Riverfront Deli owner Sue Nichols baked these cupcakes in Tim’s likeness (photo below), and Beach Bard Norm Wheeler recited the following poem for Tim (adapted from Stone Circle founder Max Ellison’s poem “50”):

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