FLINT, Mich. – We’re traveling back in time. Specifically, to December 1936, when the sit-down strike happened with the UAW. Now a married couple is honoring the history by planning a bar and grill in Flint with an unusual theme.
Ted Van Steyn and Emily Feuerherm are the owners of Sit Down Taproom & Purveyor. It’s set to open 90 years after the 44-day walkout that became a seminal event in American labor relations.
The strike began when workers occupied a GM body plant. Police and workers clashed repeatedly during the work stoppage, resulting in numerous injuries. The strike ended after GM agreed to recognize the UAW and make a $25 million investment equaling a 5-cent hourly wage hike for all employees.
“Our property is a few blocks from where major actions in the sit-down strike happened, and that’s what we’re theming our restaurant on,” Van Steyn told MLive. “I just love the idea of paying homage. I love the idea of being a part of that history.”
The restaurant will be in a 112-year-old brick home that was converted to offices in the 1970s. The couple plans to give the business a 1930s feel, decorating it with historic images from the sit-down strike and family photos of people involved in the labor movement.
The couple is working with the city to secure construction permits and a liquor license.
According to its website, Sit Down will feature a wide variety of craft beer and in addition will also offer a selection of craft cocktails and will have a well-balanced menu centered around premium sausages.