Kalamazoo’s oldest bar, Louie’s Trophy House, has been operating on the corner of Walbridge and North Street since 1918. The bar opened its second location in Texas Corners in 2020 and is now working on a third location in Portage. This news was first seen on MLive.
According to MLive, owner Mike VandeMaele and operations manager Joe Wolf announced on March 27 that a third location will open this summer in the current home of Long Lake Tavern at 8946 S. Sprinkle Road. MLCC records indicate the licenses are currently in the process of transferring. Long Lake Tavern will continue to operate as usual until the license transfer is complete, and then close down for a month or two for renovations to get ready for Louie’s.
While major renovations will happen indoors and outdoors, the dive bar vibe will not diminish upon this change. Wolf told MLive that there were many similarities between Long Lake Tavern and the downtown Louie’s location, and that they aim to continue the comforting, welcoming community spirit Long Lake has created.
