OT: The Pretzel Bell Will Return to Downtown Ann Arbor

Submitted by MGoUberBlue on

I sincerely apologize if this has been posted, but I have not seen it.  Mods please delete if this is repetitious.

After closing in 1984, the legendary Pretzel Bell will be revived in downtown Ann Arbor in the current location of Lena (the corner of South Main and East Liberty), which will close January 17.  The original Pretzel Bell opened in 1934 after Prohibition ended.  Much of the space was filled with Michigan sports memorabilia and it was visited frequently by Michigan athletes, professors and other campus groups, including the parents of students.  It closed because of health viiolations.

The P-Bell was particularly popular for kids who tuned 21 as they were required to stand on the table and chug a free pitcher of beer.  It would be even more crowded when a sorority member had her 21st birthday and got up on the table to consume it all without any stoppage of gulps. 

Partners on the new P-Bell include former UM athletes Dugan Fife, Andy Mignery, Bruce Elliott, Fritz Seyferth and Bruce Zenkel.

It will be managed by Jon Carlson and Greg Lobdell, who are founders of Northern Brewing Company in Dexter as well as other restaurants in Ann Arbor and Traverse City.

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BayWolves

January 14th, 2016 at 4:04 PM ^

The beer chugging on a table was fine back in the day when you could do that without worrying because everyone knew they were assuming the risk but now the safety patrol and concerned community leaguers ain't havin it



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Leatherstocking Blue

January 14th, 2016 at 4:24 PM ^

My father would hang out there when he was in grad school in the 50's. He would drop in on the payday for the auto workers as they would buy everyone  drinks.

It was gone before I turned 21, though.

Joined: 07/11/2013

MGoPoints: 2718

mGrowOld

January 14th, 2016 at 4:29 PM ^

I worked as a bouncer at the Village Bell (another long gone AA institution) but used to LOVE th P-Bell as well.  They used to run "all you can eat crab legs" on Sunday night and my fraternity buddies and I used to smoke a ton of weed and then wait for the munchies to kick in and then head over.  I can remember (sort of) the service slowing down with each platter of crab legs we consumed.  By the end we were waiting a LONG time for a reload but we were high, had beer (nobody gave a shit back then about the drinking age) and were having fun.

Our personal record was 16 plates of crab legs.  The owner came out, shook all of our hands, congradulated us on our eating performance and told us we were not welcomed back on Sunday nights!

True story.

Joined: 10/04/2010

MGoPoints: 214036

seegoblu

January 14th, 2016 at 4:50 PM ^

Steve's Lunch

Dunburi (Japanese place near the State Theater)

Bagel Factory (I still think of the fragel as a miracle cure for hangovers)

Gepetto's Pizza (corner of S.State and Hill)

Joined: 08/10/2009

MGoPoints: 1725

Roanman

January 15th, 2016 at 6:58 AM ^

Especially after Steve became oriental.  Mrs. Steve was good company, she always had something positive to offer that actually made some sense ..... regardless of the conversation. I ate breakfast there 7 days a week.

Of all the places that have gone away, i miss Joe's Star Bar and the Old German the most. The Urbations were always good, but they were at their best at Joe's. The Old German with my dad whenever he came to town.

Joined: 07/08/2008

MGoPoints: 1445

I dumped the Dope

January 14th, 2016 at 9:23 PM ^

The disappointing thing was they had an all-u-can eat special on some weeknight that I attended quite a bit, apparently it was breaking the owner.  He'd bring out 1 or 2 pizzas and they'd disappear in under a minute due to the line of hungry guys.  Then waiting, waiting, wait for it, 10-15 minutes later 1 or 2 more would show up with the same effect.

Joined: 09/22/2013

MGoPoints: 2342

Glennsta

January 15th, 2016 at 5:35 AM ^

On Fridays in the late '70's, GD would run a late afternoon happy hour where they had fried seafood on a cart along with some french fries. 100% free .. except for the beer.

Bicycle Jims had a happy hour special too but not every night.

There was a circuit that you could hit, where you'd get to a happy hour wiih free food most every night of the week.

Joined: 01/28/2011

MGoPoints: 4889

Bando Calrissian

January 15th, 2016 at 2:19 AM ^

The fragel joint moved out near North Campus on Plymouth Road, last I heard. First time I had one was at a Sunday morning soccer tournament run by one of the campus ethnic clubs. Ate a fragel, then tried to play against a team from the Pakistani Club, which were all really, really athletic grad students who played without shoes. And scored at will.

