Lumber Barons™ Charcoal Grill and Brew Pub
Lumber Barons™ Charcoal Grill and Brew Pub
Art Dore is at it again.
And that usually means something fun and interesting for mid-Michigan residents.
This time is certainly no exception, as Dore and his organization recently opened Lumber Barons’ Charcoal Grill and Brew Pub, and The Stables Martini and Cigar Bar. The complex resides in the old Hereford and Hops location on Midland Street in Bay City.
Dore knows that there’s work to be done, but as usual, he’s up for the challenge.
“It is a big project, but I think I can make it work. I mean, I’m stupid – I think I can do some things that some people can’t,” Dore said.
At first glance, not much differs. The look in the restaurant and the lounge area is essentially the same, the giant brewing tanks are visible from the street, and chefs still operate as many as three open grills in the dining room.
Little revision was needed in the facilities, according to the new owner.
“It’s a gorgeous building. It would’ve been a shame if they would have liquidated the place and tore it apart,” said Dore.
“It took a hundred years to get it (this way) – we sure don’t want it to go away.”
The changes start in the kitchen, with Sanford native David Rosier assuming duties as Executive Chef. Rosier attended culinary school in Florida, and has experience working for high-end establishments in Kansas City and Naples, Florida.
Rosier has all meat brought in and cut on site, giving customers the opportunity to enjoy the finest cuts served up as fresh and palatable as possible.
Rosier said that he will probably take an item off the menu for a day, rather than risk serving product that he considers less than fresh to his satisfaction.
From there, all the meals are prepared over charcoal – just like you use in the back yard. Dore said the Lumber Barons’ staff will use 750 pounds of charcoal a day. In fact, Dore thought his next business venture might be a charcoal plant in northern Michigan. For now, a new restaurant and bar will have to suffice.
Steaks are just one part of what is certainly one of the more diversified menus in the Tri-Cities. A pan-seared walleye with artichoke hearts and mushrooms highlights the seafood entrées. And yes, there’s cod and lake perch available Friday evenings.
 Dore and Rosier have also implemented some Cajun samplings, including Seafood Etoufee and Blackened Catfish. The former is a combination of shrimp, scallops, crab, and crawfish prepared in the tradition of the bayou.
The chef’s personal favorite is Beef Stroganoff.
“We use the tail ends of the tenderloin, the best possible meat you can get,” said Rosier. We sauté it with green onions, yellow Spanish onions, mushrooms, and dill pickle. The dill pickle makes it unique,” said Rosier.
The second floor of the complex features three banquet rooms where as many as 600 guests can enjoy meals from the menu or catered fare, all with a panoramic view of the riverfront. Each room has its own bar service area.
“With the addition of the Stables and the banquet facilities, we intend to use 100 percent of this facility,” Dore said.
Brewmaster Bret Moody is a holdover from the Hereford and Hops regime. Since the previous owners also owned the recipes for their beer, Moody has designed and implemented his own recipes.
“We make the beer the way its been made for a thousand years. There’s an element of freshness that you can’t get anywhere else,” said Moody.
Moody currently serves up eight styles of beer, with plans to rotate as many as 25 styles throughout the year. Included is his personal favorite, the Rowdy Rouge IPA (India Pale Ale), a tasty concoction with roots back to the 1600’s.
The biggest changes involve The Stables. Not long ago, the room was literally a home for horses. It has since been transformed into a combination of style and atmosphere that will make it one of the premier meeting places in the area.
“There’s nothing like it (The Stables) in the market at all,” said Dore.
“Someone told me, ‘If you blindfolded me for an hour and put me in this room, you’d think you were in Chicago or New York,’” said Dore.
 Dore got the idea for The Stables during one of his frequent business excursions. He’s visited many similar establishments throughout the country. And, it turns out that the ventilation system that rids a room of horse odors works equally well for cigar smoke. Dore said the system allows for all the air in the room to be re-circulated every minute.
The furnishings and décor combine to create an atmosphere that draws you in from the moment you enter. The eight stables have been converted to exquisite individual private ‘parlor’ rooms.
The drink menu has no less than 30 different martinis, with handles like “The Retro” (Absolut vodka, Bacardi rum, 7-Up, and Cranberry Juice), and “The Cherry Bomb” (Grey Goose vodka, Red Bull, and Cherry Juice).
Then there’s the House Martini, the “Chocolate Covered Strawberry,” with Absolut, Creme de Coco Dark, and strawberry purée served in a glass rimmed with chocolate syrup.
The Stables wouldn’t be complete without its own walk-in humidor, featuring selections from Macanudo, Ashton, and Arturo Fuente, among others. Guests are welcome to bring in their own cigars, too.
Besides Rosier and Moody, Dore has assembled a staff that includes general manager Alan Shoe; banquet manager Trisha Peters; and bar manager James Oswald.
 Dore has plans to change things around Midland Street to benefit all area businesses. First up could be a marketing plan that promotes the entire area.
“We hope to put all our resources together and advertise ‘Midland Street.’ If you bring people down to Midland Street, it benefits everyone, from Hooter’s all the way down to Tommy V’s.
Though no formal plans have been presented, Dore has also had some discussions about blocking off Midland Street to automotive traffic. Under Dore’s idea, no cars would be allowed between North Walnut and North Dean streets.
But for now, as the dawn of 2006 unveils itself, Lumber Barons’ Charcoal Grill & Brew Pub is certainly one of the more stunning and delectable surprises to surface for discriminating palates in the tri-cities.
By Ronald L. Brown
The Lumber Baron's Team:
Owner Art Dore; Executive Chef David Rosier; and General Manager Alan Shoe
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