The History of The Kirby House

Established 1873
The Kirby sits on the location of Grand Haven's first permanent home, built by William Ferry, the town founder and also the alleged ghost of the Blue Man Legend. The house burned down in February 1866. The current structure began as a hotel built in 1873 and has changed eleven times since then. In 1900, the hotel was bought by Henry Gildner and renamed the Gildner Hotel. After its hotel days were done, the building was home to many different restaurants, one of them being Win Schuler's, creator of the super delicious bar cheese. The hotel was sold to Winston & A.J. Schuler and become the Schuler Hotel in 1947. Win Schuler's wife, Marion, created the famous bar cheese recipe while living in Grand Haven. The third floor was removed by Win Schuler, and the building was turneed into a restaurant in 1965. The Kirby underwent many name changes over the next 20 years including, Grate Steak, Grand River Inn, and Lord Peppermills. Finally, The Kirby was purchased by The Gilmore Family in 1989 and transformed into the restaurant and social hub that is so beloved on the lakeshore to this day.