A lot of business enterprises across Michigan’s Great Southwest faced brutal times over the past year, especially in the hospitality industry where state mandated shutdowns forced them to remain closed at critical times due to the pandemic. Imagine, being in that business and launching your new hard cider taproom literally as the governor was telling everyone, “Stay home, stay safe.”
Such was the case for Peat’s Cider Social, the unique tasting room, bowling alley, and truly colorful patio for socializing and having great family fun.
Dan & Leah Peat and partners Josh & Tiffany Cosner opened the first-ever taproom for Paw Paw-based Peat’s Original Cider inside the former Lakeshore Lanes bowling alley on Red Arrow Highway in Stevensville, just in time to be told to close it down along with every other bar, restaurant and night club in the state due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Leah says, “Our first year for the taproom was almost entirely during the pandemic,” adding, “We opened in March of 2020 and shut down just three weeks later. So we’re excited to see what this business can really do now that many people are getting vaccinated and summer is almost here.”
What’s funny is that it all started as a joke between she and her husband, Dan. As they were returning home one day and drove past the Lakeshore Lanes pylon sign out front, Leah wondered aloud, “What if that metal bowling ball on the Lakeshore Lanes sign was an apple?” It came during one of their many scouting trips for a suitable taproom location. Dan replied, “Actually, that building is for sale,” and then they had a good laugh, because buying a bowling alley was the opposite of what they had in mind for their small outpost taproom. However the ensuing silence in the car spoke volumes as they both contemplated the reality of what could be. And so began the Peat’s Cider Social journey.
Now that things are getting back to a sense of normalcy in Southwest Michigan and beyond, The Social is open and ready for a fantastic summer season.
Peat’s recently launched their extended summer hours with a large addition to their patio space filled with a colorful array of picnic tables, retro furniture and a tented area that can all be rented for social gatherings. Last summer, they served only hard cider with 6 rotating taps. Since then, they’ve expanded to 10 taps that include hard seltzer and cyser, produced on the family farm in Paw Paw.
In addition to the expansive outdoor space, The Social features a party room that can reserved for all types of events, complete with retro arcade games from Rocket Arcade of South Haven, and 16 lanes of bowling.
Mackenzie Reid is Taproom Manager at Peat’s Cider Social. She says, “We’re thrilled to have the taproom, bowling and the patio space all running at the same time. Last year we never got to have all three operating at once. So when people ask us ‘are we ready to return to normal?’… We still have to figure out what normal looks like and we’re just excited to see what happens next!”
As they figure out their new, old normal, The Social continues to offer an innovative rotating tap menu, food trucks on weekends and happy hour bowling on Wednesdays. They encourage yuou to check out what’s in-store for the coming months, including vendor pop-ups that highlight other Midwest businesses, the first of which was a SOLD OUT earring making class by Kimy Battista Art this past week.
Also on the docket are a candle making class with Wicked Pop Candle Co. out of Niles, a vintage pop-up with Hold Tight Supply Co. out of Chicago, and more than a few chances to check out Flourish Books and Plants, a traveling book and plant shop out of New Buffalo which is on site this afternoon, Sunday, May 3oth, from 1 until 5pm at The Social. Also on tap today from noon until 7pm in Brunch from Silly Sausage.
Discover new cider releases, view the food truck schedule and learn what the Peat’s Cider team is up to by following along on their page at: http://Facebook.com/peatscidersocial. The entire team can’t wait to #seeyouatthesocial!
You can find Peat’s Cider Social at 6201 Red Arrow Highway in Stevensville.