I blame the fragel. But man are they delicious.

Joined: 07/02/2008

MGoPoints: 68277

Gr1mlock

January 14th, 2016 at 4:50 PM ^

I'm too young to know of this place (born in 84), but I'm always happy to see a piece of Ann Arbor history being revived.  I'm sure my parents have many memories of it and will be equally happy.  

Joined: 12/24/2013

MGoPoints: 6266

DarkWolverine

January 14th, 2016 at 4:58 PM ^

Don't Remember Free Pitchers For Turning 21
Went there often between 1972-4. April 1973 was a stretch where we went every weekend night for someone's birthday. The deal was each friend bought you a beer until you stopped or drank 21 beers and got to ring the bell. Fun fact: 10 oz. beer glasses. Think they had maybe 3 beers on tap. One was a "dark" that we though was pretty good. They sold most of the furnishings when the closed.



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Medfordblue

January 14th, 2016 at 5:04 PM ^

This makes me so happy. The P-Bell was the go to place when I was an undergrad and grad student, 1952-1962. Another great tradition of the P-Bell was that when you were a graduating senior you could use the wood carving tools they had and crave your name on one of the table tops. When the top was full they would mount the table top on the walls or ceiling. They also sold hard boiled eggs which you tossed up to one specific ceiling table top to crack the shell. There was always a mound of egg shells on the floor underneath that one ceiling mounted table top. Makes want to leave right now for A2.

Joined: 02/08/2015

MGoPoints: 802

DarkWolverine

January 14th, 2016 at 8:00 PM ^

Remember the Hard Boiled Eggs as Well
Proud to say, I accomplished the 21 beers(210 oz.) on my 21st birthday in 1973. Luckily my GF(future wife) was a nursing student and took care of me later. Perhaps us MGoOldFarts need a meet up at the P Bell this fall. It opens in the Spring. In time for Spring Game?



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SBayBlue

January 14th, 2016 at 5:23 PM ^

I started as a freshman in 1985 and my dad would tell me about the Pretzel Bell so I felt cheated when it was no longer there. Just wish I could have visited this year for the BYU game. Oh well, gives me another excuse to go this year.

On a side note, I live in Cali and it was surprising how many places there are now in Ann Arbor to eat and drink. The town is so much better than when I attended from 1985-89. I used to think A2 couldn't compare to a place like Madison. Now, it's really so much better.

Joined: 06/29/2015

MGoPoints: 3612

MGoUberBlue

January 14th, 2016 at 5:55 PM ^

When I was a student, graduated B School 1966 & Law School 1970.

It is unbelievable now.......great variety of restaurants,  most with outdoor tables in good weather.  The new residential units are generally in high rise buildings (10 to 20-stories).....which I don't get, but the city council digs it.

Thank God for Uber.

Joined: 06/06/2011

MGoPoints: 4443

Mabel Pines

January 14th, 2016 at 6:57 PM ^

my mom is relocating to Birmingham and selling all of her crap.... errrr.... treasures. well, I just took home a Pretzel Bell ash tray! weird...(also my Dad used to swipe ash trays)

Joined: 10/02/2010

MGoPoints: 27568

Gob Wilson

January 14th, 2016 at 7:20 PM ^

As a freshman in 1974 (when the legal drinking age was 18!) The Bell was the place to go. I'm amazed I survived all the pitchers of beer. Tons and tons of UM sports memorabilia on the wall. Sadly, they later had a fire and much of it was destroyed. Very happy to hear it is coming back and I hope they include some of that old, but very neat vibe. 

Joined: 11/24/2012

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GoWings2008

January 14th, 2016 at 7:51 PM ^

My dad, a '47 grad, always told stories to me about this place. I never got the chance. He's been gone note for 2 and a half years, so I plan on a memorial trip as soon as I can. My favorite story was about his first day in Ann Arbor, sat there drinking beer and eating pistachios, then wondering the next day why his thumbs were sore.

Joined: 01/26/2011

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leftrare

January 14th, 2016 at 11:35 PM ^

They can call it the Pretzel Bell. But it won't be anything like what I experienced and loved in the 70s and 80s. It's just not possible. Just a few examples: they served pitchers of beer, the best of which might have been, I don't know, Heineken or Lowenbrau. And, it had phone booths and maybe one 19" TV. We're talking 30 years since it closed and 40 since its prime. I just think I will walk into this place next fall and think yeah, it's a contemporary college town sports bar.

Joined: 06/30/2008

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