Schuler’s history of hospitality is closely tied to Marshall Michigan’s fame for hospitality. Hear the story of this history as told by Hans Schuler.
Thank you to Schuler’s Restaurant of Marshall for being a sponsor of General Guide XXIV, the Local Food Edition.
Read more of Schuler’s history. Source: https://schulersrestaurant.com/about/history/
Schuler’s Restaurant’s founder, Albert Schuler, was a native of Rome, New York. The adopted son of a traveling butcher, Albert migrated to Marshall in the early 1900s. The owner of a local lunch counter and cigar shop befriended him, and after learning the trade Albert opened a similar business on Main Street in 1909.
In 1920, he purchased a hotel with a small dining room on Main Street, and named it The Albert. It was during this period that Albert became deputy sheriff. It wasn’t unusual for Albert to be summoned at the restaurant to attend to matters of the law. He would take off his apron and was out the door. Minutes or hours later, his apron was back on and it was business as usual.
In 1924, he was ready to expand his business. He sold the hotel on Main Street and purchased the Royal Hotel and Restaurant in Marshall, and changed the name to Schuler’s. He built a seven-lane bowling alley and soon the combination hotel/restaurant/bowling business became a popular gathering spot for locals and visitors.
Win Schuler, Albert’s son, joined the family business in 1934. In 1936, Win, a former high school history teacher and coach, became full owner of the restaurant while his father continued to run the hotel and serve as sheriff of Calhoun County.
In 1959, Win’s son, Hans Schuler became the third generation to join the family business. Like his father, Hans enjoys greeting his customers. He also has an unusual ability to develop the people working on his team.
Larry Schuler, a fourth generation member of the Schuler’s Restaurant family, followed the long-standing tradition of ‘working’ at the restaurant since childhood and has been involved in the restaurant industry ever since.
Encouraged by his grandfather, Win Schuler, and father, Hans, Larry pursued a broad, well-rounded work experience in the field of hospitality management.
Larry returned to Michigan in 1986 and served as Vice President and General Manager of Schuler’s in Marshall, MI and subsequently as owner and operator of Schu’s Grill and Bar in St. Joseph. MI.